Man City v West Ham LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Phil Foden inspires victory
Manchester City 3-1 West Ham: City claim fourth successive league title after Foden brace and Rodri’s second-half strike
Manchester City won an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title with a 3-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday to pip rivals Arsenal on the final day of a thrilling Premier League season.
Two glorious early goals from league player of the season Phil Foden created a party atmosphere in the sunshine at the Etihad Stadium before a stunning bicycle kick from Mohammed Kudus before halftime brought West Ham briefly into the game.
But Rodri sealed the victory with a low 59th-minute shot from outside the area, giving Pep Guardiola’s side a phenomenal sixth title in seven years. Fans danced in their seats, belting out: “Champions again!” and “Are you watching Arsenal?”
In one of the closest title races in Premier League history, Arsenal could have taken the championship had City dropped points. But the Londoners’ 2-1 win in their game against Everton was in vain, leaving them two points behind.
Follow all the reaction below.
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Guardiola warns players to expect tense day
Pep Guardiola is preparing his Manchester City players for another nerve-shredding finish to the title race.
The champions will secure an unprecedented fourth-successive Premier League crown - and a sixth in seven seasons - if they beat West Ham in their final game at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Yet any slip-up would offer Arsenal the chance to seize top spot at the last moment, as the Gunners head into their clash with Everton, trailing by just two points.
Such finishes are hardly unfamiliar to City. Guardiola remembers well how his side needed to recover from 2-0 down against Aston Villa to see off Liverpool’s challenge on the closing day two years ago.
Then, of course, there was City’s dramatic last-gasp success in 2012, when Sergio Aguero scored deep into injury time to snatch the title from Manchester United.
City manager Guardiola said: “If you ask all the Premier League teams at the start of the season, what would be the best position for the last game of the season - we are in the best position. That’s for sure.
“One game left, destiny in our hands, we need to win one game to be champions. Everyone would love to be in our position.
“But it won’t be easy. It’s win or win, otherwise Arsenal will be champions. It is not more complicated than that.”
The legacy of Pep Guardiola’s Man City – and why they may never be truly loved
Pep Guardiola is on the brink of history. “One game, destiny in our hands,” he said, relishing the scenario rather than deflecting attention from it. A fourth consecutive English title would be an unparalleled achievement. It would also be a very popular one; within the Manchester City fanbase, anyway.
And in the wider world? “F***, I don’t know,” replied a dismissive Guardiola. “I don’t go knocking on doors asking people what they think. I don’t know, honestly.”
And if he is sufficiently busy that he scarcely had time to double up as a pollster, canvassing opinions, if many people in football are insulated from the outside world, there is a broader question of how City are viewed. As a great team? Definitely, and they will be even if they lose to West Ham on Sunday and Arsenal supplant them at the top of the table. As the best side in Europe? They were last season but, however often they are described as such, that status surely belongs with either the relentless Real Madrid or even Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, based on the evidence of the current campaign. As a side whose achievements often come with a caveat? For now, certainly, given that 115 Premier League charges still hang over City. That said, if the eventual verdict is that City breached regulations for years to create the conditions for their current era of dominance, the fundamental fault for that was not committed by Guardiola or his players.
By Richard Jolly
The legacy of Guardiola’s Man City – and why they may never be loved
Pep Guardiola maintains Man City are not boring, but they still leave a complicated legacy and a potential fourth successive title comes with a broader question
The Premier League has a title race problem – but Arsenal can fix it
As Mikel Arteta addressed the Arsenal squad on Wednesday morning, the message was the same. That was to keep focusing on what they must do and forget about Manchester City.
It wasn’t quite predecessor George Graham ahead of Arsenal’s famous last game in 1988-89, when he came in the morning after title rivals Liverpool thumped West Ham United 5-1. “Best thing for us, they’ll think they have it won,” was the message before that historic title showdown at Anfield.
This season’s final day obviously doesn’t have those dimensions, where the top two directly met, but also feels unlikely to reach the heights of previous Premier League climaxes.
This is the ninth time the title has gone down to the final day since the competition was founded in 1992, but it feels illusory, closer to 2010 or 2014 rather than 1995 or 2012.
Let’s face it, does anybody seriously think Man City are going to slip up at home to West Ham United? Far more likely is that they beat them easily, just as they did on that last day in 2014 and just as Chelsea did against Wigan Athletic in 2010. It’s why Arteta has to tell the Arsenal players to simply concentrate on their own jobs.
Final day preview, by Miguel Delaney
The Premier League has a title race problem – but Arsenal can fix it
Man City are expected to win the Premier League on Sunday, but Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal can inject some drama into the final day
Premier League LIVE
As well as a dramatic title race, the Premier League is heading for a frantic late scramble to decide the final European places this season - with several spots still up for grabs ahead of the final day.
Aston Villa have secured the fourth Champions League place, in a stunning achievement for Unai Emery’s side.
Tottenham Hotspur had hoped to challenge for that spot, but a poor run of form for Ange Postecoglou’s side has Spurs looking over their shoulders to hold on to a Europa League place.
Manchester United, meanwhile, suddenly dropped away in the race for sixth, with Chelsea enjoying a resurgent end to an otherwise difficult campaign.
But Erik ten Hag’s side did beat Newcastle, their fellow challengers for the European places, to build some late momentum ahead of the FA Cup final against Man City. So, with a single game to go, here’s how the battle for the final European places is shaping up.
Which Premier League sides qualify for Europe this season?
There are places in the Europa League and Europa Conference League still up for grabs
Premier League LIVE
If Man City lose, Arsenal will instead win the title if they earn victory against the Toffees, finishing top by a point. Given Guardiola’s side have not lost a single home match all season, though, that seems an improbable outcome at the last.
But they have drawn five of their 18 home league games so far though, and two of their last five at the Etihad in all competitions - and a draw for Man City against West Ham on the final day combined with an Arsenal win would see both teams at the top tied on 89 points.
That would mean the title goes to goal difference, which would see the north London club celebrating a first league championship in 20 years, their last coming in 2003-04, as they currently hold a goal difference one better than City, which would in turn improve with a victory. City’s, naturally, would remain as it is now with a draw.
City won the title by five points last year, but in 21/22 were made to wait until the final day as they edged out Liverpool by just one point - and on that occasion needed to come from 2-0 down in the final 15 minutes to claim a 3-2 win and take the points they needed to celebrate.
Premier League LIVE
Both Arsenal and Man City are at home on the final day, making them heavy favourites to win each match, but Mikel Arteta knows he needs a favour from David Moyes if it’s to be celebrations at the Emirates instead of the Etihad come 6pm on Sunday.
The equation for how the Gunners can win the title is fairly routine from their perspective: they must first of all win against Everton, thus moving themselves to 89 points for the campaign.
Then it’s over to West Ham, and the hope that they can rouse themselves for a final-day upset against last year’s treble-winners.
Naturally, a Man City win would mean they stay a minimum of two points clear and, regardless of Arsenal’s result, would be once again crowned champions.
Premier League LIVE
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Premier League LIVE
Final day Premier League fixtures, all 4pm BST kick-off
Arsenal vs Everton - live on TNT Sports 1
Brentford vs Newcastle
Brighton vs Manchester United
Burnley vs Nottingham Forest
Chelsea vs Bournemouth - live on Sky Sports Arena/Football
Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa
Liverpool vs Wolves - live on Sky Sports Premier League
Luton vs Fulham
Manchester City vs West Ham - live on Sky Sports Main Event
Sheffield United vs Tottenham
Premier League LIVE
Manchester City will win a fourth successive Premier League title if they beat West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium today.
City come into the final day two points clear of Arsenal after seeing off Tottenham in midweek, and now have one last hurdle to overcome. “One game left, destiny in our hands, we need to win one game to be champions,” Pep Guardiola said this week. “Everyone would love to be in our position. But it won’t be easy.”
However, West Ham have been widely doubted this week and even their manager, David Moyes, holds little hope in his last game in charge. “It would be difficult to stop their Under-14s winning the title,” said Moyes, in a sign that West Ham may not put up the stiffest fight on behalf of their London rivals.
Arsenal meanwhile take on Everton at the Emirates as they look to finish off their season with a win that would snatch the title if City slip up. Follow the latest scores and all the action from the Premier League’s final day in today’s live blog.
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