Pep Guardiola relieved title race remains in Man City's hands after West Ham draw
- Joe Hewlett
- 15 May 2022
A victory over Aston Villa on the final day of the season will guarantee Man City's fourth Premier League title in five seasons.
Pep Guardiola's side had to battle back from two goals down at the London Stadium, and then missed a late penalty to win it through Riyad Mahrez.
Jarrod Bowen's first-half brace nearly created an opportunity for Liverpool - in second place - to pounce and draw level on points with victory over Southampton on Tueday night.
However, £100m signing Jack Grealish scored straight after the break before an own goal by Hammers defender Vladimir Coufal secured what now looks a vital point.
"Now there's no debates about goal difference, we need to win our game to be champions, if we don't win Liverpool will be champions," said City boss Guardiola.
"I can assure you something. In one week our stadium will be sold out and we will give them all of our lives over 95 minutes and they will give us their lives.
"It is an incredible privilege to have the chance with our people at home to win one game to be champions. I'm looking forward to it.
"We are going to rest for one or two days, mentally disconnect, and then train three or four days to prepare the game against Aston Villa."
We will give everything
At the end of a week in which City celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Sergio Aguero's last-gasp title clincher, Guardiola was keen to avoid similar drama.
"No please, not in that moment," he said. "That moment a decade ago belongs to Sergio, Roberto Mancini and all of the players who were there.
"I'd say it is similar because it depends on us. It will be tough because there is one part that is emotional, and you have to analyse exactly what you have to do to beat Aston Villa.
"We will give everything that we have over 95 minutes to win the title."
Had Mahrez scored from the spot, after Craig Dawson fouled Gabriel Jesus, City would have needed just a point against Villa, but Lukasz Fabianski made a fine save.
It was a dramatic end to a crazy match, which began in party mode before kick-off as West Ham bid an emotional farewell to club captain Mark Noble.
The tearful 35-year-old soaked up the acclaim from all around the ground including, bizarrely, Prince Albert II of Monaco, a friend of the midfielder.
With a soliloquy from East End royalty Danny Dyer, a giant number 16 shirt in the middle of the pitch and cards spelling out his name in the stands, West Ham were not going to let one of their favourite sons leave quietly after 18 years of service.
But not even the man who has seen it all and done it all in claret and blue would have predicted what was to come in a quite barmy game.
'Fitting' end for Mark Noble
Hammers boss David Moyes said: "It would've been better if it was a win but a draw is an excellent result. It was fitting for Mark Noble, and he played as well.
"It's great for him and his family, he's got a lot of them here and it's great they got to see him play."
After 18 years of service, Mark Noble will play his final home game for @WestHam today ⚒
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 15, 2022
We asked some of his teammates to sum him up in one word...
And one word came to mind more than most ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8E4DQO9cUK
Moyes' side are guaranteed European football again next season, and could still pip Manchester United for sixth place and a return to the Europa League.
"I'm happy because remaining in a similar position is difficult," he added.
"How many teams break into the top six? We did it last year and we are close this year. I want to get in amongst it and upset it if we can.
"For us to get European football again is fantastic. The only disappointment was not being able to hang onto fourth or fifth, but that was always going to be hard."
