Manchester City slipped, recovered and finally stumbled to a 2-2 draw against West Ham at London Stadium on Sunday to ensure that, as long as Liverpool takes care of business against Southampton on Tuesday, we're going to have extreme title drama on the final day of the season next weekend.
After winning its last four PL matches by a combined scoreline of 19-2, Manchester City looked impervious heading into Sunday's penultimate game against West Ham. That stunning Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid had crystallized City's approach rather than shaken it, offering Liverpool very little hope of catching the defending champion.
But it only took 45 minutes of action in London for a total rethink as West Ham jumped to a 2-0 lead, cutting City's goal difference from +72 to +70 in the process (Liverpool is at +65).
Outside of the Premier League 'big six,' Jarrod Bowen has arguably been the division's standout attacker. He's joint-third in assists with 10, and on Sunday he scored his 11th and 12th goals of the campaign. Bowen's putting up Mason Mount/Riyad Mahrez type numbers but with little of the fanfare.
The opener on 24 minutes saw Bowen race clear of City's backline before rounding Ederson and finishing over Aymeric Laporte on the goal-line.
Jarrod Bowen rounds Ederson and West Ham take a 1-0 lead over Manchester City!
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 15, 2022
Then, just before halftime, Bowen again beat City's offside trap and rifled a finish through Fernandinho's legs to beat Ederson.
A BRACE FOR BOWEN!
Jarrod Bowen doubles West Ham's lead over Manchester City just before the half.: @USA_Network #WHUMCI | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/NHT7Ko5fBQ
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 15, 2022
But this City team, as Pep Guardiola pointedly told Patrice Evra in midweek, has character and personality. Four minutes after the restart, Jack Grealish hit a controlled volley that skipped over the outstretched arm of Łukasz Fabiański.
Game on at the London Stadium!
Jack Grealish's volley brings Manchester City back into the match! West Ham lead 2-1.: @USA_Network #WHUMCI | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/R4BEp8Eih5
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 15, 2022
Remarkably, West Ham should've restored its two-goal advantage in the 64th-minute when Michail Antonio seized on Fernandinho's back-pass, but the Jamaica international went for the most difficult of finishes and got it all wrong.
Fernandinho's back pass to Ederson is intercepted by Michail Antonio but Antonio puts his 1v1 effort wide.
Pep's reaction to that pass.: @USA_Network #WHUMCI | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/l8LRXd2CGL
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 15, 2022
West Ham was immediately punished. In the 69th, Mahrez's devilish set piece delivery forced Vladimír Coufal into an own goal.
Just minutes after Antonio's missed chance, Manchester City find an equalizer through a Coufal own goal.
Can City complete the comeback?: @USA_Network #WHUMCI | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/DmnNWqdeDa
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 15, 2022
Manchester City then had one final glorious chance to seize all three points, and effectively the title, after Craig Dawson brought down Gabriel Jesus in the area and the referee pointed to the spot after consulting the pitch-side monitor.
Mahrez took penalty responsibility but his powerful shot to Fabiański's right was repelled by the 37-year-old keeper.
Fabianski comes up BIG with this penalty save late in the match!
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 15, 2022
The result means that if Liverpool loses at St. Mary's on Tuesday, then the title is City's. A draw would also make it mission impossible for Jürgen Klopp's team. But if Liverpool beats Southampton, then it all comes down to next Sunday, May 22.
City then just needs to beat Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa at the Etihad. However, a draw or defeat would allow Liverpool to capture the title by defeating Wolves at Anfield.
How things stand after City's 2-2 draw with West Ham.
How Can Man City Win The League 2022?
-Liverpool loss at Southampton on Tuesday
-Victory over Aston Villa next Sunday
-Liverpool loss against Wolves next Sunday
How Can Liverpool Win The League 2022?
-Victories over Southampton, Wolves and Man City loss/draw against Aston Villa
There is the small possibility that both teams finish level on 90 points (City loses to Villa, Liverpool wins one and draws one), in which case it would come down to goal difference. City is at +72 and Liverpool at +65.
