Jarred Bowen's first-half double put West Ham ahead before Man City pulled one back through Jack Grealish's strike and Vladimir Coufal's own goal levelled the score.
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Manchester City were aiming to take all three points and take a giant step towards successfully defending their Premier League title when they travelled to London Stadium on Sunday. Pep Guadriola’s side nearly staged a remarkable come-from-behind win after going down by two goals in the first half, but Riyad Mahrez missed from the penalty spot keeping the title race very much alive. For this to be over, second-placed Liverpool would need to lose against Southampton, which is highly unlikely, considering the form they are in. Jarrod Bowen’s two goals from identical moves gave a surprise 2-0 lead to the hosts in the opening half. But the reigning champions pulled one back through Jack Grealish before Vladimir Coufal’s own goal leveled the score.
FULL TIME | City fight back to snatch a vital point on the road! ?
⚒ 2-2 ? | #ManCity pic.twitter.com/i2piJNoa10
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 15, 2022
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The visitors were clearly in control of the game and could have moved six points clear of the Reds when Gabriel Jesus was brought down by Craig Dawson inside the penalty area. Initially, the referee Anthony Taylor waved off Man City’s penalty appeal but the VAR intervened and the referee went to the pitch side monitor. After the check, Taylor pointed to the penalty spot. Mahrez stepped up to take the penalty, West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski anticipated correctly and made a brilliant diving save to his left. It could be said that the spot-kick wasn’t great as it was struck at a perfect height for the Polish custodian to make the save. But that’s the way it is, you put the ball inside the net, it’s a good pen, you miss it, credit to the keeper.
The result means Man City still have work to do. Guardiola’s side go into the final week four points clear, not six. And Liverpool have two games left. In the 2018-19 Premier League season also Mahrez missed a crucial penalty in the goalless draw against Liverpool. And then, on the last day, Man City managed to secure the title with a one point lead over the Reds. it would have been over had the Algerian scored at Anfield, but Man City went on to secure the title by the finest of margins. They got the job done, it will have to be the same again this campaign.
It was a thrilling match at the London Stadium as Bowen gave the lead to the hosts inside the opening 17 minutes. The Englishman made a brilliant run to get on the end of an overhead ball from the midfield and rounded off the visiting keeper before putting the ball inside the net. And then, on the stroke of half-time, David Moyes’ side doubled the lead from a similar move. This time it was Michail antonio, who played a nice little overhead ball to release Bowen on goal and once again the forward made no mistake and slotted home past Ederson into the back of the net.
Man City came out like champions in the second half and West Ham, from a position of superiority, were now desperately trying to hold on to the lead. Just four minutes after the restart, Grealish’s effort from outside the box, pitched through the legs of Dawson, unsighting Fabianski in goal. After the goal, it was all Man City as Grealish and Bernardo Silva came close to leveling the score. Ultimately, in the 69th minute a defensive mistake from Coufal came to Man City’s rescue. Mahrez delivered a teasing free-kick and Coufal made the strange decision to clear it with a dangerous diving header back towards his own goal. The ball went past a helpless Fabianski into the bottom far corner. It would have been a brilliant headed goal, if it was an attacking header.
Manchester City vs Liverpool: Talking points from the action-packed draw
