Manchester City

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Manchester City fan Emily Brobyn spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about the final day of the Premier League season, highlighting the inability of other teams to make the most of her club's slip ups during the campaign.

"I do look back to the point where we went on quite a poor run. We were missing Rodri and Arsenal beat us during that run, Wolves beat us and I look at that point when even then Arsenal and Liverpool didn't gain enough ground when we were in a poor run of form," she said.

"We were fifth at one point so they had the opportunity then. It is during those runs which are really rare for Manchester City where these teams have to gain more of an advantage than they did.

"Ultimately, should Arsenal have gone for the win when they came to the Etihad instead of playing for the draw? Potentially because that could be the difference overall."

On the final day against West Ham, she added: "At the moment I feel calm. I don't take anything for granted. They're both kind fixtures for the final day of the season but Manchester City have this habit where it comes to final days in the Premier League where things don't run smoothly so I'm hoping that it will be drama free.

"The last time we played West Ham on the final day of the season was 2014 and we beat them 2-0 and won the title that day so hoping I'm for more of that rather than the rollercoaster!"

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League season finishes on Sunday, with the league champions, qualifiers for European competitions and the third relegated club all yet to be confirmed.

The title

Manchester City start the day two points ahead of Arsenal but with a marginally worse goal difference.

City will be champions:

• If they beat West Ham

• If they draw or lose AND Arsenal fail to win

Arsenal will be champions:

• If they beat Everton AND City fail to win - an Arsenal win and a City draw would hand the title Arsenal on goal difference

The remaining European places

The fifth-place finisher qualifies for the Europa League. For sixth and seventh, it will depend on the outcome of the FA Cup final, the winners of which earn a Europa League place.

If Manchester City win the FA Cup, that Europa League place reverts to the league so the sixth-placed team will play in next season's Europa League, and the seventh-placed team will be in the Europa Conference League.

If Manchester United win the FA Cup, they get in the Europa League wherever they finish, and the highest-placed team not yet qualified for Europe gets the Europa Conference League place.

So let's take it team by team...

Tottenham:

• Will be fifth if they avoid defeat at Sheffield United, or if Chelsea fail to win

• Will be sixth if they lose AND Chelsea win

Chelsea:

• Will be fifth if they beat Bournemouth AND Tottenham lose

• Will be sixth if they win AND Tottenham avoid defeat

• Will be sixth if they draw, regardless of any other results

• Will be seventh if they lose AND Newcastle United win, or if Manchester United win while making up a 16-goal swing in goal difference over the Blues

• Will be eighth if they lose AND Newcastle win AND Manchester United win while making up the aforementioned 16-goal swing

Newcastle:

• Will be sixth if they win at Brentford AND Chelsea lose

• Will be seventh if they win AND Chelsea avoid defeat

• Will be seventh if they draw AND Manchester United fail to win

• Will be seventh if they lose AND Manchester United lose

• Will be eighth if they fail to win AND Manchester United win

Manchester United:

• Will be sixth if they win at Brighton AND Chelsea lose, with United making up an unfathomable 16-goal swing in goal difference on them, AND Newcastle fail to win

• Will be seventh if they better Newcastle's result, if they win and Newcastle fail to win, or if they draw and Newcastle lose

• Will be eighth if Newcastle match their result, if both teams win, draw or lose, or if Manchester United draw and Newcastle avoid defeat - or if Manchester United lose no matter what happens elsewhere

There is a highly unlikely scenario in which Manchester United could overtake Newcastle if both clubs win or both lose. However, it would require an improbable 25-goal swing in goal difference for this to occur. For example, if Newcastle win 1-0, Manchester United would need to win by a margin of 26 goals or more to move above them in the table.

The remaining relegation spot

Luton Town will be relegated unless they beat Fulham AND Nottingham Forest lose at Burnley, while the Hatters would also need to make up a 12-goal swing in goal difference across the two games, which would improbably relegate the Reds instead.

Wolves are in the news this week for their pursuit of a vote on the scrapping of VAR.

Their wishes drew further scrutiny on Wednesday when Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon found himself in the middle of a contentious call before offering a strong view on the technology after his side went down at Manchester United.

"Modified" is the word when we are talking about VAR going to a vote.

We are still getting to grips with it, but we have seen some good come from it. There have been some instances of indifferent decisions because calls are getting too many looks at them from so many angles.

They still do not know what is a good tackle and what is not. I think they need help from some former players, who have been in that situation and understand what the differences are in those challenges.

We keep talking about different angles and that is not going to go away because with VAR or without it, on certain challenges we would still disagree. You could have two current players in a room and they still would not agree.

It is Wolves' opinion on VAR and if they feel it is not working for them, then you can understand why they are saying to have a go without it again.

Molineux boss Gary O'Neil has been very frustrated, but he has also been balanced and tried to stay quiet. Now he does not want to stay quiet because he feels it does not benefit them and decisions are not going their way.

Overall, we have seen good things from VAR, even if it does bring with it a delay and a wait.

It would be a shame now for it to all go away when we have all the technology in place.

Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Image source, Reuters

Manchester City fans Steven McInerney and Natalie Pike spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast on Wednesday, reacting to the 2-0 win at Tottenham and the prospect of winning a fourth successive Premier League title.

McInerney said: "If we win this league, it will be a victory through grit and determination. In the past couple of games we've scored a whole bunch of goals against Fulham and Wolves, but largely we've got there through individual quality every now and then. It hasn't been the City that really dominates teams and suffocates opponents.

"We are unbeaten since the Aston Villa game in December, so we have done really well in terms of results, but it hasn't felt convincing. Arsenal have been absolutely excellent this season.

"Consistency is everything in the Premier League, isn't it? It's a cliché, but the whole 'marathon, not a sprint' thing - City have obviously run that race so many times."

Pike added: "There's still one game to go and it's still a game we have to win so I'm not quite celebrating yet, but it's a brilliant run we've been on and we're just not getting enough credit for how well we're doing, I think. It's the way people are like 'City are going to win' or 'City haven't been very good this year' but City have been phenomenal in this past few weeks. To do what we've been doing consistently is incredible.

"It's been resilient, it's been professional, it's been about grinding out results sometimes when we've needed to, which is different to how we often play.

"But it's also been absolute brilliance, flashes of world-class footballers and incredible storylines. The Stefan Ortega moment [saving a one-on-one from Son Heung-min against Spurs] is one of the moments of the season and who would have thought that?"

You know how this works.

You have been here before.

One game away from a Premier League title - but this time an unprecedented fourth in a row.

Is there any chance at all City will not get over the line against West Ham?

Where would this title rank among the others?

And what next for Pep Guardiola?

Have your say here.

Image source, Reuters

Former Arsenal and Manchester City goalkeeper David Seaman does not expect the champions to be overcome by any final-day nerves as they attempt to secure a fourth successive Premier League title on Sunday.

City are two points clear of Arsenal and will be champions if they beat West Ham at Etihad Stadium. However, failure to do so will open the door for the Gunners, who must beat Everton at home to stand any chance of winning their first league title for 20 years.

Seaman told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "My mind goes back to when City played QPR [in 2012] - they had a little wobble on the final day. You never know what nerves can do to you. Can I see it happening with City? Not really, because they're an absolutely quality team.

"It shows you how good their squad is that Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland were out injured for quite a while, yet they're still in this situation. They've got a chance of four [titles] in a row, which is a fantastic achievement. You're including a Treble in that, and obviously there's still a chance of a double being added to that.

"You've got to take your hat off to Manchester City because they are a proper, proper team."

Here are the key facts and figures before Sunday's game between Manchester City and West Ham in the Premier League.

• Manchester City are unbeaten in their past 16 Premier League games against West Ham (W13 D3), since a 2-1 home loss in September 2015.

• West Ham have lost 15 of their 17 Premier League away games against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium, the only exceptions a draw in January 2008 and a win in September 2015.

• Before their 1-0 defeat at Brentford last season, Manchester City had won their final league game in each of Pep Guardiola’s first six seasons in charge. They have not lost their final league game in consecutive campaigns since a run of three between 2005-06 and 2007-08.

• West Ham have conceded at least once in all 17 of their Premier League games at Etihad Stadium – only Tottenham have played at a specific venue more in the competition without ever keeping a clean sheet (18 at Emirates Stadium).

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has praised "amazing" Pep Guardiola for the time he spent working with him at Manchester City.

Arteta joined Guardiola's backroom staff at Etihad Stadium in 2016 following his retirement from playing football.

During his time as assistant coach at the club, the Spaniard won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups.

Speaking in an exclusive BBC interview with Spanish football journalist Guilllem Ballague, Arteta said: "I have such a passion and love for the game and a capacity to learn fast and be curious. To make a step forward if I need to and make a mistake and retrieve it and try and go again.

"I was surrounded by amazing people and they made that trust and slowly you start to feel it more. Pep was amazing because he gave me so much space. 'OK, you wanna do that? Try that. You wanna do that? Yeah, do it'.

"But I was very clear where the line was and I was very honest with him as well, I said 'Pep, my aim is one day I want really want to do this' and he knew this was going to happen.

"He said, 'If one day it happens, you think [there is] some other stability with somebody else - you have to do that'."

Arteta went on to become the manager of his former side Arsenal in 2019 and has overseen their rise to become the biggest competition to Guardiola's side winning the Premier League.

Reflecting on his time in Manchester, Arteta had only praise for his former boss.

"We had unbelievable chemistry," he said, "and not only on the football side. People would talk about the tactical side, [but] he was on the human level. You just looked at him, just laugh and connect, and then there was the ey contact.

"The meaning on that eye contact was clear of what we had to do or what we were thinking in that moment. We were very lucky. We had some great staff there with very close relationships. It was a very united group and it was fascinating to be part of building a new era in English football and how you do that. I'm so grateful for it."

Listen to 'Mikel Arteta’s People and Places' on BBC Sounds

One of the most enthralling Premier League title races of modern time - lit up by some of the biggest and most expensive stars in the division - may have been decided by a man signed on a free from German side Arminia Bielefeld after they had just been relegated from the Bundesliga.

Since arriving at Manchester City in summer 2022, Stefan Ortega has repeatedly shown himself to be a worthy deputy to Ederson. He has looked assured when the Brazil keeper has been injured and thrived in the role of Pep Guardiola's cup goalkeeper - including starting last season's FA Cup final win over Manchester United.

However, Ortega's role in putting City on the verge of an unprecedented fourth title in a row has been a little different.

There have been 15 goalkeeper substitutions in the entire Premier League this season and remarkably four have been him replacing Ederson.

The other four of Ortega's league appearances have been starts in wins over Crystal Palace, Brighton and Aston Villa, as well as the potentially pivotal home draw with Arsenal.

After his stunning cameo against Tottenham on Thursday, we break down the times the 31-year-old has been thrust into the action, and how each time he has risen to the challenge.

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham 0-2 Manchester City, 14 May 2024

With Ederson struggling after a collision Cristian Romero, Ortega's job was to keep Spurs out for the final 21 minutes. His remarkable cameo may well have rubber-stamped City’s sixth title in seven seasons.

Two fine saves to deny Dejan Kulusevski were followed by perhaps the defining moment of the Premier League season. Spurs' captain and top scorer Son Heung-min raced through on goal with five minutes left only for Ortega to stretch out his leg and block his firm strike.

At full-time Guardiola headed straight for the German, planting a kiss on his cheek later describing him as "world-class".

It is very hard to argue with that.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester City, 28 April 2024

When the pressure increases as the season reaches its climax, City players just step up. Ortega in no different. Sent on at half-time into a raucous City Ground he once again kept a clean sheet.

His shot-stopping was excellent but the way he commanded his box during an aerial bombardment led by Chris Wood showed how complete his game currently is.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City, 10 March 2024

After City dominated the first half, Ederson was injured conceding a penalty early in the second amid a cauldron at Anfield. He stayed on and faced Alexis Mac Allister's spotkick - who scored - before being withdrawn and on came Ortega.

The rest of the second half was an onslaught, a display Jurgen Klopp described as the best his Liverpool had ever played against City. However, Guardiola's men left with a point after a resolute rearguard action, with Ortega calm in the face of chaos to keep his clean sheet, including a block from Darwin Nunez late on.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle 2-3 Manchester City, 13 January 2024

Ortega replaced Ederson at St James' Park with only eight minutes after the Brazil keeper collided with Kyle Walker. He was then stunned by two goals in two minutes that turned the game following Bernardo Silva's opener.

However, he retained his concentration and saved vitally when Alexander Isak broke through one on one to stop Magpies opening up a potentially decisive two-goal lead shortly before half-time.

City went on to equalise and found a winner in second-half stoppage time.

Image source, Getty Images

Erling Haaland says Man City players need to "relax" ahead of the final game of the season.

Following their 2-0 win against Tottenham, City know a win against Sunday's opponents West Ham will guarantee them their fourth Premier League title in a row.

"Focus on the next game and try not to think too much. Let's all get together and finish this," he said in an interview with City+.

Speaking about Tuesday's victory, in which he scored both goals, he said: "We came here to try to win and we won."

"Spurs are a fantastic team, you know everyone knows that they want to play all the time and all praise to them.

"It was really difficult, but yes, we came here to try and win and we won. That's my only thing and I'm happy.

"I think we were a bit nervous. I think that's normal, there's a lot of emotions for everyone."

Stefan Ortega replaced Ederson and denied Son Heung-Min late on before Haaland scored his second from the spot, and on the substitute keeper Haaland said: "What can I say? He's incredible and such a good guy as well, so I'm happy for him."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City may have beaten Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham on Tuesday night to put the title race in their own hands but it does remain open going into the final day of the season.

The Gunners will need to beat 15th-placed Everton on Sunday and hope for a favour from fellow Londoners West Ham at the Etihad, while Pep Guardiola's side just need three points to secure a fourth straight Premier League crown.

If Arsenal draw, they can still win a first league title in 20 years on goal difference if Manchester City were to lose to the Hammers.

So when things can still go either way on the last day, what happens to the trophy?

Well, it will not be being helicoptered from one stadium to the other when the final whistle blows.

There are in fact two identical trophies - one that has stayed with the holders over the season and one that is kept for use by the Premier League - with these being located at both stadiums on the final matchday.

There will also be identical podiums and pyrotechnics in place at each ground and the trophy will not be engraved until after it has been lifted by the champions.

Players will not have to worry about waiting around on medals either, with a set of 40 being available at both Etihad Stadium and Emirates Stadium for the winners.

Image source, Reuters

Headway, the brain injury association, has spoken about the handling of Ederson's injury in Manchester City's win at Tottenham.

The Brazil goalkeeper was involved in a collision with Cristian Romero in Tuesday's 2-0 win which put City on the brink of a fourth straight Premier League title.

Ederson needed several minutes of treatment after being caught by Romero's hip in the second half.

Despite concerns, he was allowed to play on for several minutes before being replaced by Stefan Ortega, with Headway chief executive Luke Griggs questioning the process.

"The concern from players of both teams in the immediate aftermath of the injury, as well as from the medical team and the fact a stretcher was brought onto the pitch, would suggest a clear concern for Ederson's wellbeing," said Griggs.

"The fact that he was not immediately removed would suggest a concussion was not suspected, this is hard to understand especially as symptoms can be delayed in their presentation.

"While we were relieved to see the player taken off a few minutes later, it is hard to fathom why this was not an immediate decision. It is yet another example of when a temporary concussion substitute would have been helpful."

Griggs added: "Ederson's angry reaction is no surprise given the competitive nature of players who want to take part in massive games like this one, though his reaction underscores the need to take such decisions out of the players' hands."

City manager Pep Guardiola said after the match that Ederson was not concussed. "He had a problem with his eye, he could not see properly so the doctor said I should change," he said.

We asked our Manchester City fan contributor for their four player of the season choices and you can now vote for your top one.

Image source, Getty Images

Manuel Akanji

Akanji may sound like a surprise shout, but the defender goes from strength to strength at City. Signed for just £14m, he has proved to be a ridiculous bargain. His versatility, consistency and leadership skills have made him City's best defender this season.

Kevin de Bruyne

De Bruyne has played just 24 games for Manchester City this season. He has 18 assists. EIGHTEEN. Add his six goals to that tally and you can see why there is simply no-one like him in world football. Even with just half a season under his belt, he has to be on this list.

Phil Foden

It feels like we have been waiting for years for Foden to finally make himself the main man at City, and you can see why it was worth the wait. In the absence of De Bruyne, he has stepped up big time. Goals, assists, magic. Just a joy to watch.

Rodri

I'll put it simply - Rodri has been one of the best players in the world. I'm not sure anyone has come close to achieving what he has over the past two years. Unbeaten in over 70 games - he is just astonishingly good and our best player.

Pick your 2023-24 Man City player of the season from our shortlist here

Steven McInerney can be found at Esteemed Kompany, external

We asked for your thoughts after Manchester City moved to within a win of the Premier League title with a 2-0 victory that ended Tottenham's top-four hopes.

Here are some of your responses

Tottenham fans

George: We deserved more from the game. City don't dominate us at home. We lacked that finishing touch plus Ortega was outstanding. Our football at times was really penetrative. Didnt careless about what it meant to Arsenal. I wanted to win this game. Our home form has been sketchy this season. Need a striker.

Paul: At least Arsenal fans can’t complain that we rolled over for City. We dominated for long periods of the game and had several good chances but the finishing or the final pass was not good enough. Van der Ven did well at left-back and Maddison was more involved than he has been in the past eight or nine games. We need to finish strong on Sunday in Sheffield.

Pete: One of the best performances from a Spurs side this season, especially on the back of the three defeats against Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, which, let’s be honest, were not good with Spurs showing little heart or quality. Tonight they showed both. At the beginning of the season with an unknown manager I would have taken this league position.

Lee: I don’t understand the Spurs supporters saying that they were conflicted. I wasn’t for one moment - I'm glad City won. We were never going to finish fourth.

Manchester City fans

Elz: Champions again ole ole! Champions again ole ole! On the brink of another title - Ortega miraculous, Haaland ruthless, Doku a game-changer. It's what we do.

Koeran: City weren't at their sparkling best, they were clearly nervous but they broke the Spurs curse and are on the brink of history... AGAIN! Come on City!

Ken: Champions display with clear sense of victory. Premier League 2023-24 has been won and lost today. Congratulations to the Champions - Manchester City.

Pat: A nervy performance from City but what a result. We started slow and the early periods of the game probably belonged to Spurs but we gradually grew in confidence and by half-time were looking more comfortable. The unusually flat atmosphere in the stadium didn’t help City but the second half showed a more determined approach and the quality shone through.

Image source, Telegraph/Express

The reigning champions will sit top of the Premier League table heading into the final day of the season for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, going on to win the title in each of those previous campaigns.

Little wonder then the Mirror says they have 'won hand on the title' and the Star leads with a play on Erling Haaland's name - 'they think it's Haal over'.

Image source, Star/Mirror

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City go into Sunday's game against West Ham knowing a win will confirm them as Premier League champions. It was a position they were in at the end of the 2021-22 campaign - and the chance almost slipped away.

On that occasion, City just needed to match Liverpool's result to lift the title. They beat Aston Villa 3-2, but not without some drama, as Ilkay Gundogan scored a late winner to complete a superb comeback.

Speaking on the Football Daily podcast, BBC Radio 5 Live football correspondent John Murray said: "What they've got is relatively recent memory of two years ago when everybody thought they were going to roll over Aston Villa on the final day of the season and Villa took a 2-0 lead - they were still leading with 15 minutes left. That's a recent memory for most of this squad."

If Pep Guardiola's side clinch the title on Sunday, they will become the first team in history to win England's top division in four consecutive seasons.

Ex-City midfielder Michael Brown added: "These players have been used to coming up late [to seal the league title]. I thought they would have been more comfortable than they have this season, but full credit to Arsenal. Liverpool shocked everybody, they added the pressure and they've just fell away.

"But it's just an amazing club to be around. The level that everybody expects from each other, and it's humble as well. The players are so good, they're always happy to do stuff for people. They could do something that nobody's done and yet they'll still be the same."

Listen to more analysis on BBC Sounds

Manchester City are interested in Netherlands defender Jeremie Frimpong, 23, who is leaning towards leaving Bayer Leverkusen in the summer with Real Madrid, Arsenal and Manchester United also keen to take advantage of a £35m release clause in his contract. (Bild - in German - subscription required), external

Manchester City and Arsenal have made contact with Newcastle United and Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, 26, over a potential summer move. (Caughtoffside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column