Premier League final day: Live Report
Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) - 16:35 GMT - AFP IS NOW CLOSING THIS LIVE REPORT after Manchester City secured their second Premier League title in three seasons after a goal each side of the interval saw them stroll to victory over West Ham.
Manuel Pellegrini's side needed a point to secure the title but goals from Nasri and Kompany ensured the title would be heading to the Etihad.
City scored 102 league goals to help them over the line and sneak past Liverpool who faltered in the run-in to the line.
Read on to find out how today's matches unfolded.
16:34 GMT - Gerrard philosophical - Liverpool captain Stevan Gerrard tries to shrug off his disappointment at not lifting the league title.
"If someone had said to me that we would go into the last game with a slim chance of winning the league I'd have taken that at the start of the season," he tells reporters after the 2-1 victory over Newcastle.
16:34 GMT - Delight for Pellegrini - Pellegrini has won his first European league title and the mild-mannered Chilean cannot stop smiling.
"Big teams cannot be satisfied with one title. It's very important. Celebrate, today, tomorrow and Monday and on Tuesday start working for next season because this club and players deserve more titles," he says.
16:34 GMT - Kompany in dreamland - "Forget about the money and everything. As a kid, you grow up and dream of lifting trophies, I feel like I am living that dream when I do this," he tells SKY Sports..
"We are building a club. Not just a team that wins trophies every now and again. Next year we need to be even better. If you want to be a big club then this must be one of so many."
16:34 GMT - Hart rejoices - England keeper Joe Hart cannot contain his excitement.
"This was the best Premier League ever. Every team has played a part this season. It couldn't have set things up for the summer any better," he tells SKY Sports.
16:31 GMT - Nasri celebrates - "It's an amazing feeling," Samir Nasri tells Sky Sports. "I am just so happy for the manager as well because it was his first title in Europe. He remains calm the whole season. It was a pleasure to work with him."
Nasri praises Pellegrini for bringing a calm atmosphere to the Etihad. "Everyone put his ego on the side," he adds.
15:53 GMT - Goals tally - The 2-0 victory takes City's goals tally to 102 -- one short of Chelsea's Premier League record from 2009-10 -- and made Chilean Manuel Pellegrini the first non-European manager to win an English top-flight title.
The home fans celebrated with their customary 'Poznan' dance -- bouncing up and down with their backs to the game -- and then flooded onto the pitch in delight at the final whistle.
Over at Anfield, Liverpool went into their last game of the campaign with a slim hope of winning a first league title since 1990, but they fell behind in the 20th minute when Skrtel hoofed Yoan Gouffran's cross into his own net.
A two-minute salvo from Daniel Agger and Daniel Sturridge gave them hope in the second half, but City didn't falter against West Ham to ensure the title went to the Etihad.
Liverpool scored 101 league goals to make it the first English top-flight season in which two teams have passed that milestone since 1960-61.
15:52 GMT - Europa League - Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur secured the last available Europa League berth with a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa. The win ensures Manchester United will not play in Europe next season for the first time since 1989-90.
Norwich City's relegation was confirmed after they lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal, although they were already practically assured of joining Fulham and Cardiff City in the Championship.
Elsewhere, Swansea City spoilt Sunderland's survival party with a 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light, while Stoke City won 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion and Fulham drew 2-2 at home to Crystal Palace.
15:52 GMT - Language skills - "Campeones, campeones, oe, oe , oe" City fans show some Spanish-language skills as they celebrate the title, says AFP's Alfons Luna.
15:52 GMT - Quick recap - Huge celebrations at the Etihad as City claim the English Premier League title for the second time in three years
Nasri and Kompany scored in each half to give City the title and make Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini the first non-European to steer a club to the English championship.
Liverpool finished two points below City in second place after coming from behind to win 2-1 at home to Newcastle United in their final game.
Tottenham Hotspur beat Aston Villa 3-0 to pip Manchester United to the last available Europa League qualifying spot, while Norwich City's relegation was confirmed after a 2-0 loss at home to Arsenal.
15:51 GMT - RELEGATED! - NORWICH RELEGATED FROM PREMIER LEAGUE
15:51 GMT - CHAMPIONS! - MANCHESTER CITY WIN PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE
15:50 GMT - FULL TIME - Huge cheer across the stadium as the referee blows his whistle and City fans flood onto the pitch
15:49 GMT - 90 mins - There will be three minutes of stoppage time
15:48 GMT - 86 mins - Toure gets a standing ovation as he is replaced by Alvaro Negredo
15:46 GMT - 83 mins - Toure shows Reid a clean pair of heels as he bears down on the Hammers' goal but suddenly pulls up with a hamstring injury and the the ball bounces out for a goal-kick.
15:45 GMT - 81 mins - West Ham roll the dice and Joe Cole comes on for Diame.
15:44 GMT - 78 mins - Adrian is at full stretch to deny Nasri as City hunt for a third goal to cap a fantastic performance from the Frenchman.
15:40 GMT - 77 mins - A neat one-two between Aguero and Nasri creates an opening but the Argentine is off balance when he receives the ball and falls over just as he prepares to shoot.
Elsewhere, two quick goals from Torres and Schurrle give Chelsea the lead against Cardiff, while Palace take the lead against Fulham.
15:38 GMT - 76 mins - Impressive standing ovation for Silva, one of the best men of the season for City, as he is replaced by Millner. City are shutting up shop as they count down the minutes.
15:36 GMT - 72 mins - City's bruised defenders can breathe a sigh of relief as Carroll is replaced by Carlton Cole.
15:35 GMT - 69 mins - Warm appreciation from City fans for Dzeko as the Bosnian striker is replaced by Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho.
15:32 GMT - 67 mins - Aguerro might have scored 28 goals in all competitions this season, but he scuffs the ball wide while inside the six-yard box.
The Argentine striker tries to laugh off the shocking miss but it will become a YouTube classic!
15:30 GMT - 65 mins - Silva finds a yard of space inside the area and tries to squeeze the ball past Adrian but his shot is deflected wide.
Meanwhile, groans from the City faithful as news comes through that Liverpool have scored two quickfire goals (Agger and Sturridge) to take a 2-1 lead over Newcastle.
15:27 GMT - 64 mins - Allardyce sends Jarvis on for Nolan, so he doesn't seem content to sit back and taste defeat.
Zabaleta has been a constant thorn in the West Ham side with his swashbuckling raids down the flank.
The Argentine defender goes on another raid and fires in a cross for Aguerro who can only head the ball wide.
15:27 GMT - 66 mins - More indifference than booing after news of the two goals at Anfield, says AFP's Alfons Luna.
"City fans feel the team has a firm grip on the title and West Ham shows no reasons to concern so far," he adds.
15:26 GMT - 60 mins - City have taken their foot off the pedal as they seem content to sit back and defend a 2-0 lead. Is that a dangerous mistake?
15:17 GMT - 55 mins - West Ham aren't content to be willing participants in City's title celebrations and Downing targets Carroll at the far post but Demichelis can only clear the ball towards Taylor who thumps the ball wide.
Norwich's faint hopes have been snuffed out as Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey smashes a close-range volley past John Ruddy.
Elsewhere, Bony has given Swansea a 3-1 lead against Sunderland while West Brom score an equaliser against Stoke.
Fantastic skill from Manchester United's Juan Mata who whips in a fantastic free-kick from the edge of the area to cancel out Southampton's lead at St Mary's.
15:16 GMT - 53 mins - City's second goal has given place to proper title celebrations.
The Etihad sings Blue Moon and turn their backs to the pitch, says AFP's Alfons Luna.
15:12 GMT - 52 mins - City know they have the title in the bag so are playing with plenty of confidence.
Silva arrows a pass towards Aguero who tries a speculative volley which doesnt trouble the West Ham keeper.
Over at Sunderland, Borini plants a thunderous header past Swansea keeper Gerhard Tremmel to cut their deficit
15:10 GMT - GOAL! - Goal! Manchester City 2 West Ham 0
15:06 GMT - 49 mins - Carnival atmosphere at the Etihad as Kompany doubles City's advantage.
West Ham fail to clear a corner and Dzeko knocks the ball into the path of the Belgium defender who swivels past his marker to smash the ball into the roof of the net.
15:04 GMT - 48 mins - City nearly double their lead as Garcia's close-range header is diverted over the crossbar.
15:03 GMT - 46 mins - Another raucous roar from the Etihad as West Ham get the second half under way. City have their sights set on a second title in three years.
Everton's Lukaku takes just 50 seconds to double the Toffee's lead against Hull.
15:01 GMT - HALF TIME - The players trot off the pitch as the ref blows his whistle
14:54 GMT - 45+1 mins - Toure gallops into a yawning gap in the heart of the Hammers defence before rolling the ball into the path of Silva, but his shot is deflected onto the woodwork.
14:54 GMT - 45 mins - Fourth official holds up his board to show there will be one minute of added time.
14:52 GMT - 40 mins - Dzeko falls under a heavy challenge from McCartney, but the ref sees it as a fair challenge.
Spurs have wrapped up the final Europa League spot now as Adebayor steps up to fire a penalty into the roof of the net to give them a 3-0 lead.
14:50 GMT - 39 mins - City fans are urging their players forward as they want to avoid the drama of 2012.
AFP's Alfons Luna tells me that "no one seems to want go through the same thing that two years ago"
14:47 GMT - GOAL! - GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1 WEST HAM UNITED 0
14:40 GMT - 38 mins - Huge roar from City fans as Nasri's fizzing long-range shot finds its way past Adrian.
14:39 GMT - 35 mins - West Ham break forward at great speed and Downing shows Kolarov a clean pair of heels...the ex-Liverpool winger is ready to pull the trigger but Demichelis blocks the shot with a perfectly timed tackle.
Back in London, Tottenham double their lead as Villa's Nathan Baker heads the ball into his own net.
14:38 GMT - 28 mins - Silva tries to wriggle free from his marker but his tame shot doesnt trouble Adrian.
Crystal Palace take the lead against Fulham with Gayle poking the ball past David Stockdale.
14:33 GMT - 26 mins - West Ham now have 10 players behind the ball as Allardyce's 19th-Century juggernaut continues to frustrate City. They invite City to shoot from long range and Kolarov duly wallops the ball over the bar.
Constant City pressure is rewarded with a corner but City players fail to connect with Demichelis' knock-on which flashes across the goal.
Controversy at St Marys, where Southampton take the lead against Manchester United.
Lambert shrugs Vidic aside to sweep the ball past De Gea.
14:30 GMT - 22 mins - Nasri whips in a corner but Kompany can only head the ball harmlessly over the crossbar.
Is the Norwich dream still alive? Stoke take the lead against West Brom so all the toothless Canaries need to do now is to score 16 goals against the Gunners.
14:29 GMT - 20 mins - City fans haven't stopped signing since they heard the news of Skrtel's own goal at Anfield, says AFP's Alfons Luna.
14:28 GMT - 18 mins - Aguero tries his luck from 25 yards but Adrian cradles the bouncing ball to snuff out the danger.
A huge roar from the City fans as news trickles in that Newcastle have taken a shock lead at Anfield.
14:26 GMT - 16 mins - AFP's Luna tells me that City fans have been in fine voice as they dominate possession.
"C'mon City, C'mon city?!" they chant straight after the Zabaleta penalty appeal," he says
14:25 GMT - 15 mins - Kompany is starting to get the upper hand in his tussle with Carroll and his calm influence is reassuring the City faithful.
Meanwhile a shock scoreline from Wales, where Cardiff -- who are already relegated -- take a shock lead over Chelsea with Bellamy firing in from the edge of the penalty area.
14:21 GMT - 14 mins - AFP's Alfons Luna is at the Etihad, and he says there are gasps and expressions of fear from City fans every time Carroll receives the ball near the area.
Over at White Hart Lane, Tottenham have all but wrapped up that final Europa League spot as Paulinho hammers the ball home from close-range to give them a 1-0 lead over Villa.
14:18 GMT - 13 mins - City are starting to get a foothold in this match and constant raids by Zabaleta are causing all sorts of problems in the West Ham rearguard.
Over in Sunderland, Marvin Emnes doubles Swansea's lead against Sunderland.
14:17 GMT - 12 mins - City are starting to apply pressure on the West Ham goal and Nasri slips a pass inside to Zabaleta who is upended by Diame.
City players surround the referee demanding a penalty but their appeals fall on deaf ears.
14:10 GMT - 11 mins - City break forward and nearly break open the Hammers rearguard. Zabaleta whips in a menacing cross but Silva hooks it over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
14:09 GMT - 9 mins - City fans scream for a penalty as Noble uses his arm to deflects the ball. Referee waves play on.
Over at Goodison Park, Everton take the lead against Hull with McCarthy smashing in from close range.
14:08 GMT - 7 mins - City are camped in their own area but are struggling to clear these long arrowed balls towards Carroll. Pelegrini is a sign of calm assurance on the sideline but plenty of City fans have already got their worry beads out.
Over at the Stadium of Light, Swansea take the lead against Sunderland.
14:07 GMT - 5 mins - Carroll is causing panic in the City rearguard as they fail to deal with another long ball which runs to Diame, but Zabaleta is there again to clear the danger.
14:04 GMT - 2 mins - West Ham wont change their style of play and from a free-kick pump a long ball towards Carroll, who nods it towards Taylor but City fans breathe a sigh of relief as the midfielder is dispossed by Zabaleta as he bears down on goal.
14:02 GMT - Kick-off - City get the game under way, and go straight for the jugular as they go out in search of a goal, but Nasri concedes a free-kick for a foul on McCartney.
13:59 GMT - Blue Moon - A huge roar of approval sweeps around Etihad Stadium as the players walk out onto the pitch.
A powerful rendition of Blue Moon reverberates around the stadium as the City fans know they are just 90 minutes away from clinching the title.
13:57 GMT - Line-ups - Man City:
Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov, Silva, Toure, Javi Garcia, Nasri, Aguero, Dzeko. Subs: Lescott, Milner, Negredo, Clichy, Fernandinho, Pantilimon, Jovetic.
West Ham:
Adrian, Reid, Tomkins, O'Brien, McCartney, Noble, Diame, Downing, Nolan, Taylor, Carroll. Subs: Jarvis, Armero, Vaz Te, Collins, Jaaskelainen, Carlton Cole, Joe Cole.
13:56 GMT - Nothing for granted - City midfielder David Silva cites Liverpool's 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace as a warning sign that his team-mates cannot sit back and settle for a draw.
"Everyone is saying we have it won, but we still think it will be very difficult," the Spaniard tells the club website.
"The games now are like finals. We cannot be complacent. What happened at Crystal Palace shows you can never take anything for granted. It was a warning to us about what can happen.
"We know if we get the win, we win the league, so there is pressure, but you have to enjoy these moments. They don't come along all that often.
"If you are enjoying it, you can express yourself. If you are suffering and edgy out on the field, that's when things don't work out so well."
13:55 GMT - Foreign fans - Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is at the Etihad and there are quite a few City fans from the United Arab Emirates.
13:55 GMT - Depressing? - Football Association chairman Greg Dyke won't be raising a glass if City are crowned champions after describing their success as "pretty depressing" due to the lack of English players in their squad.
Dyke, who this week unveiled proposals to increase the number of English players playing in the Premier League, told several newspapers:
"It's been a great league this year. I think the Premier League has been brilliant. But I think there are probably two England players playing at City and two or three at Chelsea, although there won't be that many next year. That's pretty depressing."
13:54 GMT - Losing their nerve? - If they come up short, Liverpool might look back at what might have been...
The Reds were in the box seat and led the table until two weeks ago, only to drop four crucial points as they approached the finish line.
An infamous slip by Gerrard led to Chelsea's opening goal in a 2-0 defeat at Anfield, before they threw away a three goal lead to draw 3-3 at Crystal Palace.
Brendan Rodgers's side finished in seventh place last season, but he vehemently denies his players lost their nerve. "We certainly don't feel here as if we've thrown it away. We knew it was always going to be tough. The final hurdles are always difficult to get over," Rodgers tells regional newspaper the Liverpool Echo.
"If we win on Sunday and don't win the league but finish second, that means we've finished second to the richest and most expensive team in world sport. "That will be a sign of the remarkable progress we have made this season."
13:53 GMT - Redemption? - Liverpool fans are hoping that West Ham striker Andy Carroll has brought his goal-scoring boots to the Etihad Stadium. Carroll joined Liverpool from Newcastle for £35 million in January 2011 -- still the highest amount ever paid for a British footballer -- yet the burly frontman spent an unhappy 19 months at Anfield and was soon shipped out to West Ham on loan before completing a permanent transfer for £15 million in June 2013.
The striker has only scored two goals for the Hammers this season but he made it clear he will do all he can to help his former team.
"To be honest, I think that (Liverpool captain) Stevie Gerrard deserves to win the league. He has been there so long and the football they have played, they definitely deserve it," he said.
13:52 GMT - 19th-Century football - West Ham will be no pushovers, and earlier this season they were condemned by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho for their negative, defensive style of play that he lambasted as "19th-Century football".
Will City's 21st-Century strikeforce (which has scored over 100 goals this season) be able to break down the Allardyce barricades?
Liverpool fans are hoping the West Ham rearguard can hold firm before snatching a late winner to bring the title back to Anfield for the first time since 1990.
13:51 GMT - A good omen? - City's chances have been boosted by the return from injury of top-scorer Argentine striker Sergio Aguero (28 goals in all competitions), who scored a memorable stoppage-time winner against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the 2012 campaign to give his side the title.
City fans are hoping they don't have to endure another nerve-jangling performance where they relied on Aguerro to score a 94th-minute winner.
13:50 GMT - Calm and focused - Manchester City might have one hand on the title but they are doing their upmost to reassure their nervous supporters they are not being complacent ahead of their crunch match against West Ham.
The 4-0 victory over Aston Villa catapulted them to the top of the Premier League with one match to play, but Man City captain Vincent Kompany explained their muted reaction after the match.
"Everyone was happy but there were no excessive celebrations because everybody knew what a tough game it had been to win," the Belgian centre-back tells the club website.
"Now, it's all about today and our game against West Ham. It's really important not to get carried away and we all understand that. I'd say it was a calm dressing room after Aston Villa -- calm and focused.
"We won't prepare any differently for today's game and it's important that we don't. We need to continue preparing the way we have each week throughout the season," he adds.
13:49 GMT - Mathematical miracle? - At the foot of the table, Norwich City can mathematically still avoid relegation, but it seems highly unlikely.
The Canaries trail fourth-bottom West Bromwich Albion by three points with a greatly inferior goal difference. Norwich have only scored 28 league goals this season so will need to beat Arsenal by 16 goals and hope that Stoke beat the Baggies.
If there isn't a miracle at Carrow Road then they will be relegated alongside Fulham and Cardiff City.
13:48 GMT - Who will qualify for Europe? - The four Champions League qualifying places have already been secured by City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, but there is one Europa League slot still up for grabs.
Everton, who visit FA Cup finalists Hull City, have already secured one of the two Europa League berths and Tottenham Hotspur can pip Manchester United to the second spot if they avoid defeat at home to Aston Villa.
13:44 GMT - WELCOME TO AFP's LIVE REPORT from the Etihad Stadium where Manchester City need just a point from their last game against West Ham United to lift the Premier League title.
Manuel Pellegrini's side lead their closest rivals Liverpool by two points, and their superior goal difference (+63 to +50) means that a draw will be enough for them to take their second league title in three years.
Liverpool can claim their first championship since 1990, but they must win at home to Newcastle United and hope that West Ham pull off a shock win at the Etihad Stadium.
