West Ham push Man City to the limit

West Ham 2-2 Manchester City A pulsating game between West Ham and Manchester City, finished with honours even at the London Stadium. A game that marked the end of an illustrious 18 year career for club captain Mark Noble, who was to make a cameo appearance for the last 15 minutes, did not disappoint. Both teams needing the points for different reason, City to hold onto the title, West Ham to qualify for the Europa League next season. West Ham came out on the front foot, with Craig Dawson skimming the roof of the net, with a header from a Pablo Fornals cross. Kurt Zouma then tidied up, when it looked as if Jesus may turn and finish in the area. Rodri then had a shot deflected over the bar by Dawson. West Ham took the lead half way through the first half, when a long kick from Lukasz Fabianski was helped on by Pablo Fornals, who found Jarrod Bowen running in behind the City rearguard. The striker took the ball wide of Edison and finished from a narrow angle. West Ham doubled their lead on the brink of half time. Another long kick from Fabianski was helped on by Michail Antonio for Bowen to finish, driving the ball home past Edison. City meant business after half time, with their players out, in position and ready to go long before West Ham emerged from the tunnel. It took City just three minutes to get a goal back, with the increasingly influential Jack Grealish, lashing home, as a header out from Tomas Soucek fell kindly for him. The pressure mounted on the West Ham goal, with Fabianski pulling off excellent saves to thwart Jesus and Kevin de Bruyne. Looking more like the player from earlier in the season, Antonio picked up a misplaced pass but his effort to bypass Edison went wide of the post. City then got back level, when a Riyad Mahrez free kick was headed into his own net by Vladimir Coufal. West Ham then had a chance to regain the lead, as Bowen met a knock down from Dawson but the goal bound effort was deflected wide by Aymeric Laporte. In the final ten minutes, it looked as though City were about to take all three points, as a penalty was awarded for Dawson bringing down Jesus, as the striker ran across him. But it was to be Fabianski to the rescue again, diving to the right to save Mahrez kick. West Ham manager David Moyes stressed the need to build again, if his team are progress further. "We've had a good go against the top teams this season, "said Moyes, highlighting the games against City and Liverpool. "We want to get in amongst the top six,"said Moyes, who said City are the best team West Ham have played this season. City boss Pep Guardiola remains confident that his side will retain the title."We win our game (against Aston Villa) and we are champions, if we don't Liverpool will win," said Guardiola."It is an incredible privelige to have one game to be champions - it is in our hands " West Ham have to win at Brighton next week and hope Manchester United drop points at Palace in order to secure sixth spot and Europa League football next season. So, the curtain comes down on another excellent season at the London Stadium, with emotional scenes marking the retirement of Noble.