Man City defy their own history to grab vital Premier League point at West Ham

It was messy, it was almost unwatchable at times, and it was a point earned by a delightful own goal. But Vladimir Coufal’s delicate glancing header past his own goalkeeper could prove decisive in the title race.

Manchester City had to fight back from two goals down at half-time to earn a result, only the second time in 53 Premier League occasions that they have retrieved ANYTHING from that position, after Jarrod Bowen had twice stung their patched-up defence.

Jack Grealish made his biggest mark yet on his debut season with a crucial equaliser and Coufal’s panicky header changed the mathematics of the final day completely. Presuming that Liverpool don’t mess up in their game at Southampton on Tuesday, it means a victory, by any margin, against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium would mean the Blues are the champions for the fourth time in five years next Sunday.

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Defeat would have left it on a knife-edge and meant that a big Liverpool win at St Mary’s in midweek would have handed them the advantage in a final-day shoot-out that could have boiled down to goal difference.

If they clinch it next week City will have limped over the line in more ways than one - they fielded a centre-back pairing of Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte against a dangerous West Ham outfit that was aiming to secure Europa League football and give retiring veteran midfielder Mark Noble a big send-off with a win,

Both defenders looked unlikely to play just 48 hours ago, and the Hammers’ threat from counter-attacks and set pieces was always going to be a worry, with the powerhouse Michail Antonio and quicksilver Bowen looking to prey on the 37-year-old Fernandinho and on Laporte, his knee bearing strappings above and below