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Man City 2-0 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
We’ll have the team news for you momentarily…
The team news from the Etihad is in…
MAN CITY: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov, Garcia, Toure, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko.
WEST HAM: Adrian, Reid, McCartney, Nolan, Tomkins, Carroll, Taylor, Noble, O’Brien, Diame, Downing.
Sky informs me that every Premier League place is worth £1.2million, so today’s non-title race games aren’t as meaningless as you may think.
And here are the teams from Anfield…
LIVERPOOL: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Flanagan, Henderson, Gerrard, Allen, Sterling, Suarez, Sturridge.
NEWCASTLE: Krul, S.Taylor, Williamson, Coloccini, Haidara, Debuchy, Anita, Tiote, Gouffran, Sissoko, Shola Ameobi.
(A Manchester City fan poses for photographs before today’s game)
Some pre-match reading for you:
- Premier League preview: how to fill your final day accumulator
- 10 moments that defined the maddest Premier League season in ages
- ‘Dzeko not Suarez should be Player of the Year’ – Jose Mourinho
- TheScore.ie’s writers review the 2013-14 Premier League season
- Carragher calls for Liverpool owners to back Rodgers
Thinks it’s almost obligatory to reference this moment from 2012.
Liverpool fans will be hoping for similar drama, with a different outcome, today.
Hmmm…
The Etihad was criticised during the week for a lack of atmosphere, but there’s no sign of that today.
The City fans are in fine voice.
There it is…
We’re underway…
West Ham look like they’re going to adopt a relatively positive mindset, as they haven’t been afraid to throw bodies forward so far.
It makes a refreshing change to the extremely negative style Villa adopted against City during the week, though it remains to be seen whether it will be any more successful.
An innocuous cross goes into the box and deflects off Noble’s foot and then onto his hand.
There are half-hearted appeals for a penalty that the referee rightly waves away.
Shortly thereafter, Zabaleta crosses to Silva, who fails to show his normal composure and blasts well over. Signs of anxiety perhaps?
In other news, James McCarthy has just scored a rare goal for Everton against Hull.
Looks like Roberto Martinez’s men are set to finish the season on a high note.
Meanwhile, looks like Spurs will be getting Europa League football at United’s expense, as they’ve taken the lead through Paulinho against Villa.
In addition, Chelsea’s poor form against weaker sides continues, as Craig Bellamy has put Cardiff in the lead against them.
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GOAL FOR NEWCASTLE!
Newcastle 1-0 Liverpool: The Magpies have taken a surprise lead. They storm forward and a cross is deflected into his own net by Martin Skrtel (19 mins).
Could a shock be on at Anfield?
Here is the Newcastle goal in question.
Kolarov almost scores a scorcher from distance, but Adrian does well to tip his powerful strike over.
City are well on top now, though West Ham have defended well for the most part.
Man United seem to be doing their best to avoid the Europa League.
Rickie Lambert has given Southampton the lead in the game at St Marys.
For all City’s intricate passing around West Ham’s final third, they have yet to create a clear-cut opening.
That said, West Ham aren’t going to be able to do much while penned back in their own half all the time.
Uh oh…
Meanwhile, a Baker own goal and an Adebayor penalty means it’s now Spurs 3-0 Villa.
GOAL FOR MAN CITY!
Man City 1-0 West Ham: Samir Nasri shoots from distance, and Adrian can only help it into the net. Poor goalkeeping (38 mins).
It’s not going to be Liverpool’s day, is it?
As I said, poor goalkeeping.
Liverpool’s title chances may be slipping, but they still need a point to guarantee second place.
Plus, losing to Newcastle would be a depressing end to a fantastic season.
Silva’s shoots from just inside box and it hits the crossbar via Andy Carroll’s foot.
Liverpool fans certainly wouldn’t appreciate their former star scoring an OG.
HALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 0-1 NEWCASTLE
HALF-TIME: MAN CITY 1-0 WEST HAM
Here are all the other half-time scores:
- Cardiff 1 – 0 Chelsea
- Fulham 0 – 1 Palace
- Hull 0 – 1 Everton
- Norwich 0 – 0 Arsenal
- Southampton 1 – 0 Man Utd
- Sunderland 0 – 2 Swansea
- Spurs 3 – 0 Villa
- West Brom 0 – 1 Stoke
You can follow all the latest developments via our score centre.
The second half is underway…
GOAL FOR MAN CITY!
Man City 2-0 West Ham: A corner deflects into the path of Vincent Kompany, and the defender makes no mistake with the finish (49 mins).
Captain fantastic has just effectively guaranteed City the title.
“Aguero with just one ‘o’ at the end of his name.”
Nice line from Martin Tyler!
Juan Mata has equalised for United, but it’s effectively irrelevant, as Tottenham are comfortably in control against Villa.
Meanwhile, here’s that Kompany goal.
Ooof!
West Ham had a brief promising spell, but City appear back in control.
Aguero has headed just wide, before Liverpool-born Kevin Nolan is replaced by Matt Jarvis.
GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL!
GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL!
Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle: Two quick-fire goals have put Liverpool ahead, with Agger and Sturridge getting on the end of set pieces (65 mins).
Meanwhile, Shola Ameobi has been sent off for Newcastle.
Here are those two Liverpool goals.
Do not adjust your television sets!
Probably the best finish you’ll see today…
http://vine.co/v/MgwrWJIb0L5
I don’t think she’s tempting fate at this stage.
Joe Cole has come on for West Ham, as they fight on in vain.
This may well be the 32-year-old’s last appearance for the club.
Wow!
They haven’t forgotten the last time they won the league…
Noble has just gotten very angry at a rash challenge from Aguero.
The bit of handbags that follows is the most lively thing that’s happened on the field for quite some time now.
FULL TIME: MAN CITY 2-0 WEST HAM
CITY ARE CHAMPIONS!
There’s been a pitch invasion at a jubilant Etihad Stadium
FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-1 NEWCASTLE
Here are the other results:
- Cardiff 1 – 2 Chelsea
- Fulham 2 – 2 Palace
- Hull 0 – 2 Everton
- Norwich 0 – 2 Arsenal
- Southampton 1 – 1 Man Utd
- Sunderland 1 – 3 Swansea
- Spurs 3 – 0 Villa
- West Brom 1 – 2 Stoke
Right, that’s all from me for now, but we’ll have more reaction to follow.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
