Manchester City came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at West Ham and could have won it in the end after Riyad Mahrez missed a late penalty.
Jarrod Bowen’s first-half double threatened to hand the initiative to second-placed Liverpool, who would have surely relished the challenge of drawing level on points and gnawing away at the goal difference at Southampton on Tuesday night.
But Jack Grealish pulled one back after the break and an own goal by Vladimir Coufal hauled City level to at least keep their title destiny in their hands.
Pep Guardiola’s side were then awarded a spot-kick which, had they scored it, would have left them needing just a point against Aston Villa next weekend to retain the Premier League crown.
But Lukasz Fabianski saved Riyad Mahrez’s effort to ensure the race at the top will go to the wire.
Bowen ensures a week of excruciating Gerrard title build-up as Manchester City respond to Evra
It was a dramatic end to a crazy match, which began in party mode before kick-off as West Ham bid an emotional farewell to club captain Mark Noble.
The tearful 35-year-old soaked up the acclaim from all around the ground including, bizarrely, Prince Albert II of Monaco, a friend of the midfielder.
With a soliloquy from East End royalty Danny Dyer, a giant number 16 shirt in the middle of the pitch and cards spelling out his name in the stands, West Ham were not going to let one of their favourite sons leave quietly after 18 years of service.
But not even the man who has seen it all and done it all in claret and blue would have predicted what was to come in a quite barmy game.
The carnival atmosphere was cranked up even further in the 24th minute when Bowen beat the City offside trap as he raced onto Pablo Fornals’ ball over the top.
The England hopeful won his foot race with Aymeric Laporte but still had plenty to do, keeping his nerve to round City keeper Ederson and finish superbly from the angle.
Back came City but West Ham kept them at bay, with…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football365…