Manuel Pellegrini’s men will be crowned champions should they avoid defeat against West Ham, while Manchester United could still sneak a Europa League spot ahead of Tottenham

At 21.39BST on April 16 it did not seem possible. Manchester City had just been held to a 2-2 draw by then-bottom club Sunderland and it looked for all the world like Liverpool were going to march on and collect their first Premier League title in 24 years.

Samir Nasri’s strike two minutes from time rescued a point against the Black Cats after two goals from Connor Wickham but, with the Merseysiders in imperious form, there only appeared one outcome: Liverpool being crowned champions.

How things can change. A quite remarkable collapse from Brendan Rodgers’s side, in which they picked up just one point from two games against Chelsea and Crystal Palace, saw the title dramatically slip from their grasp.

City, meanwhile, held their nerve to record four wins on the spin and know that just a point in their final game of the season against West Ham would, should Liverpool fail to put 13 goals past Newcastle, see them claim their second title in three seasons.

With the Champions League places decided after Everton’s defeat to Manuel Pellegrini’s men – which ensured that Arsenal will finish fourth – attention turns to the Europa League spots and the battle to finish sixth.

Manchester United’s dismal campaign comes to an end at Southampton on Sunday in what is set to be Ryan Giggs’s final game in charge before Louis van Gaal takes control after his World Cup commitments with Netherlands.

The Red Devils could sneak into Europe’s secondary competition should Tottenham, who currently have a three-point cushion over United but a far inferior goal difference, suffer defeat to Aston Villa and Giggs leads his side to victory at St Mary’s Stadium.

Elsewhere in the table, Crystal Palace and Sunderland could cap what has been an extraordinary end to the season for both sides by finishing 10th and 12th, respectively.

Tony Pulis, who has been nothing short of a revelation since replacing Ian Holloway at Selhurst Park back in November, has lifted the Eagles from the bottom three to 11th and could still finish above former side Stoke City in the table.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have pulled off something of a great escape, with the Black Cats capable of finishing as high as 12th in the table, having been rock bottom just two weeks previously, should they come out on top against Swansea City on Sunday and West Ham fall to defeat at Manchester City.

As for the fight to avoid the drop, both Cardiff City and Fulham have already had their fate confirmed and Norwich City are set to join them in the Championship.

The Canaries, who secured what normally would have been a commendable point against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last time out, will drop down a division unless they defeat Arsenal and West Brom lose to Stoke, overturning a 17-goal deficit in the process.

Liverpool’s Luis Suarez beat the Ivorian to the prestigious award but the former Barcelona ace is now focusing solely on claiming his second English championship crown

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure admits that he was “disappointed” to see Luis Suarez beat him to the PFA Player of the Year award but expects to put the pain behind him by winning the Premier League title.

After a catastrophic collapse from Suarez’s Liverpool, Manuel Pellegrini’s men need just a point from their clash with West Ham at the Etihad Stadium to clinch their second championship in three years.

And Toure, who has scored 20 goals and provided eight assists in league play this season, is confident of finishing the job to ease his own frustration.

“To be honest, I was disappointed with the PFA award because I’m a competitor,” he told reporters. “The most important thing, though, is trophies for the team. We always remind each other of that.

“It was not only me who was in the running for the award and we have a number of players who have had excellent seasons.

“We definitely expect to win the title. As a top team, we expect to win it.”

City have already won the Capital One Cup this season – beating Sunderland 3-1 in the Wembley final – but Toure insists that that success is “not enough” for the club.

“The target is always to win something each season and for us, the League Cup is not enough,” he added.

“The Premier League is always our target so we need to do a job against West Ham on Sunday and, with our fans behind us, we know we can do it again.

“We’ve worked so hard this year and, if we don’t win, it will be a massive disappointment for us and for the fans as well. We need to see the job through.”

The Bosnian scored twice in his side’s win over Aston Villa on Wednesday to leave Manuel Pellegrini’s men on the verge of winning their second Premier League title

COMMENT
By Greg Stobart at the Etihad Stadium

The bus was parked, the rain was teeming down and Manchester City supporters may have feared the worst as the game entered the final half hour. After all, for all their recent success, most of these fans were brought up where ‘Cityitus’ – a proclivity for choking when it matters – is still ingrained in the psyche.

Then they showed the personality and character of champions, of a team that has done this before. Their goal difference now means they need just one point against West Ham on the final day of the season to clinch a second title in three seasons.

“We’ll fight ‘til the end” were the words sung in the stands and written on the huge flag unveiled in the stands before kick-off.

Edin Dzeko has personified that spirit in recent weeks and while the scoreline ended 4-0 over Aston Villa on Monday, it was the Bosnian who transformed the game from an edgy draw into a convincing victory.

In the 64th minute, Dzeko was too quick on his toes for the Villa defenders as he darted across the six-yard box to reach Pablo Zabaleta’s cross and slide the ball first-time through Brad Guzan’s legs.

Eight minutes later, he put the results beyond doubt with a typical striker’s finish, finding himself in the right place to tap the ball in after Samir Nasri’s initial shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

Stevan Jovetic and Yaya Toure scored late on to seal and emphatic scoreline – but it was Dzeko who got City out of trouble.

It took Dzeko’s record to 16 goals from 30 Premier League appearances this season, eight of which have been as a substitute. Not bad for a player who has been consistently linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium.

The 28-year-old has scored nine goals in his last 10 games for City. Ever since his two goals in the Manchester derby win at Old Trafford in March, Dzeko has been the main man for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, especially with Sergio Aguero dogged by injury problems and Alvaro Negredo wilting.

At the start of the season, Dzeko cut a frustrated figure and was considering his future as Aguero and Negredo scored the goals and attracted the headlines.

But his form in the final stages of the campaign has been critical. Along with Yaya Toure, who took his tally to 20 league goals for the season on Wednesday, Dzeko has been pivotal in taking City to the brink of the title.

His passion and hunger to win have been evident in his goal celebrations in recent weeks.

City fans already knew he was a man for the big occasion. None could ever forget his late header to equalise against QPR on that dramatic final day in 2012.

After Chelsea’s win at Liverpool, it was Dzeko who took advantage with a perfectly directed header into the bottom corner to give City the lead against Crystal Palace.

Last week, when many expected City to slip up away at Everton, he scored twice to inspire a 3-2 victory at Goodison Park. The first goal was a quite brilliant header from 12 yards.

And it would be perfectly fitting if he is on the scoresheet again to take City over the line on Sunday.