The last time ManchesterCity went into the final day of the English Premier League season as favourites for the title, they induced a few heart attacks amongst their fans, Manchester United supporters and even the neutrals – such was the drama as Sergio Aguero scored that unbelievably late goal.
Where to Watch Live:
The title decider is scheduled for a 3 pm BST (7.30 pm IST, 10 am ET) start with live coverage on Star Sports 1 in India. The match can be caught via live streaming online in India HERE. Watch the game in the US HERE, while UK viewers can watch the match live HERE. Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can live stream the action HERE, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do so HERE. Latin America viewers can live stream the action HERE. The game can be live streamed by Canada viewers HERE, while Australia viewers can do the same HERE.
Come Sunday at the Etihad, City and their fans will hope for a much serene outing – three points or even one against West Ham and they will be the Premier League champions for the second time in three years.
"We know the importance of this match but we must play a normal game and plan to win as we always do," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said.
"It is important to be calm ahead of this game. We have experienced players and some of them played in the game when we last won the Premier League, but the situation is different, many of the team are different and we are playing different opposition.
"I expect to win the match and I'm not thinking about a draw or anything else."
Liverpool, the only team capable of snatching the title away from City, will be hoping for some help from West Ham – if the Hammers beat City, then Liverpool will be crowned league champions for the first time in 24 years as long as they win their own game against Newcastle.
"We all know that ManchesterCity in full flow are very difficult to play against," said West Ham manager Sam Allardyce, whose side have been on the receiving end of a couple of big defeats against City already this season.
"We've got to go out there and give a fantastic performance to stop them trying to grasp the title. It will be hugely difficult because they're the best team at home in the league, they've only lost once against Chelsea.
"Their goal record is fantastic and they have great players. Every player on top of his form, every player can go out and give everything they've got on the basis that they know we're in the Premier League next year, but let's try and spoil ManchesterCity's party."
Liverpool, indirectly, could very well seal City's fate on Sunday, with two of their players, who only left Anfield last summer, currently plying their trade for West Ham. Andy Carroll and Steward Downing might not have had the best of times wearing Liverpool's red, but they will be club legends for eternity, if they fashion a victory over City on Sunday.
Team news: Manchester City: Pellegrini has a full squad at his disposal for the final game of the season, with Aguero, crucially, and Matija Nastasic both available. "Everyone is available for Sunday," Pellegrini said. "For me, that is the most important thing ahead of this game. We need all our important players for this game and we are happy that we have."
West Ham: Allardyce, who could very well be managing his final game for the Hammers, only has Marco Boriello missing from the side.
Expected lineups: Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Nasri, Aguero, Silva; Dzeko.
West Ham: Adrian; Demel, Tomkins, Reid, McCartney, Noble, Taylor; Diame, Nolan, Downing, Carroll.
