In his final home game in charge of Manchester City, Manuel Pellegrini faced Arsenal knowing that anything other than a win would open the door for Manchester United to go above their neighbours and into the top four.
Although City dominated for large periods, they were twice pegged back by the Gunners and must now hope that United do not win their last two matches of the season.
Relive the entertaining contest with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
2.02pmAllo allo! It's a scorching day in the UK – summer has arrived! If you've decided to get out and enjoy it but still want to follow this tasty Premier League contest then you've come to the right place! We'll have in-depth build-up before kickoff in a couple of hours' time and then every twist and turn at the Etihad.
2.05pmBefore we pick apart the 4pm kickoff in Manchester, let's just update you on what is happening in today's first PL match. Spurs, having gifted the title to Leicester earlier this week, are at home to Southampton and it's 1-1 with 35 minutes gone. Son Heung-Min put the home side in front, but Steven Davis has just hit back for the in-form Saints. If you want to follow that one as well, then click here to join my colleague Barney Corkhill.
2.08pm☀️ ☀️ ☀️
Perfect day for football in East Manchester! 😎 #cityvafc #CMONCITY pic.twitter.com/33alHwukNv
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) May 8, 2016
2.11pmSo, as mentioned, it will not be Man City or Arsenal winning the title this year. For the fourth season in a row, we have a different winner, but no-one would have picked the new team as Leicester last summer. As I'm sure you have read and heard, the Foxes were 5,000-1 at the start of the season and those odds are the longest of any single event that has ever come to fruition!
2.14pmAfter finding out that they could not be caught when Spurs drew at Chelsea on Monday, Leicester had their last home game of the season yesterday and delighted the King Power Stadium with a dominant 3-1 win over Everton before Wes Morgan and Claudio Ranieri hoisted the trophy aloft, Leicester's first-ever top-flight triumph. Fans of Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest will claim that they achieved similar feats in the 60s and 70s, but in the modern era what Leicester have done is truly extraordinary. Something that we may never see again.
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© Getty Images2.16pmEnough Leicester loving eh? There's a good chance you are a City or Arsenal fan if you're reading this and while I'm sure you'll admit it is a tremendous story, it can't be nice seeing a team assembled for about £30m outperforming all the so-called big boys.
2.19pmClick here to see the latest table, with Arsenal third on 67 points, three points better off than City. With Spurs only drawing, a win for the Gunners today would take them within a point of their North London rivals if it stays that way.
2.22pmEven if Arsenal lost today, you would say that Manchester United cannot catch them because the Gunners' last match of the season is at home against rockbottom Aston Villa. No way are Arsene Wenger's side failing to beat them, surely?!
2.25pmThat's not the case for Man City, though. Manuel Pellegrini's side are only a point above United and defeat today would open the door for Louis van Gaal's side to go above the Citizens when they play their game in hand away at West Ham in midweek. That's a really tough game, West Ham's last at the Boleyn Ground, but the way West Ham have dropped off in recent weeks, you would not put it past the Red Devils. Bigger game for City than Arsenal today, you would say.
2.28pmCity's last game of the season is away at Swansea, who yesterday really impressively won 4-1 at West Ham to climb up to 11th. United's is at home to Bournemouth, a team in really poor form but safe from the drop. So, on paper, defeat for Man City today might make United favourites to finish in the top four! Imagine if City miss out with Pep Guardiola coming in this summer! By the way, Liverpool winning the Europa League – they play Sevilla in the final – and qualifying for the Champions League would not relegate fourth place to the Europa League as UEFA does allow for five teams from one country to play in the Champions League. Had City finished outside the top four and won the Champions League and Liverpool the Europa League then fourth place would miss out.
2.31pmBUT, that can't happen anymore after City lost in midweek. Although 10-time champions Real Madrid was a daunting draw in their first-ever Champions League semi-final, it probably was the kindest given that Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid were in the other tie. City failed to score at home, drawing 0-0 in what was a stinker of a tie. It was all set up for a nailbiting second leg, but again the two teams failed to deliver and Gareth Bale's deflected shot proved the difference as Real squeezed through.
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© Getty Images2.34pmCity were below-par in both legs after surprising most people with their victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals. The likes of Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne failed to have an impact and the returning Yaya Toure had one of those games where he just stumbles around not doing much. There's already talk that Pep will get rid of the Ivorian this summer and you can see why when he plays with such little energy like that.
2.37pmAs well as the disappointing performances of so many, City lost captain Vincent Kompany to a groin injury early in the match and the Belgian has now confirmed that he will not play again this season AND miss Euro 2016 this summer. The centre-back has had a whopping 33 injuries during his eight-year City career!
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© Getty Images2.40pmCity will also be without David Silva, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov today, while for Arsenal they also lost a player for the rest of the season earlier this week. Like Kompany, England's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain said that he would be forced to miss the Euros with a knee problem. Per Mertesacker is also out for the season's last two matches with a hamstring strain.
2.43pmOne positive for Arsenal is that we may see Santi Cazorla today for the first time since November today. The little Spaniard returned to the matchday squad in last week's 1-0 win over Norwich, but did not make it onto the pitch. How the Gunners have missed his inventiveness the second half of the season.
2.46pmH2H: Speaking of Cazorla, he scored from the penalty spot when Arsenal won 2-0 in their last match at the Etihad in January 2015. In fact, the Gunners are unbeaten in their last four league games against the Citizens, winning the last two.
2.49pmThe reverse this season was a 2-1 win for Wenger's men as Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud netted in the first half before a classy late goal from Yaya Toure proved to be just a consolation.
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© Getty Images2.51pmIf Arsenal win again today, it would be the first time in eight years that they have done the double over Man City.
2.55pmArsenal arrive at the Etihad. Team news five minutes away.
The boys have joined us... #MCFCvAFC pic.twitter.com/Y84K7WDCVQ
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 8, 2016
2.58pmA reminder that Kompany is definitely out for City. You would expect Pellegrini to go as full strength as he can, even though City were in Spain on Wednesday. This is a big, big game for them today.
3.01pmCITY XI: Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Clichy; Navas, Fernando, Fernandinho, De Bruyne; Iheanacho, Aguero
3.02pmCITY SUBS: Caballero, Angelino, Demichelis, Delph, Toure, Sterling, Bony
3.04pmARSENAL XI: Cech; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Elneny, Ramsey; Sanchez, Iwobi, Welbeck; Giroud
3.05pmARSENAL SUBS: Ospina, Gibbs, Coquelin, Wilshere, Cazorla, Campbell, Walcott
3.08pmRight then. Just the two changes for City as Pellegrini takes charge of his final game at the Etihad. Mangala comes in for the injured Kompany, while Kelechi Iheanacho gets the nod over Toure in what looks more like a 4-4-2 formation.
3.11pmFor Iheanacho, it is the first time that he has started successive Premier League games and just listen to this stat: The Nigerian has averaged a goal every 86.9 minutes in the Premier League this season, the best rate of any player to score two or more goals. Granted, he usually plays against weaker sides, but today is a real chance to prove himself and he's earned it.
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© Getty Images3.14pmAs for Arsenal, they have also made two changes. Gabriel, as expected, comes in for the injured Mertesacker, while futher forward Mesut Ozil misses out with a slight hip injury and he's replaced by Danny Welbeck. Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla remain on the bench.
3.17pmWith Ozil out, it now looks certain that he will not match the record of 20 assists by another Gunner, Thierry Henry, in 2002-03. He is currently on 18 but he's really struggled to push on in the second half of the season after racking up loads in the first half of the campaign.
3.20pmEven with Ozil missing, there are plenty of midfield options on the bench there for Arsenal, with Coquelin, Cazorla and Wilshere all present. Up front is the worry though and Giroud will be desperate to end a 15-match wait in the league for a goal.
3.23pmDefensively the visitors have been solid of late, keeping five clean sheets in their last seven league games. Another one today would be the first time in two years that they have kept four in a row. Gonna be hard against the likes of Aguero, Iheanacho and De Bruyne.
3.26pmUPDATE: Calling all Arsenal fans, Spurs have just LOST 2-1 at home to Southampton, so a win for the Gunners today would move them level on points with their North London rivals. Spurs have a much better goal difference, but with them going to Newcastle and Arsenal hosting Villa on the final day, the Gunners could overtake them! How cruel would that be on Spurs!
3.28pmTo read more about that match, click here for our on-the-whistle report. Southampton have won six of their last eight to soar up to sixth, equalling last season's record points haul of 60 points with one game to go.
3.31pmSo that defeat for Spurs should invigorate Arsenal and that's bad news for Man City, who I said this was a bigger game for earlier. Both sides should be well up for it now!
3.34pmBREAKING! Here's some more details on Kompany's injury from the voice on Belgian players in England. Four months would mean a September return, so he will miss the start of Guardiola's reign.
Physio Lieven Maesschalck: "Vincent Kompany is out for 4 months. But he will come back." #mcfc pic.twitter.com/bKwpmQTgf5
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) May 8, 2016
3.37pmArsenal have lost just one of their last six away matches in all competitions and they will fancy their chances against a City side who have already lost five league games at home this season - as many as they had lost in their previous four league campaigns combined.
3.40pmSTAT: Pellegrini will take charge of his 57th and final home match in the Premier League as Manchester City manager. He has won 43 of his 56 matches (D5, L8) - a win percentage of 76.8%.
3.43pmThe 62-year-old Chilean leaves the Etihad this summer after three years in charge. He has won three trophies in his time, doing the League Cup and Premier League double in 2014 before adding another League Cup triumph earlier this year. He also led City past the last-16 stage and all the way to the semi-finals in the Champions League this season.
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© AFP3.46pmDon't think I've mentioned it yet, but there is one other match kicking off at 4pm between Liverpool and Watford. I'll keep you posted on all the major incidents at Anfield.
3.50pmPAY ATTENTION! That's right, this is your chance to vote in our end-of-season reader awards. Voting has just opened and I urge you to click here and quickly have your say. We'll reveal the winners later this week.
3.53pm
More fan predictions as warm ups conclude at the Etihad. Not long to go now! #cityvafc #mcfc https://t.co/WhYXtlBeE1
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) May 8, 2016
3.56pmPREDICTION: You can hear some predictions in the below video, so it's time I had my say! Even with Spurs losing, I think that the pressure is on City today and they'll be keen to respond after losing to Madrid in midweek – 2-1 to the home side.
3.58pmRight, almost ready for kickoff! Arsenal in their gold and navy away kit today even though red would have been fine ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
0 minKICKOFF! And we're off! Arsenal get us underway.
1 minFast-paced start from the hosts as Iheanacho pounces on a loose Koscielny pass but just plays it behind Aguero.
4 minThreatening again from City as De Bruyne's inswinging free kick goes all the way through to Cech, who does well to hold on under pressure from several blue shirts.
5 minNow it's Aguero who wriggles through one challenge before flashing a dangerous cross all the way across the six-yard box. Arsenal are on the back-foot here.
8 minGOAL! MAN CITY 1-0 ARSENAL (SERGIO AGUERO)
8 minYou have to say that was coming! Aguero reaches 24 league goals for the season, level with Jamie Vardy and one behind Harry Kane in the golden-boot race. The Argentinian collected a knockdown and fired inside the near post with his left foot. Great finish!
10 minGOAL! MAN CITY 1-1 ARSENAL (OLIVIER GIROUD)
10 minWhat on earth?! Arsenal had done absolutely nothing for nine minutes and conceded, but now they are level! Giroud it is who heads home from a corner to end his 15-match goal drought in the league, but it all came about after Clichy tried to head the ball back to Hart and the ball flicked the outside of the post before going out for a corner. Mad couple of minutes!
12 minHe struggled in the Champions League knockout stages, but no such woes in the league!
6 - Sergio Aguero has scored for the 6th Premier League game in a row, his longest ever run in the competition. Surge.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 8, 2016
15 minOK, it's all calmed down a bit the last few minutes. City were excellent up until the goal, but then switched off at the corner and Giroud made no mistake.
16 minCLOSE! The ball pops up kindly for Aguero about 15 yards out and you're expecting him to slam home, but Arsenal defenders throw their bodies in the way and it's Gabriel who deflects the ball up and over.
19 minCity have had two-thirds of the possession so far, which is impressive against a team like Arsenal.
20 min
There was exactly two minutes between both goals so far at the Etihad Stadium. Man City 1-1 Arsenal (20 mins) pic.twitter.com/vvZrq8EZXI
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 8, 2016
21 minHaving lost Oxlade-Chamberlain for the Euros, could Roy Hodgson be about to suffer another blow? Welbeck is down with what looks like a right knee problem...
22 minOK, he's up and looks all right. He's going to try to run it off.
23 minNope, Welbeck realises that he cannot continue and disconsolately trudges straight down the tunnel! Wilshere strips down and he's about to come on.
25 minARSENAL SUB: Wilshere is allowed on after a couple of minutes where the ball didn't go out of play. Bad news for Welbeck and possibly England, but what a chance for Wilshere to stake his claim for a place in France.
27 minAguero with some fantastic work to stay on his feet after getting clattered by Arsenal keeper Cech. He then produces a lovely spin to get away from two Arsenal defenders but he can't find Iheanacho in the middle. City fans might just wonder why he can't reproduce this sort of form when it matters in the Champions League.
29 minIwobi's incisive through-ball just fails to reach Ramsey, who would have been through on goal. City the better team, but one pass and Arsenal can really hurt you.
31 minAguero fires the home side in front. Top finish for his 24th league goal of the season.
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© Getty Images33 minMangala gets up well at the back post but he can't direct his header on target or back across goal from De Bruyne's cross.
35 minUPDATE: First goal in the other 4pm kickoff as Joe Allen slots Liverpool in front against Watford.
38 minGiroud celebrates his first goal in 16 league games. The Frenchman has scored more headed goals in the Premier League than any other player since his debut in England.
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© AFP41 minAfter what was a frantic start, it's all gone very quiet at the Etihad, especially in the last 10 minutes or so. But for one lapse in concentration from Clichy, City would be ahead and maybe further in front. A draw doesn't do either of these any favours and it would mean a win for Man Utd at West Ham in midweek would take them above City going into the final day!
45 minTwo minutes of added time before we take a break for half time.
45+1 minDe Bruyne has had a quiet half and he's just tried to change that with a shot from about 25 yards that he got so far under. Hilariously skied!
45+3 minHALF-TIME: MAN CITY 1-1 ARSENAL
4.48pmAll square at the interval, with Giroud heading home exactly two minutes after Aguero's opener. That all happened in the first 10 minutes and since then it's been pretty tame, with City the better of the two teams. Welbeck had to go off injured for Arsenal, but apart from that, there wasn't too much else of note. We'll be back soon for the second half.
46 minKICKOFF! Back underway at the Etihad, with no changes from either manager at the break. Arsenal have already made one sub, remember.
49 minFernandinho has a half-chance for City as he bursts away down the right, but his shot sails wide of the near post.
51 minGOAL! MAN CITY 2-1 ARSENAL (KEVIN DE BRUYNE)
51 minCity restore their lead! It's a bit of a bolt from the blue as De Bruyne holds off the attention of several Arsenal players before drilling low into the corner from 20 yards. Again Cech is beaten at his near post, but it was a pinpoint finish from the Belgian. Can remember a few times this season that Cech has just failed to reach those type of low shots at his near post.
54 minCity's tails are up and they have a great chance on the break as Iheanacho brings it forward. He has Navas to the right and Aguero to the left, but goes himself and makes a real mess of it by tamely shooting a good few yards wide.
57 minArsenal aren't happy as referee Anthony Taylor gets in the way of Wilshere's ball to Iwobi, but the ref couldn't do much there.
59 minARSENAL SUB: Iwobi has had a quiet game, so it's no surprise to see him taken off for Theo Walcott.
60 minSUPERB defensive clearance from Otamendi to deny Giroud a shooting opportunity. Moments later the ball did reach the Frenchman, but he was offside and headed over anyway.
61 minGiroud again involved as a loose ball pops his way, but he comically gets right under his volley and slices it high and wide. City's fans liked that one.
63 minThe Belgian has scored or assisted 16 goals in his debut season with City, even with two months out injured!
A fine finish from @DeBruyneKev restores @MCFC's lead. It's Man City 2-1 Arsenal (56 mins) #MCIARS pic.twitter.com/0DoEGoo54V
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 8, 2016
66 minChance for Arsenal! Clichy tries to read Ramsey's pass to Walcott, but the Welshman produces a superb through-ball inside the full-back. Walcott has Giroud in the middle, but Otamendi again cuts it out. Another fine interception by the Argentine.
67 minCHANCE! Fabulous football from Arsenal. One-touch passing down the right before Giroud finds the perfectly-timed run of Walcott. His first touch is OK, but Hart is out quickly and Walcott can only lift it wide.
68 minGOAL! MAN CITY 2-2 ARSENAL (ALEXIS SANCHEZ)
68 minOh yes! After going close moments earlier, Arsenal do finish off a lovely move this time. Sanchez feeds it into Giroud and the striker does so, so well to outmuscle Otamendi and flick the ball around the corner for Sanchez, who looks up and calmly sends Hart the wrong way from 15 yards. Really nice goal.
71 minMAN CITY SUB: Cazorla was about to come on for Arsenal, but Wenger has told him to wait for the time being. It's City who make a change, with Sterling on for Iheanacho. 4-2-3-1 for the home side now.
71 minBOOKING! Arsenal centre-back Gabriel blocks off De Bruyne on the left edge of the box.
72 minSAVE! De Bruyne takes the resulting free kick from a a tight angle. Curling it over the wall but it's an easy save for Cech as he punches it out.
73 minA half-chance for Aguero at the back post from the corner as he pulls away to meet De Bruyne's deep delivery. Really difficult to hit on the volley and he drags it wide.
74 minCLOSE! Anything Arsenal can do, De Bruyne and Aguero can do better! Gorgeous interplay between the two as De Bruyne scoops the ball over for the run of Aguero, whose first-time volley beats Cech but also goes just wide of the far post. So close!
76 minUPDATE: Roberto Firmino makes it 2-0 to Liverpool against Watford.
76 minARSENAL SUB: Like-for-like change here as Coquelin takes Elneny's place in defensive midfield.
79 minCITY SUBS: Pellegrini's last two changes as Ivorian duo Bony and Toure come on for Navas and Fernando.
80 minSo, with about 10 minutes to go it's 2-2 and City are on course to keep up their record of not beating any of the top five this season. Pretty remarkable, that.
83 minIt all feels very tense at the Etihad. City fans will know that a point today opens the door for United to go above them in midweek. Here's the live table.
86 minKoscielny heads against THE BAR, but he was well offside from Sanchez's free kick. Started his run way too early. Imagine if Arsenal nicked it!
87 min"HANDBALL!" scream De Bruyne and Aguero and although it hit Gabriel's hand, that is not a penalty. Right by his side and he didn't move it at all.
88 minOFF THE BAR! Wow! Sagna crosses from the right and Bony produces a beautifully-timed sidefoot volley that slaps back off the face of the bar. So close!
90+1 minJust THREE minutes of added time...
90+1 minBOOKING! Otamendi wipes out Sanchez to go into the book.
90+2 minBOOKING! Fernandinho has a kick at Giroud and he gets a yellow too.
90+3 minIf Giroud gets his head up, Walcott is away! He wins a free kick though and that should be that.
90+4 minFULL-TIME: MAN CITY 2-2 ARSENAL
5.51pmWell, well, well! Arsenal score with their only two shots on target to earn a point at the Etihad, opening the door for Manchester United to get into the top four. If the Red Devils win their last two matches, they will be back in the Champions League!
5.53pmFor Arsenal, they miss the chance to go level on points with North London rivals Spurs. A win on the final day, coupled with a Spurs defeat at Newcastle, would see the Gunners finish above their arch-enemies.
5.55pmAaaanyway, time for us to wrap up this commentary but keep your eyes peeled for reaction aplenty from the Etihad. I'll leave you with our instant match report and bid you farewell!
