Barclays Premier League

YOUR CHAMPIONS - MANCHESTER CITY

It's cost the Manchester City moneymen somewhere in the region of £930million to get this far, but what a rollercoaster it's been - and that's just the last 90 minutes. Who can forget City's blistering start to 2011/12 and, of course, the 6-1 win at Old Trafford. Then came the hissy fit, the exiling of Carlos Tevez and the wobble; naturally, United took full advantage. By the end of Easter weekend, the champions had opened up an eight-point lead, but little did they know a certain South American was readying himself for the mother of all comebacks. In just under two months, with Tevez to the fore and the managerial mind games in full flow, City were back on top where they may just stay for years to come.

SURVIVORS

Spare a moment for Mark Hughes, who - you feel – will put a decent side together with a bit of pre-season investment. It was always going to be a big ask for the Hoops to take anything away from a City side chasing the Premier League crown on the final day and, ultimately, they've had to rely on results elsewhere. Had they have dropped a tier, Joey Barton's time would almost certainly have been up at Loftus Road. Retaliation or not, he had no right to react in the manner he did, but hats off to the rest of the side who worked their socks off in their bid to stay afloat.

ECSTASY

The City fans are being asked to make their way off the pitch so the presentation can be made. It's a sea of sky blue here - stunning scenes.

QPR SURVIVE

Bolton could only manage a 2-2 draw at Stoke so QPR, after the most topsy-turvy performance here at the Etihad, are safe for another season.

FULL TIME: 3-2

44 years and two days after their last league title, Manchester City are champions once again. They did it the hard way, surrendering a slender 1-0 lead against the ten-men of a thoroughly resilient QPR, before scoring twice in the space of two mad-cap minutes of injury time to hold off the challenge of holders Manchester United.

GOAAAAL!!!!!!!

The title belongs to City! Just as the whistle sounds at Sunderland, SERGIO AGUERO dances round his marker and spanks an unstoppable effort past Paddy Kenny. What belief - City's season in a nutshell. Aguero's booked for overdoing the celebrations, but who can blame him?!

ALL-OUT ATTACK

One goal - that's all they need. It's relentless right now - two and a half minutes to play...

GOAAAAL!!!!

There's one of them. EDIN DZEKO loses his man as David Silva whips in a cracking corner and plants a bullet header into the net. Game on!!!!!

TIME ADDED ON

Five minutes for City to find two goals...

POINT-BLANK PADDY

That's some save from Paddy Kenny, the QPR man palming away Mario Balotelli's point-blank header. That was probably the moment.

CITY CORNERS

The shots and limbs are flying as City win successive corners that come to nothing.

FIGHTING SPIRIT

QPR have the ball in the City half after a spirited chase from Jay Bothroyd. Who'd have predicted this scenario...?

ROUTINE SAVE

Paddy Kenny drops on a tame flicked header from Edin Dzeko, and wisely takes his time before releasing the ball.

HEADS IN HANDS

Some pretty desperate expressions on the faces of the City fans; their side need to find two goals in under eight minutes if they're to end the 44-year wait for league glory.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

As things stand, United - one-up at Sunderland - will hold on to their crown and QPR will stay up at Bolton's expense.

DENIED

Edin Dzeko directs Sergio Aguero's low cross towards the bottom corner, but a combination of keeper and post see it away for a corner.

SUBSTITUTION

QPR's final change sees Jay Bothroyd replace Bobby Zamora, who's had little to do.

SUBSTITUTION

Scripts at the ready - Mario Balotelli replaces Carlos Tevez.

OFF CUE

City keep coming with Carlos Tevez again fluffing his lines in the final third, much to Mancini's dismay.

OFF THE BAR

Carlos Tevez gets something on David Silva's right-wing corner, but the Argentine's looping header spins behind off the upright.

TIRED TEVEZ

Carlos Tevez earns the home fans' ire after once again giving the ball away in a promising position. Anyone fancy a Balotelli-inspired twist...?

SUBSTITUTION

With City seeing plenty of the ball in the wide areas, Roberto Mancini throws on Edin Dzeko for Gareth Barry.

GOAAAAAL!!!!

Hel-lo. Armand Traore pounces after Carlos Tevez concedes possession in the QPR half, before galloping beyond Pablo Zabaleta and planting a deep cross onto the head of JAMIE MACKIE, who powers the ball into the roof of the net from seven-yards. Man-down – what of it?

BACKS TO THE WALL

As you'd expect, City are laying siege to the QPR area, albeit without really testing Paddy Kenny.

GOBBLED UP

Gael Clichy advances up the left-hand side, but can only send his cross straight at Paddy Kenny.

HANDBALL?

Paddy Kenny shows cat-like reactions to deny quick-fire efforts from Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero. He very nearly allows the latter's strike over the goal line, with some City players also claiming handball in the build-up.

SUBSTITUTION

Mark Hughes has little option after another headline-grabbing moment from Nietzsche's most avid scholar. Djibril Cisse is the man to make way, with Armand Traore on in his place.

PINBALL

The ensuing free kick from Tevez could go anywhere, and only the outstretched boot of Paddy Kenny denies Samir Nasri's close-range strike on the turn.

FREE KICK

That really was as unsavoury a moment as you can imagine. Turns out the original incident was on the edge of the area, so it's just a free kick that the ten-men of QPR have to defend.

RED CARD

Classic Barton. The midfield hot-head is adjudged to have thrown an elbow in the face of Tevez and, what's more, kicks out at Sergio Aguero on his way off the pitch. Disgusting.

CONTACT?

Stoppage here as the linesman beckons referee Mike Dean. Carlos Tevez is down in a heap in the penalty area, with Joey Barton seemingly the culprit....

OVER AND OUT

Umarked in front of Paddy Kenny, Sergio Aguero can't quite adjust in time to direct Pablo Zabaleta's low cross-shot on target.

COULD GO ANYWHERE

Samir Nasri's fierce cross takes a nick off Clint Hill, who can only stop and stare as the ball drops wide for a corner.

GOAAAAL!!!!

Talk about spanner in the works. Joleon Lescott's woeful attempt to head a seemingly nothing ball back to his keeper sends DJIBRIL CISSE through on goal, with the Frenchman expertly smashing it under Joe Hart to haul QPR back out of the bottom three.

WELL WATCHED

Patrick Kenny has to swat Sergio Aguero's cute flick around the post after a driving run and cross from Gael Clichy.

SECOND HALF

Up and running again at the Etihad. Can City hold their nerve?

HALF TIME

Far from routine, but City have the all-important lead that keeps them top of the pile. News of Wayne Rooney's opening goal triggered some rather thoughtless and rushed efforts on the QPR goal and it took a Paddy Kenny howler to finally settle the nerves. The Hoops put in an otherwise impressive shift but, with Bolton leading 2-1 at Stoke, will go down as things stand.

BOLTON LEAD

Kevin Davies grabs the goal that puts Bolton ahead at the Britannia and dumps QPR back in the bottom three...

SUBSTITUTION

Yaya Toure hasn't managed to shake off that hamstring complaint, so on comes Nigel De Jong.

MITT-WARMER

Much more patient from City this time, the home side rolling the ball across the midfield in an attempt to break down QPR's stubborn resistance. The space opens up for Sergio Aguero, who fires straight at Patrick Kenny from 20-yards.

BOLTON EQUALISER

Mark Davies has just this minute netted an equaliser for Bolton at Stoke. It won't keep them up, but it'll certain worry QPR.

GOAAAAAL!!!!

And there's the goal that puts City back on top. There's a touch of fortune about it as Silva feeds Yaya Toure who, in turn, slips through to PABLO ZABALETA. The Argentine absolutely wellies it straight at Patrick Kenny, who can only spoon it up and into the net. Cue the Poznan.

OVERCOOKED

City flood the QPR area, before Sergio Aguero sends a massively over-hit cross into touch. They really ought to slow things down a bit; it's all rather desperate right now.

YAYA CROCKED?

Yaya Toure pulls up with what appears to be a hamstring strain. The Ivorian's on his feet, but doesn't look too clever.

BLIND ALLEY

David Silva has options left and right, but chooses to go it alone before being crowded out on the edge of the area. Hats off to QPR - they're putting in some sterling defensive work.

DESPERATE

Carlos Tevez sends a wild effort high into the stand behind Paddy Kenny's goal, with Roberto Mancini looking on a tad bemused.

CITY NERVES

The home side continue to enjoy the lion's share of possession, but news of that Wayne Rooney goal up on Wearside has certainly rocked their confidence.

WELL HELD

Djibril Cisse warms the palms of Joe Hart with a low 25-yard drive. The City keeper could have easily spilled that one.

FOUL PLAY

Djibril Cisse doesn't react too kindly to a Gareth Barry challenge on Joey Barton, but is soon told to calm down by his team-mates. Doesn't have the most reliable temperament, the Frenchman.

CROWDED HOUSE

No way through for Mancini's side as another City wave is repelled by QPR's red and white wall.

UNITED LEAD

Silence descends on the Etihad. You guessed it, United are ahead thanks to Wayne Rooney...

BARTON DOWN

Joey Barton beats Gareth Barry to a high ball in midfield, but stays down having taken an almighty bump to the head in the process.

SAFE HANDS

Much better from the QPR no.1 this time, the big stopper getting down low at his near post to smother David Silva's low drive from a tight angle.

BUTTER FINGERS

With Sergio Aguero lurking, Paddy Kenny does really well to get two hands on the ball after initially fumbling David Silva's routine cross.

POTTERIES UPDATE

A huge roar reverberates around the ground as news comes in of Stoke's lead over Bolton. Big goal in the context of the relegation battle. As things stand, QPR are safe.

WILD HIT

The ball just keeps coming back to the City players. Credit to QPR, though, with Samir Nasri forced into a rather rash 30-yarder that whistles well wide.

DOMINANT

Such is their dominance, City have just the two outfield players in their own half. While QPR have everyone back in what's become a rather unorthodox 4-6 formation.

SIGHTER

Sergio Aguero admirably chases down a seemingly lost cause and surprises everyone by keeping it in and rolling back for Carlos Tevez. QPR bodies are flying as the ball skips along the deck for Yaya Toure, who thunders an effort a few yards wide.

ONE-WAY TRAFFIC

David Silva's clever flick finds the feet of Carlos Tevez virtually on the penalty spot, but the little Argentine miscues under pressure from a pair of defenders.

ON THE ATTACK

City are already piling on the pressure in and around the QPR area. Could be a long afternoon for Anton Ferdinand and co.

WE'RE OFF

The ball's rolling in the blue half of Manchester.

HERE THEY COME

Applause of gargantuan proportions greets the players as they take to the field. The Etihad very much expects.

QPR TEAM NEWS

Ex-Citizens Shaun Wright-Phillips, Nedum Onuoha and Joey Barton all start for the visitors in what looks like a 4-4-2 formation - Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora the front two.

CITY TEAM NEWS

Mancini keeps faith with the same XI that's served him so well during the run-in. Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero are the chosen forwards, with Mario Balotelli part of a strong-looking bench.

STAY TUNED

So much on the line here, at the Stadium of Light and in the Potteries. Join us around 1435BST for confirmed team news followed by live text commentary from the Etihad on what's set to be another barmy afternoon of top-flight action.

REF WATCH

Big, big afternoon for referee Mike Dean. City have won all four home games so far this season with the Wirral-based official in charge, but then again so have United in front of Howard Webb - the man chosen to oversee proceedings up on Wearside.

BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM

Mancini's side have racked up 15 goals in their last five outings - all wins by the way - while QPR have alternately won and lost their last 10 matches. City's home form has been remarkable - they've won all but one at the Etihad this season, the sole blot to the copybook being a 3-3 draw with Sunderland. QPR, meanwhile, are winless in their last 13 away games, and have won just twice this season on the road.

THE MATHS

Midfield duo Shaun Derry (dead leg) and Akos Buzsaky (hamstring) could miss out for a QPR side chasing the win that would see them safe for another season. A draw - barring a barrage of goals - would also suffice, but defeat coupled with a Bolton win at Stoke would send them down a tier.

WINNING FORMULA

City must either better Manchester United's result against Sunderland or equal it and avoid a nine-goal swing if they're to take the title. With no new injury concerns, Roberto Mancini is likely to field the same XI which ousted United and Newcastle in recent weeks.

PREVIEW

So it's come down to this, the final day of a thrilling campaign. 44 years since Joe Mercer's Manchester City side disposed of then champions Manchester United to lift the league title, the Citizens once again have the opportunity to step out from under the dark shadow of their great neighbours. All that stands in the way of a maiden Premier League crown is relegation-battling QPR - a club managed by former United player and ex-City manager Mark Hughes. The Hoops are only two points ahead of Bolton in 18th and need to win to be sure of their top-flight status. Where's your money?