West Ham 1-1 Manchester City result - Konstantinos Mavropanos header deals huge blow to City's Premier League title dream as Hammers escape drop zone

Konstantinos Mavropanos dealt Manchester City's title dream a massive blow as his headed equaliser in the first half saw West Ham move out of the relegation zone with a battling 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.

After Bernardo Silva had produced a sublime chipped finish to give the visitors the lead on 31 minutes, the Greece central defender rose highest in a crowded box to power a header in off the bar from Jarrod Bowen's corner four minutes later.

Pep Guardiola's side now trail Arsenal - who defeated Everton 2-0 at the Emirates with two late goals earlier on Saturday - by nine points having played a game less.

Their prospects of overhauling the Gunners with only seven games remaining look remote with Guardiola admitting before this match that they could not afford to drop any points against a home side battling relegation.

Nuno Espirito Santo's spirited Hammers perhaps rode their luck in the second half, but earned their point despite Tijjani Reijnders striking the bar with a free-kick and Marc Guehi blazing over for City in added time.

More importantly, West Ham, who are level on 29 points with Tottenham in 16th place, move out of the bottom three for the first time since early December.

"Maybe yes, maybe not," said Rodri on TNT Sports. "We're not going to drop hands, we're going to keep fighting.

"We know it's going to be difficult because we have this experience of what you need to win at the end.

"I think the distance is too far, but we're going to fight until the end.

"Now is a moment of no regrets. Today we showed a little bit of what the season was, ups and downs, then maybe the last pass or the last strike can make the difference.

"Football is about goals, and we couldn't find the players to have numbers in terms of goals.

"That's the most important thing in football because we created the chances, we controlled the games, but this is what makes the difference."

"You can never say that," said the former City defender.

"You can never say never, but it's highly unlikely that they can come back.

"Not because City can't win but because I don't feel Arsenal will drop the points needed.

"They could beat them at home and win the game in hand and it would be three points, but I still don't see Arsenal losing two games from seven."

"We have to [believe]," said the West Ham skipper on TNT Sports.

"We have to be the ones to get ourselves out of the situation, keep demanding the standards every single day, raising it every single day.

"Every game is a massive opportunity for us to improve and get the points. We're in a good place. It's been a good week for us and we'll get ready to go to Villa next weekend."

"It feels good when you can't win a game to get something from the game," said West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen on TNT Sports.

"I said before we're going to have to be perfect, to defend well, to be a unit together and take our chances when they come. I thought we defended really well.

"We got a goal from a set piece that was really pleasing and little breaks here and there.

"When you play Man City you know you need to be perfect with and without the ball and we defended really, really well.

"It's a really vital point for us."

Mohamadou Kanté replaces Jarrod Bowen for the home side. Hermansen is off his line to gather the high ball from Nunes. And that will be that. A frantic finish. It ends 1-1. West Ham are out of the bottom three for the first time since December 3, but a huge blow to Man City's title dream tonight. They are now nine points behind Arsenal with a game in hand.

Game racing from end to end as Bowen breaks to one end before he loses the ball and City responds by speeding back towards the home goal to win another corner and Marc Guéhi somehow lifts the finish miles over leaning back from five yards! How does he miss that? Unbelievable.

But Mavropanos stands tall and ends up taking that flush on the head. That was nasty, and the referee is quick to halt play. The West Ham defender has been so, so good this evening. Refuses to take a backward step. Thankfully, he is coming round.

Mateus Fernandes has been booked for a late foul on Rayan Cherki. City are piling on the pressure here. A 13th corner ends with Rodri flicking a close-range header into the arms of Hermansen. Hammers riding their luck here and then some.

Foden tries to open up his box of tricks as he glides to the edge of the box, but a brilliant tackle by Fernandes. What a challenge. Hermansen then dives on the loose ball as Foden and Haaland failed to connect from the Doku cross. All hands to the pump for Hammers.

"West Ham look comfortable at this moment in time. Their shape is good, and they are actually inviting crosses and handling them fine. I look at West Ham, Leeds and Forest, and Spurs don't have the spirit that the other three have."

But none of the corners have worked so far this evening as West Ham again hold firm to deal well with the Reijnders delivery. One goal might well win this now. Stating the obvious.

Reijnders drives a free-kick at pace into the box seconds later, but it comes off the bar with Hermansen getting a vital touch. Phew! What a finale to this contest!

Tension is certainly mounting at the London Stadium, but Hammers, whisper it, don't look in danger of shipping a goal here. Cherki can't pick out Haaland, who looks a tad frustrated with his lot.

Hermansen sees that shot coming through a crowd area late after the corner, but keeps his eye on the volley from Rayan Cherki to make a very fine save. Excellent again from the home side.

Soungoutou Magassa with a late dig on Rodri as City tried to break. Think that is called taking one for the team.

Adama Traore is on for Taty Castellanos for the home side, while Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders are given the nod by Pep with Antoine Semenyo and Bernardo Silva departing the scene. Heading for the crucial moments in this contest you suspect.

To reach this stage at 1-1 against such a daunting opponent is all credit to their application in the heat of battle. Have not retreated from the task at hand.

Darren Fletcher on TNT Sports: "He's scuffed it, he's scuffed it. That's the epitome of a striker lacking in a bit of confidence. And I never thought I'd say that about Manchester City's No.9."

Haaland can't connect properly with the pass from Doku as he mishits the shot wide. A bit of a shank by his standards. Guardiola looking none too impressed.

Lovely little pass by the Spain midfielder to pick out the run of Nunes in the home area. Hermansen quickly off his line, but a heavy first touch enables Mavropanos to make an excellent last-ditch tackle.