Man City's Premier League title hopes are hanging by a thread after a 1-1 draw at West Ham left them nine points off Arsenal - and saw the hosts celebrate moving out of the relegation zone.
Pep Guardiola had said in the build-up that "if we drop points, it will be over" and, after Arsenal's victory over Everton earlier on Saturday, the suspended City boss watched from the stands as his side failed to find a winner against a stubborn West Ham.
Missing magic in the final third, ponderous in their build-up and exposed from a set-piece at the back - there was no evidence City can now respond and go on the winning run required to rein in Mikel Arteta's Premier League leaders.
There will be hope a Carabao Cup final win at Wembley over the Gunners next Sunday could shift the psychology but City also have an unlikely salvage job against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
This could be the period where three chances of silverware slip out of their hands.
After dropping points at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend, this was must-win. It started how they would have hoped. City completely dominated possession and territory in east London and Bernardo Silva's mishit cross looped in over Mads Hermansen just after the half-hour, apparently putting them on course for the required three points.
But Gianluigi Donnarumma's flap at a Jarrod Bowen corner just four minutes later allowed Konstantinos Mavropanos to head in a swift equaliser, and West Ham clung on desperately in the second half to a precious point which moves them to a safe position for the first time since December.
Another mishit cross - this time Rayan Cherki's free-kick - was as close as City came to a second, with the ball grazing the bar, and Marc Guehi skied a last-gasp look at goal. But West Ham were also helped by Erling Haaland's continued struggles in front of goal.
He has scored against West Ham more than any other Premier League opponent but couldn't hide his frustration when he scuffed wide one of several chances which came his way. Haaland and City are not at the level right now - and Arsenal now have every right to believe the crown will be theirs.
_More to follow..._
### Story of the match in stats