Everton will extend their unbroken 69-year stay in the English top flight as midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure’s stunning strike earned them a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth as they avoided relegation on the final day of the season.
Sean Dyche’s side came into Sunday’s contest with their fate in their own hands, knowing victory at Goodison Park would be enough to keep them in the English Premier League, but the nervy hosts struggled to break down their opponents in a tense first half.
With supporters getting desperate, and results not going their way elsewhere, Doucoure stepped up with what proved to be the crucial winner in the 57th minute to lift the roof off the famous old stadium.
Everton held on to finish the season in 17th place, two points above Leicester City in 18th.
United third
Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes got on the scoresheet as Manchester United came from behind to claim a 2-1 home win over Fulham and end their league campaign on a high.
Fulham took the lead in the 19th minute when Kenny Tete angled in a near post header from a Willian corner, but the London club missed an opportunity to double their advantage seven minutes later when Aleksandar Mitrovic’s spot kick was saved by David de Gea.
United took the initiative after the massive let-off and were rewarded in the 39th minute when Sancho equalised with a simple close-range shot, before Fred’s defence-splitting pass set up Fernandes to score a 55th-minute winner with a delicate chip.
The result made no change to the table. United finished the season in third place, while Fulham ended in 10th.
Brentford missed out on a place in next season’s Europa Conference League despite Ethan Pinnock’s late goal earning the Bees a narrow victory that ended champions Manchester City’s 25-match unbeaten run.
City striker Erling Haaland remained on the bench while Kevin De Bruyne was left out and Pep Guardiola’s side could not muster clear chances for most of the game.
Thomas Frank’s team needed to win and hope that Aston Villa and Tottenham both dropped points to clinch a seventh-place finish, but Unai Emery’s side beat Brighton while Spurs cruised to victory over Leeds at Elland Road.
Fans protest
Leeds were relegated and the fans turned on both their team and the club’s owners as their three-year top-flight stay came to a meek and pitiful end.
Needing to win to stand any chance of preserving their Premier League status, Leeds trailed inside the opening two minutes through Harry Kane’s excellent finish.
Pedro Porro then doubled Tottenham’s lead when he fired in from a tight angle early in the second half.
Jack Harrison made it 2-1 to give Leeds brief hope of pulling off an unlikely escape, but Kane’s 30th league goal of the season restored Spurs’ two-goal advantage.
Unlucky Leicester
Leicester City’s nine-year stay in the top flight came to an end as they were relegated in agonising fashion despite beating West Ham.
The Foxes’ fate was out of their hands heading into the last round of fixtures, and Everton’s 1-0 victory over Bournemouth meant the 2015-16 winners slipped into the Championship by two points.
Leicester supporters at the King Power were left to rue a miserable campaign in which they won only nine league matches.
Arsenal recorded a thumping win against Wolverhampton Wanderers to end a fine season with a flourish at Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta’s side ended the campaign on 84 points.
Written with inputs from Reuters