Premier League final day wrap: Arsenal miss out on Champions League, Liverpool finish 4th
FourFourTwo's round-up of the top-flight action on the final day of the Premier League season as Liverpool secure a top four finish and Chelsea lift the trophy.
Arsenal 3-1 Everton
It’s the hope that kills you. Despite beating Everton, Arsenal missed out on a top four spot for the first time under Arsene Wenger.
Hector Bellerin netted the opener when it looked easier for Danny Welbeck to tap in. Alexis Sanchez notched his 24th Premier League goal of the season to double the lead, but only after Laurent Koscielny saw red for a reckless challenge on Enner Valencia that also rules him out of the FA Cup final. Aaron Ramsey rounded off proceedings with a superb curled finish. Job done on the day, but over the season it just wasn't good enough.
The Europa League beckons...
Goals: Bellerin 7’, Sanchez 26’, Ramsey 90+1'; Lukaku 58'
Red cards: Koscielny
Liverpool 3-0 Middlesbrough
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Jurgen Klopp’s side secured a Champions League spot, but it was a nervy start to the afternoon against already-relegated Middlesbrough at Anfield.
Liverpool took the lead on the stroke of half-time, Georgio Wijnaldum easing the tension on The Kop with a fantastic strike.
Philippe Coutinho doubled the home side’s lead just after the break with a superb free-kick, and Adam Lallana secured Liverpool’s fourth place finish with a calm finish, which sees them enter Champions League qualifying in August.
Goals: Wijnaldum 45’, Coutinho 51’, Lallana 56'
Watford 0-5 Manchester City
A top four spot was in Manchester City’s hands at the beginning of the day - secure a point and they were guaranteed fourth at least. But it was a routine afternoon at Vicarage Road for Pep’s side who secured all three points with ease to nail down third.
Vincent Kompany got the ball rolling early on with a trademark header before Sergio Aguero's brace and Fernandinho's strike made it 0-4 before half-time. Gabriel Jesus scored his seventh of the season to make it a rout at Vicarage Road.
Goals: Kompany 5', Aguero 23', 36', Fernandinho 41', Jesus 58'
Chelsea 5-1 Sunderland
Quite the occasion at Stamford Bridge for John Terry’s final Premier League match for Chelsea.
The captain lead the side out through Sunderland’s guard of honour and on 26 minutes - testament to his shirt number - was substituted and left the pitch through another guard of honour, formed by his teammates.
Sunderland threatened to poop the party early on though, despite the absence of top scorer Jermain Defoe, Javier Manquillo smashing in from Seb Larsson’s free-kick.
The champions weren’t behind for long though, Willian blasting through Jordan Pickford, who perhaps should have done better.
Eden Hazard’s 17th goal of the season gave the champions the lead in the second half. Pedro added the third and when Batshuayi added a brilliant fourth and fifth, the party really got started.
Goals: Willian 8', Hazard 61', Pedro 77', Batshuayi 90', 90+2 ; Manquillo 3'
Burnley 1-2 West Ham
As with most of the fixtures in the Premier League today, not much was riding on this one and you could tell.
Burnley have been impressive at home and took the lead through Sam Vokes who finished off Andre Gray’s low cross.
West Ham hit back just four minutes later through Sofiane Feghouli, who calmly slotted past Tom Heaton from Andre Ayew’s clever backheel.
The winner came through a slice of luck for Slaven Bilic's side; Tom Heaton pushed the ball on to the crossbar but it bounced down perfectly for Andre Ayew who headed into the empty net from close range.
Goals: Vokes 22’; Feghouli 26’, Ayew 72'
Hull 1-7 Tottenham
With second place and finishing above Arsenal already sewn up for Tottenham and with Hull already relegated, the key talking point in this one was the race for the Golden Boot. Harry Kane (26) started the day out in front, Alexis Sanchez (23) and Romelu Lukaku (24) the only realistic challengers.
Kane was having none of it, though. Fresh from his four at Leicester in the week, the England striker was hot off the mark, putting Spurs 2-0 up after just 15 minutes. Dele added a third just before half-time. Sam Clucas scored the consolation for Hull before Victor Wanyama and Kane scored within three minutes of each other to make it 1-5. Back-to-back hat-tricks secure back-to-back Golden Boots for Harry Kane.
Ben Davies and Toby Alderweireld got in on the action late on, the former with the best of the afternoon from outside the area.
Goals: Clucas 66’; Kane 11’, 13’, 72’, Alli 45+2’, Wanyama 69’, Davies 84', Alderweireld 87'
Leicester 1-1 Bournemouth
Leicester haven’t beaten Bournemouth at home in a league match since 2013, one Jamie Vardy scoring the winner.
Eddie Howe’s side wanted to extend that run and when Junior Stanislas netted in the first minute, it looked like they were well on their way.
A simple finish for Vardy got Leicester back in it just after half-time, but 1-1 it remained.
Goals: Vardy 51'; Stanislas 1’
Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace
Jose Mourinho said he was going to play the kids against Palace, and play the kids he did. The team he selected had an average age of 22 years and 284 days.
One pundit once proclaimed “You won’t win anything with kids”.
It may have been a dead rubber in the Premier League, but Mourinho’s faith in the ‘not ready’ kids certainly paid off.
Josh Harrop had a debut to remember, giving Manchester United the lead on 15 minutes.
Paul Pogba added a second minutes later before being substituted with Wednesday’s Europa League final in mind.
Goals: Harrop 15’, Pogba 19’
Southampton 0-1 Stoke
A typical Peter Crouch goal was the difference between his current and his old side at St Mary’s, heading in his 10th of the season.
A dire end to the season for Southampton who have now gone over seven hours without a goal at home.
Goals: Crouch 60'
Swansea 2-1 West Brom
Fernando Llorente's 15th of the season - four in his last five appearances - earned Swansea all three points, but they had to come from behind.
Jonny Evans put the visitors ahead after 33 minutes, heading in West Brom's 16th strike from a corner this season.
Jordan Ayew's first goal for Swansea got them level. The former Aston Villa man could hardly miss as Gylfi Sigurdsson put it on a plate, before Llorente's excellent volley four minutes from time won it.
Goals: Ayew 72', Llorente 86'; Evans 33'