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Premier League: Liverpool move into fourth; Tottenham defeated
A review of Wednesday's action in the Premier League, as Spurs suffered another defeat and Liverpool moved into the top four.
Burnley 0-3 Liverpool
Liverpool head into their final Premier League match exactly where they need to be with their Champions League destiny in their own hands after a 3-0 victory over Burnley lifted them back into the top four.
It was far from pretty – their encounters against the Clarets rarely are – but it was essential as the result put them ahead of Leicester on goal difference.
And with a four-goal cushion Jurgen Klopp’s side know if they match the Foxes’ result against Tottenham in their final home match of the season against Crystal Palace they will have pulled off an impressive comeback from two months ago when, for a time, any European football looked beyond them.
Even third place may be up for grabs should Chelsea stumble at Aston Villa, whose victory earlier in the evening had guaranteed Liverpool Europa League football at the very least.
But they were indebted to Roberto Firmino’s strike late in the first half, back-up central defender Nat Phillips’ first senior goal early in the second and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first goal of the season to put a place among Europe’s elite back on the table.
🔴 A huge win for #LFC. Back into the top four for the first time in three months.
— Infogol (@InfogolApp) May 19, 2021
🏆 Securing Champions League football is all in their hands going into the final day.
⏫ Liverpool
⏬ Leicester#BURLIV shot map 👇
West Brom 1-3 West Ham
West Ham’s late show put them on the brink of European qualification as they came from behind to beat West Brom 3-1.
The Hammers go into their final game of the season against Southampton knowing a point will confirm a Europa League spot, while the Baggies announced after the game that head coach Sam Allardyce would step down at the end of the season.
Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa handed West Ham the advantage, yet they needed to come from behind at The Hawthorns after Declan Rice missed a third-minute penalty and Tomas Soucek scored an own goal.
Midfielder Soucek levelled before the break, with Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio striking late to win it.
David Moyes’ side are sixth in the Premier League, three points ahead of Spurs and Everton, following a remarkable turnaround after they finished 16th and survived by five points last season.
Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
Tottenham provided further evidence why Harry Kane might think he needs to leave to be successful after an abject display in a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa which severely hurts their Europa League chances.
Kane has reportedly told the club he wants to be sold this summer and there is no surprise as this performance shows how far Spurs have fallen in recent years.
A top-six finish is now out of their hands as after Steven Bergwijn’s first goal of the season put them in front early on they capitulated, with Sergio Reguilon scoring an own goal and then being culpable for Ollie Watkins’ winner.
They will go to Leicester on the final day of the season and likely have to win and hope that West Ham drop points at home to Southampton after they fluffed their lines.
Everton 1-0 Wolves
Everton ended a miserable run of home form to keep their slim hopes of European football alive and give 6,500 returning fans something to cheer about as they edged out Wolves 1-0 at Goodison Park.
Richarlison’s 48th-minute header separated the sides on the night, giving Everton a first home win in six and only a second win in 10, though it was not one that came easily.
Coupled with Tottenham’s home defeat to Aston Villa, the win keeps Everton in the mix for Europa League football, although a far inferior goal difference and final-day trip to Manchester City still leaves them as outsiders.
Everton began the night with only five home wins all season, two of those coming in December when 2,000 fans were allowed in to back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Chelsea, and the returning faithful helped them complete their first league double over Wolves in 45 years.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Arsenal
Stoppage-time goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe spoiled Roy Hodgson’s final home match in charge of Crystal Palace and helped Arsenal secure a potentially vital 3-1 win in south London.
It was revealed on Tuesday that the 73-year-old would depart Selhurst Park at the end of the season and when Christian Benteke headed home midway through the second half, the Eagles looked poised to end on a positive note with the score level.
Gunners attackers Martinelli and Pepe had other ideas and the late efforts by the duo kept the Gunners in the race for European football next term ahead of their final clash of the campaign.
Newcastle 1-0 Sheffield United
Joe Willock was urged to make his stay at Newcastle permanent after he scored in a sixth successive Premier League game to hand the Magpies victory over Sheffield United.
On a night when Allan Saint-Maximin turned in a virtuoso performance to mesmerise the relegated Blades’ defence, the 10,000 members of the Toon Army allowed into St James’ Park for the first time since February last year implored the 21-year-old Arsenal loanee in song to make Tyneside his home next season.
They also made their feelings clear about owner Mike Ashley and the Premier League as the club’s takeover saga rumbles on, but in the main they celebrated a 1-0 win which took the club to 42 points, two fewer than they managed last season with a game to go.