Premier League final day roundup: Liverpool & Chelsea secure UCL qualification, Leicester miss out again
By Sean Walsh
What feels like the longest Premier League season of all times has finally come to a close.
Sunday's finale brought plenty of goals, drama, a red card, a few dodgy VAR calls and, as always, a whole lot of fun content.
Here's all you need to know that happened on the final day of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign...
THE GAMES THAT MATTERED
Liverpool 2-0 Crystal Palace
Sadio Mane ended a slow season in fine form to book Liverpool's place in next season's Champions League.
The Senegalese was on hand to poach home from a corner that Crystal Palace failed to deal with, before a drilled shot deflected past Vicente Guaita late on to secure the points.
So after all the drama that the Reds have been through this season, for all the talk of their dynasty falling apart, they still recovered to finish 3rd. Not that bad in the end.
Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea
Chelsea failed to keep Champions League qualification in their own hands as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa.
Former Blues forward Bertrand Traore put the home side ahead on the stroke of half-time, and things went from bad to worse for Thomas Tuchel's side just after the break when Jorginho gave away a penalty for tripping the Villa goal scorer.
Anwar El-Ghazi converted from the spot before Ben Chilwell pulled one back for Chelsea. Cesar Azpilicueta was sent off with stoppage time looming as their domestic season threatened to unravel, but fortunately for the Blues, they finished in the top four again because...
Leicester 2-4 Tottenham
Leicester fell to a shock 4-2 defeat at home to Spurs, and so once again miss out on a place in the Champions League on the final day of the season.
The Foxes realistically needed a win to stand any chance of breaking into the top four, and with Chelsea faltering, Leicester looked set to take advantage.
They first led through a Jamie Vardy penalty, before Harry Kane equalised with a stunning volley to equalise - this strike would win him the Golden Boot outright.
A second Vardy penalty put Leicester back in front early in the second half, before the Foxes imploded. Kasper Schmeichel parried the ball into his own net from a corner, and Gareth Bale bagged two goals in the last five minutes to ensure Europa Conference League qualification for Spurs.
THE GAMES THAT KIND OF MATTERED
West Ham 3-0 Southampton
David Moyes' West Ham capped off a fine season with a 3-0 thrashing of Southampton to secure a spot in the Europa League.
A quick-fire first half double from Pablo Fornals meant the Hammers could relax for much of the afternoon in the knowledge that they will be playing in Europe next season.
Declan Rice rounded off proceedings with a cool near-post finish.
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Arsenal's superb end-of-season form continued with a routine home win against Brighton - but finish below rivals Spurs and will not play in Europe next season.
A second half brace from Nicolas Pepe - who ends the season with a respectable 16 goals in all competitions - meant that for much of the afternoon, Arsenal were on course to finish seventh, before results elsewhere saw them drop back down to eighth. Still, at least they reached the 60-point mark this season.
Manchester City 5-0 Everton
Sergio Aguero signed off his Premier League career with Man City in style as the champions demolished Everton.
Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus both struck within the first quarter of an hour as City came racing out of the blocks, and Phil Foden added a third soon after half-time.
Aguero came on as a substitute in the 65th minute, and within ten minutes he had already grabbed a farewell brace - he departs City with 184 Premier League goals.
THE DEAD-RUBBERS
Wolves 1-2 Manchester United
Nuno Espirito Santo's final game as Wolves boss ended in defeat as a youthful Man Utd side warmed up for the Europa League final with a narrow win.
Swedish 19-year-old Anthony Elanga put United in front early on with a powerful header, before Nelson Semedo levelled it up.
Donny Van de Beek was tripped by Romain Saiss in the box on the verge of half-time, and Juan Mata scored from the spot.
Leeds United 3-1 West Brom
Leeds fans witnessed their side win a Premier League game in person for the first time in 17 years as they saw off West Brom at Elland Road.
Spain international Rodrigo headed the Whites into a first-half lead before Kalvin Phillips' free-kick squirmed under Sam Johnstone's arms and into the net.
Patrick Bamford sealed victory from the spot and ends the season on an impressive 17 Premier League goals. Hal Robson-Kanu pounced on a sloppy touch from Phillips to bag a consolation in stoppage time.
Fulham 0-2 Newcastle
Joe Willock scored for the seventh Premier League game in a row as Newcastle's spectacular late-season campaign ended with a comfortable win at Fulham.
The Arsenal loanee ran half the length of the pitch before firing a snapshot into the far-hand corner.
Kenny Tete brought down Matt Ritchie late on and Fabian Schar converted from the penalty spot as the Magpies took the final three points of the season back to the north-east.
THE GAME YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WAS ON
Sheffield United 1-0 Burnley
David McGoldrick scored his eighth Premier League goal of the season (apparently) as Sheffield United bid farewell to the top flight with a last-day win at home to Burnley.
The Republic of Ireland international found the back of the net with a cracking solo effort from 25 yards as the Blades bowed out of the Prem with a rare victory.