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Jonathan Cook’s World Game Wrap-Up

Posted on | Posted by Jonathan Cook

Everton survive after last-day drama

Everton extended their unbroken stay in English football’s top division to 70 years after Sean Dyche’s side avoided relegation on the final day of the Premier League season with a nerve-wracking 1-0 win over Bournemouth.
The result meant Leicester City and Leeds United joined already-relegated Southampton in the Championship for next season. Leicester at least did all they could in beating West Ham 2-1, but for Leeds it was a day of humiliation as the players went down with boos ringing in their ears after Tottenham had strolled to a 4-1 win at Elland Road.
Midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure was the Everton hero, the Mali international smashing home a 57th-minute rocket from the edge of the area to break the tension that was gripping Goodison Park after news of Leicester’s opening goal was known.
Doucoure’s strike lifted the Toffees back out of the bottom three and that was how it finished despite 10 minutes of stoppage time which Dyche said felt like “47 minutes”.

Leicester, Leeds relegated

Seven years after their 5,000-1 Premier League title sensation, Leicester City were relegated despite a fighting win over West Ham United at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes knew nothing short of three points would do and even then, they were requiring Everton to slip up. Leicester kept their side of the bargain, but Bournemouth were unable to do them a favour on Merseyside.
At the final whistle, the Leicester players stayed on the pitch desperate to hear of a Bournemouth equaliser. It did not come and that meant the fate was sealed for what one UK finance expert described as “the most expensive squad, with the highest wage bill, to be relegated in Premier League history”.

Brentford at the double

The wins for Aston Villa and Tottenham meant Brentford were unable to gatecrash the European places but they ended a fine season by completing the double over champions Manchester City.
Ethan Pinnock’s late goal gave the Bees the win to go with their 2-1 victory at the Etihad earlier in the season.
City boss Pep Guardiola left out Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias and Jack Grealish with the FA Cup final against Manchester United and UEFA Champions League final with Inter Milan to come, while Erling Haaland won the Golden Boot with a new Premier League high of 36 goals in his first season in England.

Saints go down with all guns blazing

With the shackles off and relegation already confirmed, Southampton played their part in hugely entertaining 4-4 draw with Liverpool.
It looked as though the Saints were going to suffer another drubbing as Diogo Jota and the departing Roberto Firmino fired the Reds into an early 2-0 lead. But Southampton came roaring back and incredibly took a 4-2 lead thanks to goals from James Ward-Prowse, Kamaldeen Sulemana (2) and Adam Armstrong. But Liverpool fought back and two goals in a minute from Jota and Mo Salah earned Jurgen Klopp’s side a draw.
Elsewhere, second-placed Arsenal overcame their Premier League title hangover with a 5-0 win over Wolves. Granit Xhaka got the first two, while Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Jakub Kiwior got the others as the Gunners finished on 84 points, five behind champions City.
Manchester United finished third with a 2-1 win over Fulham, Bruno Fernandes getting the winner, while Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea saw them finish fourth.

Luton back in the big time

Luton Town returned to English football’s top flight for the first time in 31 years after they beat Coventry City in the play-off final at Wembley.
After a 1-1 draw after extra time, the Hatters clinched their return with a 6-5 penalty shoot-out win.
Luton became the first club to go from the fifth tier to the top flight in the Premier League era and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, who has been with the club the whole way, said: “I feel like I completed football.”

Bayern snatch title as Dortmund choke

Bayern Munich snatched the Bundesliga title in dramatic circumstances as a goal in the final minute from Jamal Musiala against Cologne broke Borussia Dortmund hearts.
Dortmund knew a win in their game with Mainz would be enough. But as they laboured to a 2-2 draw, they were still in the box seat until Musiala fired in from the edge of the box to give Thomas Tuchel’s side the league on goal difference.
Such has been Bayern’s dominance of the league – this was their 11 straight title success – that they marked their success by sacking chief executive Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.

Milan into Champions League

AC Milan have qualified for the Champions League thanks to a 1-0 victory over Juventus. Olivier Giroud got the only goal, a result which ended Juve’s hopes in a week in which they were docked 10 points.




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