The final day of the Premier League saw all 20 teams in action with all 10 games played at the same time, treating us to an action packed, nail-biting, will they – won’t they, kind of afternoon.
The real winners of Super Sunday were Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea. Villa earned a draw against West Ham at London Stadium, which was enough to secure them Premier League soccer next season. Meanwhile United and Chelsea were both 2-0 victors, securing a spot in the top four and Champions League action next year.
Lets get in to the day’s action:
Leicester City v Manchester United
0-2
Before kickoff at the King Power Stadium visitors Manchester United knew they needed a draw or a win in order to secure a top 4 finish and Champions League soccer, meanwhile the hosts understood nothing but victory would be good enough to seal a place in the Champions League.
The first half was a fairly even battle, with chances for both sides. United finished the first 45 looking the stronger team. Leicester came out fighting after the break with Jamie Vardy coming closest when he hit the corner of the crossbar.
The visitors took the lead through a 71st minute Bruno Fernandes penalty, conceded by former Red Devil Johnny Evans, after bringing down Anthony Martial. It looked relatively comfortable for the Manchester club after that, nonetheless, The Foxes continued to push, their best opportunity squandered by defender Wes Morgan.
Evans was booked a second time after a late lunge on substitute Scott McTominay resulting in his team going down to 10 men with minutes left in the game. Just to rub salt in their wounds, with United substitute Jesse Lingard ready to pounce just seconds from the final whistle, Leicester goalie Kasper Schmeichel (son of United legend Peter) miscontrolled the ball gifting the Englishman what might possibly be the easiest goal of his career.
Ole Gunnar Solskjærs men will return to the Champions League next season, whilst Brendan Rodgers and his Leicester side settle for Europa League action.
Whilst a scant consolation for the hosts, striker Vardy will claim the Golden Boot, awarded to the Premier League’s top scorer with 23 goals.
Up Next:
Europa League
Man Utd v LASK (5-0 agg) – Wednesday, August 5 (3pm ET – CBS All Access)
Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers
2-0
Heading in to the game at Stamford Bridge hosts Chelsea knew they needed anything but a loss to finish in the top four and secure one of two coveted Champions League places.
21-year-old Mason Mount put the Blues ahead with a signature curving free-kick from 25-yards, before Olivier Giroud sealed the deal with a close-range goal just 144 seconds later.
The defeat for Nuno Espirito Santo‘s men sees them finish seventh behind Tottenham on goal difference after Jose Mourinho‘s side drew 1-1 at Crystal Palace. All is not over for the West Midlands club though, their league position could still be enough to claim Europa League soccer next season, if the Blues beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final next month.
Frank Lampard‘s side end the season level on points with Manchester United, who finish third on goal difference.
Up Next:
Champions League
Bayern Munich v Chelsea (3-0agg) – Saturday, August 8 (3pm ET, CBS All
Access)
Europa League
Wolves v Olympiakos (1-1 agg) – Thursday, August 6 (3pm ET, CBS All Access)
West Ham United v Aston Villa
1-1
Aston Villa will play Premier League soccer next season after a tense draw at West Ham ensured their escape from relegation on the final day of the campaign.
Hometown hero and club captain Jack Grealish looked to have secured the win for the visitors with a powerful 84th minute strike, but Andriy Yarmolenko‘s deflected leveler shortly after made it a nervy afternoon for Villa.
The Midlands side hung on though and the point, coupled with a defeat for Watford at Arsenal ensured their survival and consigned the Hornets and Bournemouth to the Championship next season, with the Cherries victory over Everton not enough to keep them up.
The result caps an impressive end to the season for Dean Smith‘s side, who were seven points from safety just two weeks ago, before pulling themselves together for their first four-game unbeaten run of the 2019/20 campaign.
The game itself was one of few chances, although the in-form Michail Antonio could have made Villa’s afternoon a lot more intense in the first half had he not blazed a shot wide with just keeper Pepe Reina to beat.
The Hammers secured their own Premier League safety with a draw at Man United midweek. They end the season in 16th.
Arsenal v Watford
3-2
Managerless Watford needed to better Villa’s result in order to see Premier League football next season. Unfortunately for them Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang inspired Arsenal to victory, relegating the Hornets.
Watford, who dropped into the bottom three midweek for the first time since February 28, started the day level on points with 17th spot knowing only a win could potentially keep them up.
They found themselves 3-0 down after 33 minutes at the Emirates Stadium and, despite pulling back two goals, finished a terrible campaign 19th following their 20th league defeat.
The Gunners scored with their first three attempts on target. Aubameyang opened the scoring with a penalty after Craig Dawson‘s clumsy foul on Alexandre Lacazette inside the opening minute. Scotland defender Kieran Tierney doubled the lead after an assist from Aubameyang, before the Man of the Match made it three with a classy overhead kick – his 22nd league goal of the season. The Gabon missed out on sharing the Golden Boot with Leicester’s Vardy by a single goal.
The visitors pulled a goal back from the penalty spot through Troy Deeney after David Luiz‘s foul on former Gunner Danny Welbeck, who then made it 3-2 from close range.
Arsenal goalie Emiliano Martinez made a beautiful save to deny the Englishman an equalizer that could have set up a dramatic finish.
Mikel Arteta‘s men finish the campaign in 8th. They could still gain a Europa League spot if they defeat Chelsea in the FA Cup Final next month.
Everton v AFC Bournemouth
1-3
Bournemouth’s five-year stay in the Premier League came to an end despite a 3-1 victory at Goodison Park as Aston Villa’s draw v West Ham relegated them to the Championship.
The Cherries needed a win paired with defeats for both Villa and Watford if they were to retain their top-flight status, but with a draw for Villa it was a disappointing outcome for the visitors, who had done all they could in their game to give them hope of staying up.
Eddie Howe‘s side looked determined in their fight for survival right from the first whistle and deservedly went ahead when Joshua King scored from the spot after Richarlison handled inside the area.
The Cherries could have had a second penalty soon after for a handball by Lucas Digne but neither the referee nor the VAR referee felt there was an infringement.
Despite the visitors’ dominance they conceded an equaliser as half-time approached when Moise Kean tapped in a Theo Walcott cross. Bournemouth restored their lead just before the break with a Dominic Solanke header.
The second half was a nervy affair as Bournemouth looked to hold onto a slender lead, but they grabbed a third and much-needed goal in the final 10 minutes after England keeper Jordan Pickford let a tame Junior Stanislas shot slip under his gloves and into the net.
The Cherries had done all they could to ensure survival, meaning all eyes were on the game wrapping up at West Ham, but a point was enough to keep Aston Villa in the top flight, at Bournemouth’s expense.
Howe‘s side finished 18th, whilst Everton ended the season in 12th.
Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur
1-1
Spurs secured their place in next season’s Europa League with a hard-fought draw at Crystal Palace.
The result sees Jose Morinho‘s side leapfrog into sixth place above Wolves, who lost at Chelsea.
Harry Kane opened the scoring dispatching a low finish into the bottom corner. Jeffrey Schlupp leveled for Palace with a close-range finish after some poor Tottenham defending.
Roy Hodgson‘s side got the result they deserved after matching their London rivals, ending a run of seven straight defeats. The hosts could have snatched all three points, but saw Scott Dann‘s header veer wide of the goal.
Newcastle United v Liverpool
1-3
Champions Liverpool finished with the second-highest points total in top-flight history as they came from behind to beat Newcastle.
Jurgen Klopp‘s Reds accumulated 99pts, just one fewer than Man City managed two years ago, and one more than Liverpool managed in 1978/79. They finished 18pts above Pep Guardiola‘s runner-up, one short of City’s record winning margin two seasons ago.
Dwight Gayle put the Magpies ahead after 25 seconds from Jonjo Shelvey‘s free-kick, the fastest goal ever scored on the final day of a Premier League campaign.
Liverpool, who left their star front three (Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Robert Firmino) on the bench, leveled through Virgil van Dijk‘s header.
Divock Origi then put Liverpool ahead from 20 yards after connecting with an Andrew Robertson pass, before Sadio Mané curled home a late third for the visitors.
The hosts finish the season in 13th.
Manchester City v Norwich City
5-0
Manchester City thrashed Norwich City 5-0, on the day that saw club legend David Silva play his last league game for the club.
The Spaniard, who has won four league titles during a glistening 10-year spell at City, was desperate to mark the occasion with a goal, but his best effort was kept out by Tim Krul‘s athletic save.
It was Kevin de Bruyne who stole the show as his side brushed aside their already relegated visitors.
The Belgian’s superb curling strike took centre stage, before Gabriel Jesus scored from close range. De Bruyne then slipped Raheem Sterling clear to add their third. The assist saw the 29-year-old equal Thierry Henry’s record of 20 assists in a single league season.
After Riyad Mahrez had blasted home a fourth, Silva was applauded off, although an empty Etihad wasn’t the send-off he deserved.
De Bruyne then proved why he’s rated as one of the best players in the world, his brilliant bending kick adding his side’s fifth goal off the inside of the post.
Norwich did have their moments as they bid farewell to the top flight, with Ederson denying Teemu Pukki and Onel Hernandez in one-on-one situations.
Hernandez thought he’d put the Canaries ahead with the score at 0-0, only for VAR to rule his low long-range effort as offside. It meant Ederson kept his 16th clean sheet of the season, enough to give him the Premier League’s golden glove award after Burnley’s Nick Pope conceded against Brighton.
Last season’s champions finished runners-up, 18pts behind champions Liverpool and 15pts ahead of rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola and his men will now turn their attention to the Champions League – they host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Final 16 tie on August 7.
Up Next:
Champions League
Man City v Real Madrid (2-1 agg) – Friday, August 7 (3pm ET CBS Sports
Network, CBS All Access, Hulu+ Live)
Southampton v Sheffield United
3-1
The hosts overturned a half-time deficit for only the second time this season to end their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Sheffield United.
Che Adams scored twice and Danny Ings converted from the penalty spot as the Saints claimed just their sixth home win of the season at St Mary’s.
Ings began the game in the hunt for the Premier League golden boot, and with five minutes remaining, he moved within a goal (22) of Leicester’s Jamie Vardy (23) and level with Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerik Aubameyang.
The Southampton striker had numerous opportunities to draw level with Vardy in the second half, but his selfless approach created better chances for his team-mates.
John Lundstram had opened the scoring from close range for the Blades in a first half that was much in their control.
Victory for the hosts see them end the season in 11th, whilst Sheffield drop to ninth – still their highest finish in the Premier League era.
Burnley v Brighton & Hove Albion
1-2
The Seagulls recorded their highest Premier League points total as they finished the campaign with an impressive win at Burnley.
The victory, courtesy of goals from Yves Bissouma and Aaron Connolly helped the visitors finish 15th with 41pts – one better than their total achieved in 2017/18
Brighton rattled the Clarets during the opening half hour and took the lead through Bissouma, who marked his first league goal with a wonderful side-foot strike from 25 yards.
It should have been 2-0 seconds after the restart when Neal Maupay, the club’s top scorer (10), headed Tariq Lamptey‘s cross against the bar.
The hosts were without five of their key first-team players, including captain Ben Mee. The losses were visible as they looked off the pace in the first half, but they managed to level just before the break with Chris Wood firing in a low shot.
It was advantage Brighton again just five minutes in to the second half, when Connolly shrugged off an attempted challenge by Kevin Long on the left before threading his angled shot past Nick Pope, ending the keeper’s hopes of the golden glove award.
Waves of Burnley attacks saw the Seagulls’ stubborn defense tested. It seemed the home side had equalized again when Jay Rodriguez headed in, just for VAR to call teammate Wood offside.
Despite defeat Sean Dyche has led his modestly-priced squad to a second top-10 finish in five league seasons. Meanwhile Brighton finish in 15th.
A Look At The Final Table
Artistry of Sport 
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