English Premier League, Liverpool fail after Norwich relegation

FULL-TIME Liverpool 1 Burnley 1

Poor show from the incumbents. Maybe they are looking at next season. ..

With Norwich down, and Liverpool throwing away their records, we shall leave it there. See you next week...

Scratching my head as to how this team could be the best ever... Poor from front to back and scraping to a draw. Not what you want from your champions... poor

Holy moly! Burnley almost steat a winner!

Man of the match Nick Pope tidies up again and these records now look beyond Liverpool (cue: kiss of death)

No offence, but Burnley will are above Tottenham and Arsenal if they manage to hold on... 10 to go

GOAL: Liverpool 1 Burnley 1

Blimey! Jay Rodriguez hamers home to put the cat amongst the Anfield pigeons.

Liverpool 1 Burnley 0

I said Burnley were contented with a backs-to-the-wall draw, but maybe they are happy with a non-thumping. With  mid-table anonimity secured, they have little left to play for. Liverpool have different ideas as they ramp up the pressure.

Liverpool look contented with their advantage but a one-goal advantage is always risky. I suppose it's a little more safe with Virgil van Dijk at the back. 

I'll tell you what, this Nick Pope is playing himself into the England No. 1 jersey, big style. He might be on the losing side today, but he has pulled off a string of tremendous saves.

HALF-TIME: Liverpool 1 Burnley 0

Wow. Last touch of the half, Nick Pope pulls off the save of the season (other saves are available). Sadio Mane looks like putting Liverpool 2-0 ahead, but the England keeper has other ideas and leaps to his right to deny a brilliant goal with an even more brillianter save!

Hmmmm. It is all Liverpool now, as the champions find their groove. Burnley wanting the half-time whistle.

GOAL: Liverpool 1 Burnley 0

Spoke too soon. Deep defending hurrts the visitors as Liverpool's opener comes from an unlikely source. Andy Robertson pops up to take Liverpool one step nearer to a multitude of records. Fabinho crosses with precision and Robertson does the rest. Nick Pope watches as the ball loops over him into the corner.

Burnley are having a go here, rather than shutting up shop and hoping for a point against the champions. Fair play to them, but a dangerous attack leaves them short at the back and they nearly pay the price, before men get back to clear the danger. A sharper Liverpool would have punished them.

Nick Pope has to look alert again to deny Mo Salah. 

Liverpool 0 Burnley 0

Nick Pope should expect some stung palms here today as Liverpool will continue to pepper his goal with shots. Still, Burnley are holding the champions at bay at Anfield. Which must be an easier job when they have no fans in the Kop

CLOSE!

Nick Pope pulls off a tremendous stop to deny Liverpool the lead. The England man is at his brilliant best to halt a shot from Mo Salah. That was tremendous!

Oh! Liverpool's Curtis Jones shows why he is not yet in the Mason Greenwood category at Man United, as he wastes a great chance by shooting straight at keeper Nick Pope.

The Anfield side are into their groove quickly, swarming the Burnley boys in light blue, with Mo Salah looking in the mood. His latest effort has just sailed harmlessly over the bar, mind....

KICK-OFF: Liverpool 0 Burnley 0

So, a reminder: Liverpool are going for biggest points margin, most points, most wins and most home wins - just some of the records on the line as Jurgen Klopp's side take on Burnley. I do not expect any let up from the Reds, and Sean Dyche's side will be in for a busy 90 mins. 

Liverpool v Burnley (6pm)

Liverpool: Alisson, Williams, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Jones, Salah, Firmino, Mane. Subs: Lovren, Keita, Adrian, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Shaqiri, Origi, Alexander-Arnold, Elliott.

Burnley: Pope, Bardsley, Long, Tarkowski, Taylor, Pieters, Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil, Wood, Rodriguez.  Subs: Gudmundsson, Brady, Peacock-Farrell, Vydra, Thompson, Dunne, Benson, Goodridge, Driscoll-Glennon.

That was tidy stuff from Antonio, as he is the first West Ham player to ever score four goals in a game. Played.

On to the business at the top... Liverpool are warming up to take on Burnley as the new Premier League champs go in pursuit of records.

NORWICH ARE RELEGATED

FULL-TIME: Norwich 0 West Ham 4

FULL-TIME: Watford 2 Newcastle 1

Poor, poor performance as Norwich are thumped 4-0 by fellow strugglers West Ham. This season may have a few games left, but manager Daniel Farke might be out before that. That was a dire performance. Good luck in the fiercely competitive Championship next term...

Watford win 2-1 over Newcastle to move six points above the relegation zone alongside West Ham on 34 points. Happy days for the Hammers and Hornets. Even though they are not in action, those results really hurt Bournemouth and Aston Villa, who occupy the other relegation spots.

GOAL: Watford 2 Newcastle 1

Troy Deeney makes no mistake once again as Watford fight back and now need to hold on for eight minutes plus stoppage time to potentially secure Premier League fooball for Watford next season. Six points clear of the relegation zone as it stands. 

Newcastle are gutted.

PENALTY FOR WATFORD

Huge moment for Watford as Ismaïla Sarr is bundled over by Javier Manquillo in the box. Newcastle boss Steve Bruce is raging..

GOAL: Norwich 0 West Ham 4

Where are you? This Norwich showing would struggle to keep them in League One as West Ham make it four. Bonus point if you can guess who scored... Clue: He got three already and it begins with Michail and ends in Antonio. Poor stuff from the home side to depart the Premier League on the wrong end of a thumping at home.

Newcastle have the ball in the net but Alain Saint-Maximin is ruled offside.

Abdoulaye Doucoure is next to fire just wide for Watford. At least one team is still fighting...

Watford are making a much better fist of things in their fight as they have Newcastle on the backfoot now. Troy Deeney is denied by the keeper before another ping-pong affair in the six-yard area spins over. 

GOAL: Norwich 0 West Ham 3

What a ruthless wat to grab your hat-trick. It is the Michail Antonio show that will be remembered on the day Norwich were relegated at Carrow Road. The Englishman will not be welcome in Norwich for a long time as his third of the day all but confirms the Canaries drop.

GOAL: Watford 1 Newcastle 1

Troy Deeney grabs his first goal for Watford since the restart of the Premier League to haul his side level. Potentially huge goal. Bournemouth and Villa fans are cursing.

PENALTY WATFORD

Huge lifeline for the Hornets as Kiko Femenia tumbles after a mis-kick under the slightest of pressure. Soft as you like.

Norwich 0 West Ham 2

I guess it is weird not having the usual camera-panning shots of scarve-chewers and parents comforting tearful young and not-so-young relatives as their team's demise is confirmed. We shall have to make do with the timeless player-with-one-hand-on-the-grass-and-one-on-the-face player pics instead.

Things are looking rosier for West Ham now as they are currently six points away from the drop zone. Norwich need the biggest second-half of their lives, or they are down. Watford hovering above the relegation zone, but 1-0 down to Newcastle.

So we may know our first Premier League relegation casualty of this elongated season. But newly crowned champions Liverpool are up later and still chasing records. Biggest points margin, most points, most wins and most home wins are just some of the records on the line as Jurgen Klopp's side take on Burnley at 6pm.

So we may know our first Premier League relegation casualty of this elongated season. But newly crowned champions Liverpool are up later and still chasing records. Biggest points margin, most points, most wins and most home wins are just some of the records on the line as Jurgen Klopp's side take on Burnley at 6pm. 

HALF-TIME: Norwich 0 West Ham 2, Watford 0 Newcastle 1

So, pretty much as you would expect from the two teams desperately clinging on to Premier League status. Watford could consider themselves unlucky to be behind to Newcastle, but Norwich are as toothless as ever and Championship football beckons.

GOAL: Norwich 0 West Ham 2

Michail Antonio hammers in what could be the final nail to Norwich's coffin. He easily beats two defenders to nod past Tim Krul. Norwich are officially rubbish.

Over at Vicarage Road, Newcastle panic at the back and Troy Deeney and Danny Wellbeck do everything but put the ball in the net.

CLOSE!

Allan Saint-Maximin, wearing his Karate Kid headgear, is frustrated as Ben Foster gets off his line to make a great stop. Both relegation-threatened sides under the cosh. You would think Foster will find a team to stay in the Prem, should Watford drop. Good keeper...

Michail Antonio tries to win a soft penalty for West Ham, but the VAR suits say jog on. Antonio looks in the mood today as he almost gets an assist to go with his goal, but Jarrod Bowen just fires wide. Not looking good for Norwich...

Gavin, a West Ham fan has messaged in, somewhat cheekily, to ask if Delia Smith is warming up her mic for a half-time rallying call to the Norwich fans, just like back in 2005, when her Churcillian slurred speech grabbed the hilarious headlines. Well, her pleas fell on deaf ears last time, so I suppose it doesn't matter that there are no fans to hear her at Carrow Road this time. 

Norwich have settled somewhat and are trying to find an equaliser. Some Liverpool-esque pinging of the ball about comes to nothing and soon they are back under pressure.

GOAL: Watford 0 Newcastle 1

Both the relegation threatened sides are behind at home now as Dwight Gayle nods in a cross from close range. After being so close to taking the lead (twice), Watford are now behind. Three points clear of the drop zone, but Aston Villa and Bournemouth will have a game in hand after today.

All happening at Vicarage as Danny Welbeck sclaffs his shot and Martin Dubravka's effort hits the post before it is cleared.

CLOSE!

Watford think they have taken a vital lead against Newcastle. Miguel Almiron hooks the ball goalwards but it is blocked on the line. 

As can only be expected, tentative starts at both grounds, with a lot to play for. Coming up later from the EPL today, we have record-chasing Liverpool at home to Burnley (6pm), Sheffield United host third-place-hunting Chelsea (8.30pm) and Brighton take on Manchester City in the late game (11pm).

GOAL: Norwich 0 West Ham 1

Oh dear Norwich. The writing was on the wall weeks ago for the Canaries, and again they are behind at home as Michail Antonio has given the Hammers the lead.

So, as I said, the summer heat has the mercury in the high 40s in Dubai, which means we should be enjoying Wimbledon and the European Championships. Despite the coronavirus disrupted sports calendar, the Premier League fans are still determined to get out and follow their favourites as the season finally draws to a close.

"It is quite impressive, the dedication of some fans to face the mid-afternoon heat in the UAE to get a chance to cheer on their teams - albeit via TV," says Craig Leader, the manager at local establishment the Crown & Lion at Byblos Barsha Heights. "Despite all the delays and the extra protocols in place, and the added heat, they are all still coming out. Even if it is, sorry Norwich, to see their team get relegated."

KICK-OFF: Norwich 0 West Ham 0, Watford 0 Newcastle 0

And we are under way at Carrow Road and Vicarage Road. Big, big 90 minutes coming up for all four teams involved

Just as we get ready for kick-off, take a look at Ben East's exclusive insight into the rise of Mason Greenwood at Manchester United, and what it takes to unearth a footballing gem. 

Some sad news coming out of England today as World Cup winner and Ireland managerial legend Jack Charlton has died. Not many messed with Big Jack in his day. 

TEAM NEWS

Norwich XI: Krul, Aarons, Godfrey, Klose, Lewis, Vrancic, Tettey, Buendía, Stiepermann, Hernandez, Pukki. Subs: Rupp, Cantwell, Trybull, Drmic, McLean, Duda, McGovern, Idah, Martin.

West Ham XI: Fabianski, Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Rice, Soucek, Bowen, Antonio, Fornals. Subs: Balbuena, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Wilshere, Haller, Masuaku, Ajeti, Randolph, Johnson.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Kabasele, Dawson, Masina, Capoue, Hughes, Sarr, Doucoure, Welbeck, Deeney. Subs: Gomes, Mariappa, Cleverley, Chalobah, Cathcart, Joao Pedro, Gray, Pussetto, Pereyra.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Manquillo, Lascelles, Fernandez, Rose, Saint-Maximin, Schar, Shelvey, Ritchie, Almiron, Gayle. Subs: Joelinton, Muto, Krafth, Yedlin, Lazaro, Darlow, Atsu, Bentaleb, M Longstaff.

Afternoon. It is a toasty one in Dubai today, but the early crowds are out in force for two early relegartion crackers in the English Premier League as Norwich (win or you are down) City take on fellow strugglers West Ham at Carrow Road and Watford (still sweating) play Newcastle.

What's at stake for Norwich

It is last chance saloon time for the Canaries.They will be relegated if they lose to West Ham today. Even a draw will not be enough if Watford avoid defat against Newcastle. But if they win, they are at least safe until Tuesday.