English Premier League final day of the season

All the action for United and Villa

Last updated:
Matthew Smith, Sport Editor
7 MIN READ
Manchester United celebrate the opener against Leicester
Manchester United celebrate the opener against Leicester
AP
09:14 PM July 26, 2020

So there we go. Chelsea and United make the CL spots. Bournemouth and Watford go down. Aston Villa stay up. Oh, and  Tottenham leapfrogged Wolves to take the Europa League spot. 

09:09 PM July 26, 2020

FINAL DAY SCORES

Arsenal 3 - 2 Watford
Burnley 1 - 2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea 2 - 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Crystal Palace 1 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Everton 1 - 3 AFC Bournemouth
Leicester City 0 - 2 Manchester United
Manchester City 5 - 0 Norwich City
Newcastle United 1 - 3 Liverpool
Southampton 3 - 1 Sheffield United
West Ham United 1 - 1 Aston Villa

09:07 PM July 26, 2020

At the top: Manchester United are back in the Champions League. Their 2-0 win over Leiceter allows them to take their place alongside Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in the 'big four' bracket.

08:59 PM July 26, 2020

It's official, Aston Villa have done enough to stay up and Bournemouth and Watford join Norwich in the Championship.

Villa's 1-1 draw at West Ham was enough to avoid relegation after Watford went down 3-2 to Arsenal and Bournemouth's valiant win at Everton went in vain.

08:58 PM July 26, 2020

BOURNEMOUTH AND WATFORD AND RELEGATED!

GOAL! LEICESTER 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 2

Jesse Lingard secures the win and Champions League footbal for Machester United!

08:55 PM July 26, 2020

That should do it. Jonny Evans has just been sent off for Leicester. Say hello to Champions League football at Chelsea and Manchester United nest season. 

08:52 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! WEST HAM 1 VILLA 1

Yarmolenko thows a cat into the coop as he kills the cheers from Birmingham. Five minutes remaining and Villa survive - just - as it stands. 

08:49 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! WEST HAM 0 ASTON VILLA 1

HUGE goal for Villa as Jack Grealish bangs home to send Villa fans into a frenzy! It looks like Watford and Bournemouth, for all their fight today, are going down. 

08:46 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! EVERTON 1 BOUREMOUTH 3

Bournemouth have played their part with a third goal against a poor Everton side. But hold the press... 

08:39 PM July 26, 2020

15 mins to go and it looks like the top four is sorted. But he are still on tenterhooks regarding the dreaded drop. Watford are 3-2 down but fighting tooth and nail against Arsenal, Villa are 0-0 against West Ham and Bournemouth are winning 2-1 at Everton. One goal for West Ham or a two-goal swing at  Etihad will change everything. 

08:34 PM July 26, 2020

AS IT STANDS

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea
EUROPA LEAGUE: Leicester, Tottenham
RELEGATED: Bournemouth, Watford, Norwich

08:31 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! ARSENAL 3 WATFORD 2

Watford are going down fighting! Danny Welbeck slots home but it may be too little, too late.

08:30 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! LEICESTER 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 1

Bruno Fernandes converts from the spot to break Leicester hearts. Surely we know now tha tChelsea and United are in the Champions League next season.

08:28 PM July 26, 2020

As it stands

Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd
Europa League: Leicester, Tottenham
Relegated: Bournemouth, Watford, Norwich

08:25 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! NEWCASTLE 1 LIVERPOOL 2

The champs are going to close with a win to finish on a tremendous 99 points. Give 'em a Flake in their ice-cream! Divock Orick gives them the lead.

08:20 PM July 26, 2020

So close to a vital goal for Leicester against Man united. The clock is ticking now for the Foxes. Chances at both ends but still no opener.

08:17 PM July 26, 2020

Tantalisingly close at the bottom now. One goal for West Ham will save Bournemouth and sink both Villa and Watford. It's like a three-way play-off in golf. One single moment can change everything.

08:11 PM July 26, 2020

So as it stands at the 'top', Chelsea are good, and Manchester United are taking fourth at Leicester's expense. A single goal for the Foxes would change all that and relegate United to Europa duties. 

08:04 PM July 26, 2020

HALF-TIME

Arsenal 3 - 1 Watford
Burnley 1 - 1 Brighton
Chelsea 1 - 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Everton 1 - 2 Bournemouth
Leicester City 0 - 0 Manchester United
Manchester City 2 - 0 Norwich City
Newcastle United 1 - 1 Liverpool
Southampton 0 - 1 Sheffield United
West Ham United 0 - 0 Aston Villa

07:56 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! CHELSEA 2 WOLVES 0

Olivier Giroud rolls back the years to put Chelsea in the driving seat for third spot! Still 0-0 between Leicester and United. 

07:52 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! WOLVES 0 CHELSEA 1

Mason Mount gives Chelsea a crucial lead in the battle for third spot. 

GOAL - EVERTON 1 BOURNEMOUTH 2

Dominic Solanke restores the visitors lead at Goodison after Jefferson Lerma's leveller.

07:46 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! ARSENAL 3 WATFORD 1

I take it back! Watford claw one back as Troy Deeney converts from the spot to give a glimmer of hope just before the break.

07:43 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! NEWCASTLE 1 LIVERPOOL 1

Forget Salah and Mane, Virgil van Dijk grabs a leveller for the champions.

07:42 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! ARSENAL 3 WATFORD 0

Should Aston Villa start the party? Or should Bournemouth, for that matter? One team who look done and dusted for the day are Watford. Aubameyang grabs his second of the day to put him back in the reckoning for the Golden Boot. By my reckoning he is one behind Leicester's Jamie Vardy.  

07:32 PM July 26, 2020

So, as it stands

Champions League: Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea
Europa League: Leicester, Tottenham
Relegated: Norwich, Watford, Bournemouth

07:27 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! ARSENAL 2 WATFORD 0

Kieran Tierney piles on the misery for Watford with a fine curling effort. This is looking grim now for the boys in yellow.

Still nothing happening in the Champions League games. Tut! 

07:22 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! PALACE 0 TOTTENHAM 1

Tottenham take the lead through Harry Kane (who else?) to boost their Europa League chances! Go Team Mourinho!

07:19 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! EVERTON 0 BOURNEMOUTH 1

Potentially massive goal at Goodison as Joshua King converts from the spot. As it stands, a West Ham goal against Villa would keep Bournemouth up.

07:17 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1 NORWICH 0

Moments after the Canaries get a goal chalked off for offside, Gabriel Jesus gives City the lead.

07:14 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! NEWCASTLE 1 LIVERPOOL 0

The Magpies upset the apple cart against the champions Liverpool as Gayle gives the hosts the lead. Liverpool won't be too worried mind.

07:08 PM July 26, 2020

GOAL! ARSENAL 1 WATFORD 0

Aubameyang sends the keeper the wrong way to give the visitors the lead. That will cheer up the Aston Villa fans. I guess they are not doing the traditional listen-to-the-radio shots due to coronavirus and the lack of fans... 

07:04 PM July 26, 2020

PENALTY!

Big blow for Watford as Arsenal get a penalty in the third minute.

07:02 PM July 26, 2020

And we are off! Fasten your seatbelts for a roller-coaster ride.

06:54 PM July 26, 2020

Bournemouth face a stern test to stay up, hoping for three points at Everton, while the likliest survivor will be between Villa and Watford. Villa - playing West Ham - need to match Watford's result against FA Cup finalists Arsenal to stay up. Squeaky time!!

06:50 PM July 26, 2020

Chelsea's Frank Lampard ruffled a few feathers when he had a go at Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp during the 5-3 loss at Anfield. He will be at least hoping his team merit a top four finish so he doesn't face a backlash.

06:37 PM July 26, 2020

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has been playing mind games, saying all the pressure is on United today as they 'need' CL footy. Let's see how that one works out today. 

06:33 PM July 26, 2020

Tottenham are also fighting for a Europa League spot (how the not-so-mighty have fallen after last year's Champions League final appearance). They will be keeping an eye on the Wolves score to see if they can leapfrog them into the vital spot.  

06:31 PM July 26, 2020

So how are the nerves? I suppose it depends on whom you support. Liverpool and City fans can put their feet up, but the Chelsea and United faithful will have jangling nerves as missing out on the Champions League would be a massive blow.

But what they are going through will be nothing compared to the followers of Villa, Bournemouth and Watford as they know two of these three are sunk after today's matches.

Craig Leader, the manager at Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights in Dubai, says the nervous parties have been getting ready for the heartbreak/delight (delete as applicable). "They have been booking tables and we have had to turn some fans away already," he said. "It's a bit late this year but it is still one of the biggest events on the sports calendar and the loyal fans always come out in force." 

06:22 PM July 26, 2020

There has also been a bit of worrying news for the Liverpool faithful as Mo Salah says his future is unclear. More on that here

06:21 PM July 26, 2020

Anfield great Michael Owen spoke to gulf News earlier this week about Klopp's current crop of players and how they compare with Liverpool teams of the past. Read more here.

06:19 PM July 26, 2020

Two of Bournemouth, Watford and Villa will join already relegated Norwich in the Championship next season.

Villa have the upper hand with a three-point lead on Bournemouth and a marginally better goal difference than Watford.

Dean Smith’s men also have momentum after a 1-0 win over Arsenal on Tuesday and travel to a West Ham side now sure of their place in the Premier League next season.

06:18 PM July 26, 2020

We know Liverpool won the league title at a canter and we know Norwich are down. But the questions to be answered today are who will join the Reds and Manchester City in the Champions League - and who is in for the dreaded drop and getting relegated to the Championship alongside the Canaries...

06:15 PM July 26, 2020

Fixtures

All games 7pm UAE
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man Utd
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheff Utd
West Ham v Aston Villa

06:11 PM July 26, 2020

Good afternoon! We are in for a treat - tears cheers and all as the curtain finally falls on the longest of Premier League seasons.

Plenty to play for as we have Chelsea, Manchester United and Leicester chasing the final two Champions League spots, with the added spice of Unied travelling to the King Power Stadium in a winner-takes-all battle. Chelsea face a stern test against Wolves. 

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