LIVE: The Premier League’s final day is delivering an abundance of drama, as goals fly in around the grounds as all 20 teams play at the same time (1.30am AEST Monday).
The relegation battle is the key focus, as Everton, Leicester and Leeds face a nerve-racking scrap to avoid the drop.
At half time, Leicester were set for survival as they were in front against West Ham, while Everton (goalless) and Leeds (losing) would join Southampton in being relegated.
But Everton then scored a stunning volley through Abdoulaye Doucoure just before the hour mark, moving them into 17th and putting Leicester into the relegation positions alongside Leeds.
RELEGATION BATTLE
Things started horribly for 19th-placed Leeds, conceding just two minutes into their must-win match with Tottenham as Harry Kane scored with the first shot of the match. Tottenham are themselves hunting seventh place and qualification for European football next season. Pedro Porro made it 2-0 as Leeds’ poor defence cost them again just two minutes into the second half – effectively ending their hopes of survival. But Jack Harrison, who scored on the final day for Leeds last season to ensure their survival, did it again to keep Leeds’ dreams of a miracle alive. But Harry Kane hit back soon after with his 30th of the season to make it 3-1.
At 17th-placed Everton, desperately hunting a result to keep themselves in the top flight, Idrissa Gana Gueye nearly scored a first Everton goal in five years after half an hour, drawing a fine save from Bournemouth’s Mark Travers. Everton’s Demarai Gray went down with a strong penalty shout in the final five minutes before halftime, but had the appeal waved away. Then, minutes later, Bournemouth seemed certain to score before Yerry Mina denied former Liverpool player Dominic Solanke with an epic diving block. James Garner then drew another fine save from Travers with a long-range effort deep in first-half stoppage time.
Five minutes into the second half, Everton had the golden opportunity they were craving. But Gray headed poorly from six yards out as Travers saved yet another attempt. For the second time in the match, Everton had their penalty appeals waved away after a potential push in the back on Conor Coady during the same sequence.
Then came the moment of the night as Everton finally found the net. Abdoulaye Doucoure blasted a stunning volley from the edge of the area into the back of the net in the 57th minute, a goal to ensure Everton’s survival on the live ladder.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford pulled off a sublime save before clashing with Solanke, both players copping yellow cards for a scuffle. But Pickford appeared to hurt his hand in the incident, requiring treatment.
Meanwhile, Solanke claimed he was bitten by Everton’s Yerry Mina in the melee.
At 18th-placed Leicester, home of Australia’s Harry Souttar, Harvey Barnes opened the scoring against West Ham in the 34th minute after a lovely exchange with Kelechi Iheanacho – taking them above Everton on the live ladder on goal difference at the time!
Iheanacho had hit the crossbar just minutes earlier before the crucial assist. West Ham themselves hit the post on the hour mark. But Leicester doubled their lead when centre-back Wout Faes made it 2-0, heading home from a cross. It meant that Everton essentially had to hold on for victory to survive.
FIGHT FOR SEVENTH
After Tottenham scored first on the day, it moved them above Aston Villa into seventh place.
But Aston Villa – who started the day in seventh as they face sixth-place Brighton – responded immediately afterwards, with Douglas Luiz opening the scoring in the eighth minute.
Brighton’s teen sensation Julio Enciso delivered a brilliant cross for Deniz Undav to hit back, but the goal was ruled out for an Enciso offside, keeping Villa above Spurs on the live ladder.
Villa then raced from end to end with a lightning counter-attack in the 26th minute, the goal finished off by Ollie Watkins to make it 2-0.
Undav then hit back in the 39th minute, this time the goal being ruled out for offside before being awarded by VAR to make it 2-1.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Elsewhere, Newcastle – already guaranteed a top-four finish – struck first against Chelsea, with Anthony Gordon taking full benefit from terrible defending to score in the ninth minute.
Kieran Trippier’s own goal gave Chelsea an equaliser in the 27th minute.
And Liverpool (confirmed fifth) were gifted a goal from bottom-place and already-relegated Southampton, with Diego Jota passing into an empty net in the 10th minute. Departing superstar Roberto Firmino doubled the lead in the 15th minute with his third in four games. Saints captain James Ward-Prowse, likely in his last game for the club, then hit back in the 19th minute by sliding his first-time shot into the bottom corner. Southampton levelled at 2-2 when Kamaldeen Sulemana struck in the 28th minute, his first goal for the club coming through another first-time effort. Sulemana doubled his tally by running nearly 50 metres, carving straight through the Liverpool defence, before poking home with a fine finish. Adam Armstrong made it 4-2 to the Saints in a stunning turnaround, the substitute scoring less than a minute after coming off the bench. Liverpool substitute Cody Gakpo continued the insane scoring spree, before Jota made it 4-4 in one of the wildest games of the season.
Arsenal, guaranteed runners-up, opened the scoring against Wolves in the 11th minute as Gabriel Jesus crossed for midfielder Granit Xhaka to head home. Xhaka, likely to leave Arsenal after this game, scored a second in the 14th minute when the ball fell to him in the box. Bukayo Saka scored a stunner in the 27th minute to make it 3-0. Gabriel Jesus made it four as they ran riot, heading home in the 58th minute.
Fulham opened the scoring against Manchester United from a 19th-minute corner as Kenny Tete scored his first Premier League goal with a simple near-post header. With Newcastle having scored earlier, that sent United down into fourth on the live ladder.
But United goalkeeper David de Gea saved a penalty from Aleksandar Mitrovic to ensure things didn’t get worse, and Jadon Sancho scored the equaliser in the 39th minute. Bruno Fernandes made it 2-1 for United after a sublime assist from Fred in the 55th minute sent him through one-on-one.
Nottingham Forest, who secured their survival last weekend, continued their fine finish to the season with a 31st-minute goal at Crystal Palace to Taiwo Awoniyi. Crystal Palace equalised in the second half through Will Hughes, his first goal at Selhurst Park.
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PREMIER LEAGUE RELEGATION ZONE (Entering final day).
17. Everton (33 pts, -24)
18. Leicester City (31 pts, -18)
19. Leeds United (31 pts, -27)
20. Southampton (24 pts, -37)
If fourth bottom Everton fail to win, third bottom Leicester can survive by beating West Ham at home thanks to their superior goal difference.
Second bottom Leeds need a miracle to avoid the end of their three-season stay in the top-flight.
Victory over Tottenham at Elland Road will only be enough for Leeds boss Sam Allardyce to pull off another great escape if Everton lose and Leicester fail to win.
Should Everton manage even a draw, Leeds will need to beat Tottenham by three goals to surpass them on goal difference.
Tottenham’s result could have a bearing on the only other issue yet to be resolved – qualification for next season’s Europa Conference League.
PREMIER LEAGUE RACE FOR EUROPE (Entering final day)
7. Aston Villa (58 pts, +4)
8. Tottenham (57 pts, +4)
9. Brentford (56 pts, +11)
Aston Villa are in pole position and will secure a return to Europe for the first time in 13 years with victory over Brighton.
Tottenham can sneak into seventh place should they better Villa’s result. But if neither side win then Brentford could qualify for Europe for the first time in their history with a shock win over champions Manchester City in west London.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle are already assured of joining City in next season’s Champions League.
Liverpool and Brighton will be in the Europa League.
HALF TIME SCORES
Arsenal 3-0 Wolves
Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton
Brentford 0-0 Man City
Chelsea 1-1 Newcastle
Crystal Palace 0-1 Nottingham Forest
Everton 0-0 Bournemouth
Leeds 0-1 Tottenham
Leicester 1-0 West Ham
Man Utd 1-1 Fulham
Southampton 2-2 Liverpool
Follow the final day of the Premier League season in our live blog below!