Both Arsenal and Liverpool slumped to home defeats while Chelsea could only manage a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United. West Ham have been relegated.
In the later kick-offs, Aston Villa lead Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium thanks to a Darren Bent brace before Robin van Persie pulled one back late in the match.
Meanwhile, Liverpool lost 2-0 to Tottenham at Anfield which puts the Londoners in control to secure fifth spot.
West Ham United have been relegated after Wigan pulled off an amazing 3-2 win at home.
Fulham beat Birmingham 2-0.
Click here for our Football Match Cast - the one-stop-shop for all true football fans.
Experience live text commentary, team news, starting line-ups, match statistics and player ratings.
Football fanatics can also utilise our Football Live Scores service - every goal, every match and with handy audio goal alerts!
And for those who need to know everything about everything - we proudly bring you the Football Stats Centre.
Earlier, Newcastle left it late to hold Chelsea 2-2 in their last game at Stamford Bridge this season.
It was Chelsea in the opening stages who came out with real attacking intent and it took them just two minutes for Branislav Ivanovic to open the scoring for the Blues.
Frank Lampard whipped in the corner to the front post, Fernando Torres flicked it on with his head and there was Ivanovic to finish well from close range.
Newcastle's reply came through Jonas Gutierrez just eight minutes later. There was a touch of fortune about it as Ryan Taylor's free-kick hit the back of the Argentine and wrong-footed Peter Cech to fly into the back of the net.
In the second half, Chelsea took the lead through Alex who headed home from a Lampard cross. Alex met the ball first in the 83rd minute as visiting keeper Tim Krul tried to punch it clear.
Newcastle got their equaliser in stoppage time as Steven Taylor was left unmarked in the six yard box and he easily nodded the ball past Cech in the Chelsea goal.
Chelsea vs Newcastle
Confirmed Starting XIs
Chelsea: Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic, Alex, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Ramires, Joshua McEachran, Frank Lampard, Nicolas Anelka, Yossi Benayoun, Fernando Torres.
Newcastle: Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Sanchez Jose Enrique, Jonas Gutierrez, Joey Barton, Ryan Taylor, Shane Ferguson, Shola Ameobi, Peter Lovenkrands.
Liverpool vs Tottenham
Confirmed Starting XIs
Liverpool: Jose Reina, John Flanagan, Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson, Dirk Kuyt, Leiva Lucas, Jay Spearing, Rodriguez Maxi, Luis Suarez, Andrew Carroll.
Tottenham: Carlo Cudicini, Younes Kaboul, Michael Dawson, Ledley King, Danny Rose, Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric, Raniere Sandro, Steven Pienaar, Rafael Van der Vaart, Peter Crouch.
Preview
Tottenham defender William Gallas looks set to miss the final two games of the Barclays Premier League season with a calf problem.
Gallas sustained the injury in Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by Manchester City - a result that ended Spurs' hopes of finishing in the top four.
The 33-year-old Frenchman will play no part in Sunday's match at Liverpool and also seems unlikely to feature in the final game of the campaign at home to Birmingham next weekend.
"William Gallas isn't fit," said manager Harry Redknapp. "He's probably out for the season. He did a calf the other night at Man City."
Redknapp revealed that Ledley King could play some part at Anfield.
King came through a midweek reserves match unscathed after being sidelined for seven months with a groin injury.
"Ledley could play. He played in a game on Wednesday and came through okay. He's not trained today but if he feels okay he could be available," said Redknapp.
"Ledley's a fantastic player but Michael Dawson and William Gallas have been fantastic, so we've been okay in defence."
Heurelho Gomes will miss out against Liverpool with the back injury that also sidelined him for the Eastlands clash.
Redknapp insists the error-prone Brazilian remains his first-choice keeper despite speculation he may leave in the summer.
"Yes, he will be my number one," said the Spurs boss. "Carlo Cudicini played well the other night but Gomes will still be here. He's a top-class keeper."
Arsenal vs Aston Villa
Confirmed Starting XIs
Arsenal: Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Sebastien Squillaci, Thomas Vermaelen, Kieran Gibbs, Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Andrey Arshavin, Robin van Persie.
Aston Villa: Brad Friedel, Kyle Walker, James Collins, Richard Dunne, Luke Young, Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, Fabian Delph, Stewart Downing, Darren Bent, Ashley Young.
Preview
Arsene Wenger feels Arsenal's shortcomings this season can be solved both on the training pitch and in the transfer market.
The Gunners host Aston Villa on Sunday looking to stay ahead of FA Cup finalists Manchester City and secure automatic qualification for next season's Champions League.
However, Wenger knows the campaign should be drawing to a close without another sense of frustration after six trophyless years.
The Gunners boss accepts his young squad need a bit of help to "get over the line" in 2011/2012, having seen the season quickly unravel after suffering a shock defeat to Birmingham in the Carling Cup final.
Wenger, though, is confident major surgery is not needed, more perhaps a change in focus.
"The players had a fantastic attitude for the whole season and I am frustrated because they have not been rewarded," said the Arsenal manager
"The players have produced every single effort they could on the pitch, but maybe we were a bit to nervous when we had to cross the line.
"In the final minutes of big games, we lost and it was not down to the fact the players did not want it, they want to do well and have been remarkable, but we lacked a bit of calm in some situations.
"Experience will help with that and also the transfer market will help as well."
Wenger maintains there have been positives from a "frustrating" season.
"We do not feel that we under-performed overall because we were in the Carling Cup final, the quarter-final of the FA Cup against Manchester United, where we lost three days after [going out to] Barcelona [in the Champions League], so we produced quality games and at the end of the day there are objective signs for us that show we have the quality," he said.
"We feel we have made up some of the gap between us and the top teams from the seasons before - we are top of the league in the top four of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City, so we have every reason to be frustrated."
Despite United having all but wrapped up the title with victory over Chelsea last weekend, Wenger maintains there is still all to play for behind the champions elect.
Arsenal are two points ahead of City and three behind Chelsea with two games left.
"We can still catch the second place and we can finish second, third or fourth, depending on our results," he said.
"Of course we want to finish in the top three and if possible second.
"It is not unrealistic [to finish second] when you are just three points behind.
"Manchester City can want third place because they are only two points behind, so it is open."
Wenger is expected to add some experienced cover over the summer, most notably in defence.
However, the Arsenal manager will not be drawn on potential targets.
"We are looking to strengthen every year. First we look not to weaken because we want to keep all our players, and then try to strengthen," he said.
"It is not the number, it is the quality.
"But we don't rule out any position and we don't target any special position before the transfer market."
Birmingham vs Fulham
Confirmed Starting XIs
Birmingham: Ben Foster, Stephen Carr, Roger Johnson, Martin Jiranek, Stuart Parnaby, Sebastian Larsson, Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer, David Bentley, Kevin Phillips, Matt Derbyshire.
Fulham: Mark Schwarzer, Philippe Senderos, Aaron Hughes, Brede Hangeland, Carlos Salcido, Jonathan Greening, Danny Murphy, Steve Sidwell, Clint Dempsey, Andrew Johnson, Bobby Zamora.
Preview
Birmingham's goalkeeping coach Dave Watson admits Ben Foster's injury problems mean he cannot play non-stop football for 12 months.
Watson was responding to criticism of Foster for taking a temporary break from making himself available for England duty.
He believes Foster needs to take such action at this juncture after suffering back, thigh and thumb setbacks this season.
Watson said: "We are having to nurse Ben through because of his previous injury record and this is the first time he's played a full season for three or four years.
"Ben is very patriotic. He wants to play for his country and enjoys playing for his country.
"But he simply can't sustain the daily requirements throughout 12 months at present.
"Not everyone knows how difficult it has been for Ben. The strains are just too much at the moment, simple as that."
Watson added: "This decision will hopefully enable him to play first-team football throughout a season or two.
"It will allow us and Ben to manage his body and condition - and ultimately extend his career.
"Ben is certainly good enough for England and, if things go well, who knows in the future?"
Wigan vs West Ham United
Confirmed Starting XIs
Wigan: Ali Al Habsi, Emmerson Boyce, Gary Caldwell, Antolin Alcaraz, Maynor Figueroa, Mohamed Diame, James McCarthy, Ben Watson, Charles N'Zogbia, Hugo Rodallega, Tom Cleverley.
West Ham: Robert Green, Jordan Spence, Daniel Gabbidon, James Tomkins, Wayne Bridge, Jonathan Spector, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Jack Collison, Frederic Piquionne, Demba Ba, Zavon Hines.
Preview
West Ham manager Avram Grant believes the Football Writers' Association's recognition of Scott Parker's performances sends an important message.
Parker collected the 2011 FWA footballer of the year award at a gala dinner at the Lancaster London Hotel.
The 30-year-old topped the poll of journalists ahead of Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, who recently picked up the equivalent award from the Professional Footballers' Association.
Parker is only the second Hammer to collect the award since its inception in 1948 and, unlike recent winners, the midfielder's side are in a relegation dogfight rather than competing for honours.
Grant's men are four points adrift of safety with just two matches left and the Israeli believes Parker is a worthy winner.
"I am very pleased that the members of the Football Writers' Association have chosen to honour Scott Parker," he said. "Not just because I think he deserves it, but because it send a very important message.
"People assume players in teams at the top of the league are all winners. It is not true.
"When you are surrounded by quality and confidence is high, it is easier to reach a good level of performance. You only see the true character of a person in times of difficulty.
"And, as you may have noticed, we at West Ham have faced a lot challenges right from the start of the season.
"What Scott has done for us as a footballer and as a person is great. It is harder and harder to find players like him in the modern game, men who are professional unconditionally, no matter the situation, who do not become moody and sulk."
While West Ham have struggled this campaign, Parker has shone thanks to his commitment to the cause.
Grant added: "Scott's mentality is perfect. But we should not forget that he is an excellent footballer.
"He is a modern midfielder. He defends, he makes a block, he wins the ball.
"He is determined, his movement is excellent and he scores important goals inside and outside the box.
"I am glad that his quality has been recognised by Fabio Capello, as well as by the football writers.
"I always say to young players that they must be careful when they chose who to take as examples. I can think of no-one better than Scott Parker."
No comments:
Post a Comment