Author: The Nation

Southampton’s 11-year stay in the Premier League ended in tame fashion as their relegation was confirmed with defeat at home by Fulham.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, making his return from an eight-game ban for pushing referee Chris Kavanagh, sealed Saints’ fate with a stooping header after Carlos Vinicius’ opener.

The hosts could have few complaints about the outcome after producing a muted performance despite knowing they had to win to have any chance of pulling off an unlikely survival mission.

They did have a Carlos Alcaraz strike disallowed for a marginal offside just before Vinicius broke the deadlock but the confident Cottagers were comfortably the better side.

Willian’s first-half volley was cleared off the line by fellow Brazilian Lyanco, who had earlier been fortunate to escape a video assistant referee’s penalty check for handball.

But Vinicius tucked home after Lyanco’s clearance ricocheted to him kindly off Harrison Reed and Mitrovic nodded in his 12th league goal of the season from Harry Wilson’s cross.

Southampton, lethargic throughout, had no response after falling behind and will be playing Championship football next season for the first time since 2012.

Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice as Nottingham Forest claimed a valuable point against Chelsea in their fight against Premier League relegation in a match that came alive in the second half.

Forest took an early lead when Awoniyi, who scored twice in Monday’s 4-3 win against Southampton, got in front of recalled Blues goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to head in the opener from Renan Lodi’s cross.

Raheem Sterling equalised after the break when he swept home Trevoh Chalobah’s cross and the England winger then turned inside Felipe before curling the ball beyond Keylor Navas seven minutes later.

But Frank Lampard’s side led for just four minutes at Stamford Bridge as Awoniyi flicked home Orel Mangala’s delicate lob into the six-yard box to secure a draw for the visitors.

It ended a run of seven successive league away defeats for Steve Cooper’s men and leaves them three points above third-bottom Leeds United with two games remaining.

Forest, who had taken just six points from a possible 51 away from home this season before the game, face Arsenal at home next Saturday and travel to Crystal Palace on the final day of the campaign.

Chelsea, who are now winless in seven home games in all competitions, stay 11th and face three of the top four within a week – Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United – to end their miserable season.

Manchester United bounced back from consecutive Premier League defeats by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford to strengthen their bid for a top-four finish.

Erik ten Hag’s side had lost to Brighton and West Ham to give Liverpool – who were one point behind in fourth at the start of the day – hope of snatching a Champions League spot at their expense.

But Anthony Martial opened the scoring in the first half before Alejandro Garnacho added a second in stoppage time to secure a win that moved Manchester United four points clear of the Reds with three games remaining.

With Marcus Rashford out through injury, it looked like being a difficult day in front of goal for the hosts as they missed a number of decent chances, particularly through Antony.

The winger curled an effort just wide after racing into space before sending a header over from close range when unmarked.

But Antony provided the assist for the first-half breakthrough when he was played in by Bruno Fernandes and he unselfishly squared to Martial for the tap-in.

Antony had another opportunity to get on the scoresheet in the second half but he drove a shot just wide of the post after being set up by a Fernandes backheel.

However, substitute Garnacho finally got Manchester United’s second when he raced through in the fifth minute of stoppage time before firing past Dan Bentley in the Wolves goal.

The visitors rarely threatened as they finished the game without a shot on target.

Manchester United remain fourth but are level on 66 points with Newcastle in third. Wolves, meanwhile, are 13th.

Two fine strikes by Eberechi Eze earned Crystal Palace a Premier League victory over Bournemouth at Selhurst Park.

Eze slammed home from six yards shortly before half time, before curling into the top corner following Michael Olise’s fine pass as the Palace number 10 made it 10 league goals this season.

Bournemouth offered little in a match between two sides safe from the prospect of relegation.

Palace remain 12th in the table, now four points above Bournemouth in 14th.

Victory ensured Palace completed the league double over Bournemouth, having won 2-0 at Vitality Stadium on 31 December.

That proved to be their final win under Patrick Vieira, who was dismissed after they failed to win any of their subsequent 12 top-flight matches.

It was a run which threatened the Eagles’ Premier League status, however their descent was halted by the appointment of Roy Hodgson and five wins from the last eight games.

The question is now whether the 75-year-old, contracted to the end of the season, will extend his second spell at Selhurst Park.

Leeds United’s Premier League survival hopes received a late lift as they came from behind to earn a battling point against Newcastle United at Elland Road – in a match with three penalties and a red card.

Interim manager Sam Allardyce will be delighted by the spirit shown by Leeds as it looked like they would suffer a damaging defeat despite taking the lead through Luke Ayling’s early goal.

In a thunderous atmosphere, the game appeared to have turned when Patrick Bamford’s penalty on the half-hour was saved by Newcastle keeper Nick Pope, the disappointment deepening when Callum Wilson restored equality for the visitors from the spot moments later.

Wilson put Newcastle, who are looking to confirm a place in the top four, ahead with another penalty after 69 minutes when the video assistant referee ruled Junior Firpo had handled.

Leeds looked beaten but staged a rally and equalised when Rasmus Kristensen’s shot deflected in off Kieran Trippier’s head 11 minutes from time.

They had to hold on for the final minutes as Firpo was second off for a second bookable offence as he brought down Anthony Gordon.

There was an incident on the touchline towards the end too, as Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was shoved by a spectator who got into the manager’s technical area from the home end before being dragged away by security staff.

Allardyce’s team remain in the bottom three a point behind Everton but he may yet come to see this as a valuable result.