Wenger bows out on an eventful day Swansea down
Manchester City makes it 100 points; Swansea is relegated
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND — Liverpool qualified for the Champions League at the expense of Chelsea, Swansea was relegated and champion Manchester City made it to 100 points as the loose ends were tied up on a typically highscoring final day of the Premier League soccer season on Sunday.
It was also the end of an era, with Arsene Wenger taking charge of his final game as Arsenal manager after 22 seasons.
He went out with a 1-0 win at Huddersfield.
Liverpool only needed to draw with Brighton to secure another season in the Champions League, but manager Juergen Klopp fielded an attacking team and was rewarded with a 4-0 victory at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah scored one of the goals, taking the Egyptian to a league-high 32 goals for the campaign — the most in a 38game Premier League season.
That meant Chelsea will not be playing in Europe’s elite competition for the second season in three years.
The London club finished fifth after a 3-0 loss at Newcastle, in what could prove to be Antonio Conte’s last league game as manager.
The final-day “miracle” that Swansea manager Carlos Carvalhal required didn’t happen, with the Welsh club losing 2-1 to Stoke to end its seven-year stay in the league and ensure Southampton stayed up.
Swansea had needed to win and Southampton to lose to Man City, with a 10-goal swing in goal difference.
So it didn’t matter that Southampton
conceded late to lose 1-0 to City, although that did mean Pep Guardiola’s side became the first team to post 100 points in a Premier League season.
It is the latest milestone reached by City, which has also claimed the most total wins (32), goals (106), victories in a row (18) and away wins (16) in this recordbreaking season.
Another trophy for Salah
Fittingly, it was Salah who guided Liverpool back into the Champions League and he ended a sun-kissed afternoon at Anfield lifting the Golden Boot for being the Premier League’s top scorer this season.
His 32-goal haul was two more than Harry Kane, the winner for the past two seasons.
There were wonderful scenes soon after as Liverpool’s fans cheered Salah’s daughter, Makka, as she kicked about a ball on the field.
Chelsea ended the season without even a whimper, and in the Europa League. Four days after drawing 1-1 at home, the deposed
champions looked bedraggled in losing to Newcastle.
Swansea fans channelled their anger toward chair Huw Jenkins and the club’s American majority shareholders, Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien, after the team’s relegation was confirmed with a loss to a team that started the day in last place.
Jenkins was conspicuous by his absence from his customary seat in the directors’ box but that did not prevent Swansea supporters urging Jenkins to “get out of our club” from the first minute.
Andy King’s goal gave Swansea hope of an unlikely final-day comeback, but Badou Ndiaye and Peter Crouch scored to ensure already relegated Stoke would not end the season bottom. That position went to West Bromwich Albion, which lost 2-0 at Crystal Palace.
Wenger’s farewell
In the 22nd minute, Huddersfield fans joined Arsenal supporters in rising to their feet inside
the John Smith’s Stadium to applaud Wenger in his 1,235th game in charge of the Gunners.
A plane flew over the stadium, carrying the message “Merci Arsene, we will miss you too” in response to Wenger’s goodbye speech last week at the Emirates Stadium.
“I should have announced every week my goodbye,” Wenger said, “because people have been so nice with me.”
Arsenal finished sixth in the Premier League — the lowest under Wenger, who will stay working.
“Whether that is managing or not ... I am addicted and I don’t think that can be cured,” Wenger said.
City’s century
City left it to virtually the last kick of its last match to reach the magical 100-point barrier.
Gabriel Jesus, on as a substitute, found space to lift the ball over goalkeeper Alex McCarthy in the fourth minute of additional time, prompting wild celebrations among City’s players.