Stoke relegated from EPL, Spurs beaten
LONDON (AP):
TOKE WERE relegated from the English Premier League after a 10-year stay, while West Bromwich Albion earned a stay of execution.
Jake Livemore’s dramatic injury-time goal earned West Brom a 1-0 win against Tottenham although the Baggies could still have been relegated if Southampton had beaten Everton in the late match. That game ended 1-1.
West Ham took a giant step toward securing their survival by beating Leicester 2-0, while Swansea remained fearful of relegation after losing at Bournemouth 1-0.
West Brom needed to beat fourth-place Tottenham to stand any chance of staying up and left it late when Livermore turned the ball past Hugo Lloris.
West Brom have dropped 26 points from winning positions this season – the most in the league – and there were few hints they would take the lead at The Hawthorns.
Spurs carried the greater threat, and Ben Foster needed to be alert when Erik Lamela threatened before he palmed away Christian Eriksen’s free kick after 62 minutes.
Harry Kane almost scored a spectacular own-goal until Lloris turned his sliced clearance over with 17 minutes left.
SLATE WINNER
But the hosts kept pressing and grabbed the winner in stoppage time when Danny Rose and Livermore went for the ball during a goalmouth scramble and Livermore poked it in to spark wild celebrations.
Defeat meant Tottenham have yet to confirm their top-four spot. Chelsea could close the gap to two points with two games left if they beat Liverpool today.
Stoke became the first team relegated this season when they lost to Crystal Palace 2-1.
Stoke took the lead through Xherdan Shaqiri’s 43rd-minute free kick, but James McArthur equalised for Palace in the 68th, and Patrick van Aanholt netted the winner in the 86th.
Palace lost their first seven games but are mathematically safe, completing the considerable upturn in their fortunes after Roy Hodgson succeeded Frank De Boer early in the campaign.
West Ham inflicted on Leicester a fourth loss in five league matches with goals in each half from Joao Mario and Mark Noble.
The win moved David Moyes’ team six points clear of the bottom three.
Swansea could find themselves back in the bottom three if Southampton avoid defeat. At Swansea’s expense, Bournemouth secured Premier League safety.
Elsewhere, Watford ended a seven-match winless run by beating Newcastle 2-1 despite captain Troy Deeney missing a penalty.
West Brom needed to beat fourth-place Tottenham to stand any chance of staying up and left it late when ... .