The Malta Independent on Sunday

Stoke relegated

English football

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Stoke was relegated from the English Premier League after a 10-year stay while West Bromwich Albion earned a stay of execution, at least for a few hours yesterday.

Jake Livemore's dramatic injury-time goal earned West Brom a 1-0 win against Tottenham although the Baggies could still have been relegated had Southampto­n beaens Everton in the late match.

West Ham took a giant step toward securing its survival by beating Leicester 2-0, while Swansea remained fearful of relegation after losing at Bournemout­h 1-0. GREAT ESCAPE 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 has dropped 26 points from winning positions this season — the most in the league — and there were few hints it 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.

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 has yet to confirm its top-four spot. Chelsea could close the gap to two points with two games left if it beats Liverpool today. DOWN AND OUT Stoke became the first team relegated this season when it lost to Crystal Palace 2-1.

Stoke took the lead through Xherdan Shaqiri's 43rd-minute free kick, but James McArthur equalized for Palace in the 68th and Patrick van Aanholt netted the winner in the 86th.

Palace lost its first seven games but is mathematic­ally safe, completing the considerab­le upturn in its fortunes after Roy Hodgson succeeded Frank De Boer early in the campaign. OTHER MATCHES 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 itself back in the bottom three if Southampto­n avoids 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. Tuesday 8 May Swansea v Southampto­n Wednesday 9 May Chelsea v Huddersfie­ld Leicester v Arsenal Man City v Brighton Tottenham v Newcastle Thursday 10 May West Ham v Man United Sunday 13 May Baurnley v Bournemout­h Crystal Palace v West Brom Huddersfie­ld v Arsenal Liverpool v Brighton Man United v Watford Newcastle v Chelsea Southampto­n v Man City Swansea v Stoke Tottenham v Leicester West Ham v Everton Championsh­ip Group PW D L F A Pts Yesterday

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