Burnley fight on as Norwich are relegated

NORWICH boss Dean Smith immediately set his sights on winning the Championship next season after the Canaries’ Premier League relegation was confirmed in defeat to his old club Aston Villa.

Goals from Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings - the latter cruelly set up by Norwich’s former player of the year Emi Buendia - gave the hosts a 2-0 win on Smith’s return to Villa Park, though by the time the second went in, Norwich were already heading down thanks to Burnley’s 2-1 win at Watford.

Though the relegation comes as little surprise, it was still a painful moment for Smith, who had never previously experienced the drop.

“Obviously I’m bitterly disappointed and I fully take my responsibility as well,” he said. “I think over the last four to five weeks there’s probably been an inevitability about it.

Wolves boss Bruno Lage questioned his players’ desire after their European hopes were hit again.

Brighton swept to a dominant 3-0 win at Molineux as Wolves’ dreams of returning to the Europa League continued to fade after a third straight defeat.

Alexis Mac Allister’s spot-kick and second-half strikes from Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma underlined the visitors’ superiority.

Patrick Vieira praised the character of his Crystal Palace players after they came from a goal down to beat Southampton 2-1 at St Mary’s.

Wilfried Zaha came off the bench to score his 12th league goal of the season in stoppage time and earn the Eagles a first win in five games.

Palace looked to have rescued a point when Eberechi Eze scored his first of the campaign to cancel out Oriol Romeu’s early header, but a moment of magic from Zaha saw Palace leave with all three points.

Interim Burnley boss Mike Jackson insisted there has been “no magic wand” after his side’s impressive climb up the table continued with a 2-1 comeback victory at Watford.

The Clarets’ fightback lifted the club five points clear of the bottom three and all-but relegated their opponents, who sit 12 points from safety with four games to go. The result confirmed Norwich’s relegation.

An own goal from James Tarkowski had provided a glimmer of hope for the Hornets but Burnley found a late leveller, with Jack Cork heading in an 83rd-minute equaliser before Josh Brownhill’s strike completed the turnaround for the visitors.

Since parting company with Sean Dyche Burnley’s turnaround has been remarkable, with the Clarets taking 10 points from four games.