Everton extends 71year stay
LIVERPOOL: Dominic CalvertLewin's diving header five minutes from time extended Everton's proud 71year stay in the top flight with a 32 victory over Crystal Palace on a night for the ages at Goodison Park yesterday.
Needing a victory to make itself safe and avoid an awkward lastday trip to top fourchasing Arsenal, the situation looked bleak when it went 20 down inside 36 minutes.
But manager Frank Lampard's tactical changes, plus the sheer emotion and force of a raucous crowd, dramatically turned things around in the second half as first Michael Keane and then Richarlison, with his sixth in nine games, teed up a rousing finale.
And with the stage set, CalvertLewin — fresh from scoring his first goal since August in Sunday’s loss to Brentford — launched himself at a free kick and watched as the Gwladys Street End behind the goal exploded, followed by the rest of the ground.
Hundreds of fans and smoke grenades spilled on to the pitch in celebration and, while it was shortlived and goodnatured, referee Anthony Taylor and his assistants retreated behind a wall of police on the touchline.
There was another incursion by thousands at the final whistle and inevitably there will be consequences for Everton, but nothing as damaging as what was staring them in the face with 150 minutes remaining of its season.
The calamitous nature of its defending, which allowed JeanPhilippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew to put the visiting side into a deserved twogoal lead, was forgotten on a night of celebration and relief at the final whistle as Lampard's name was chanted by all four sides of this old ground.
At Villa Park, Nick Pope's heroics at Aston Villa handed Burnley a vital survival lifeline and kept its premier league future in its own hands.
The goalkeeper's master class ensured the Clarets left Birmingham with a point from a 11 draw after stops from John McGinn, Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings and Bertrand Traore.
Ashley Barnes' penalty, his first goal for 15 months, had given the Clarets the lead before Emi Buendia levelled soon after the break.
Marcos Alonso's fine volley handed Chelsea a 11 draw with Leicester to secure a thirdplace finish in everything but mathematics.
Alonso had switched off to help James Maddison to rifle the Foxes into an early lead at Stamford Bridge, but delivered a sweetlystruck effort to level before the break.
The Blues boast a threepoint advantage on fourthplaced Tottenham going into the campaign's final day, but a goal difference superiority of 18. — BPA