Win not enough to save Burnley from relegation

Burnley were relegated from the English Premier League despite beating Hull City 1-0 yesterday as results elsewhere sent them back to the Championship after one season in the top flight.

The humble Lancashire club needed to win their last three games to have any hope of avoiding the drop but there proved no escape after Sunderland, Leicester City and Aston Villa all won and Newcastle United drew.

While Sunderland’s win over Everton sealed Burnley’s fate, six other clubs are still in trouble including Queens Park Rangers and Hull who occupy the other two places in the relegation zone.

QPR will perish if they fail to win at second-placed Manchester City today.

Manchester United ended a run of three consecutive defeats when they won 2-1 at Crystal Palace in the late game with a 19th-minute Juan Mata penalty and a 78thminute header from Marouane Fellaini either side of Jason Puncheon’s 57th minute deflected free kick.

United are seven points clear of Liverpool in the race for the fourth Champions League spot.

Danny Ings capitalised on some slack Hull defending to score Burnley’s first goal in over 10 hours but it proved in vain.

Ings, whose displays this season have earned plenty of praise, spoke for his team when he said: ‘‘The lads showed unbelievable fight and spirit today.

‘‘I thought we were phenomenal and were on top from start to finish – but it has come a little too late.’’

With bottom-placed QPR almost certain to join Burnley, the battle to avoid the third and final relegation place is still very much alive.

Hull, Newcastle, Sunderland, Leicester and Aston Villa are separated by only four points.

Steve Bruce’s Hull are 18th following their defeat to Burnley and they are two points behind Newcastle after John Carver’s side ended a run of eight straight defeats with a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at St James’ Park.

Victor Anichebe headed West Brom ahead but Ayoze Perez struck the equaliser just before halftime.

Sunderland claimed a crucial 2-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park to climb out of the bottom three and level on 36 points with arch-rivals Newcastle but Dick Advocaat’s side have a game in hand on the other teams around them.