Arsenal made sure Liverpool cannot secure the Premier League title on Sunday by cruising to a 4-0 victory at 10-man Ipswich, while Chelsea beat Fulham 2-1 to climb into the Champions League places. Manchester United suffered a hangover from their Europa League heroics against Lyon as Wolves won 1-0 at Old Trafford to secure survival. Liverpool needed both an Arsenal defeat and to beat Leicester later on Sunday to seal a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. Defeat realistically ends Ipswich’s hope of maintaining their Premier League status as they are 15 points adrift of safety with five games remaining and have a significantly poorer goal difference than West Ham.
Fresh from a famous victory over Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009, Arsenal coasted towards securing a return to European football’s elite competition again next season.
Mikel Arteta made only three changes from the 2-1 win in the Spanish capital on Wednesday and was rewarded with a dominant display to kill the game off inside half an hour.
Leandro Trossard was one of those recalled by Arteta and prodded in his eighth goal of the season to open the scoring.
A flowing move saw Bukayo Saka’s cross flicked by Mikel Merino into the path of Gabriel Martinelli to finish to double the Gunners lead.
Moments later, Saka was chopped down by an awful challenge from Leif Davis that saw the Ipswich left-back shown a straight red card.
Saka escaped serious injury to the relief of the Arsenal support and should have extended the visitors’ lead with two big chances he wasted before the break.
However, the England international, who recently returned from a four-month absence due to a hamstring injury, was replaced early in the second half to avoid any further damage.
Trossard fired in his second after a well-worked corner before Ethan Nwaneri’s deflected effort rounded off the scoring.
Neto to Chelsea’s rescue
Chelsea needed two late goals at Craven Cottage to revive their chances of Champions League football next season.
Alex Iwobi opened the scoring on 20 minutes after Ryan Sessegnon outmuscled Chelsea captain Reece James to set up the Nigerian international.
Chelsea were meandering towards a damaging defeat until 19-year-old substitute Tyrique George fired in a snap shot from the edge of the box on 83 minutes.
Pedro Neto then completed the comeback with a stunning strike in stoppage time to secure just Chelsea’s sixth win in their last 17 league games.
The Blues move above Nottingham Forest, who travel to Tottenham on Monday, into the top five on goal difference.
A much-changed Manchester United succumbed to an eighth home league defeat of the season.
There was little in the way of goalmouth action at Old Trafford but the only goal was worthy of winning any game as Pablo Sarabia curled in a brilliant free-kick 13 minutes from time.
Wolves’ fifth consecutive Premier League win lifts Vitor Pereira’s side up to 15th and level on points with United, who stay 14th on goal difference.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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