We finally got one answer to the relegation battle yesterday as five Premiership matches took place in a Super Sunday bonanza. The early kick-off was a dead rubber as Chelsea hosted Newcastle but it was still a very eventful match. It took just two minutes for Stamford Bridge to celebrate something as Ivanovic broke the deadlock. But Newcastle were level eight minutes later through Gutierrez to spoil Chelsea's last home game of the season. Chelsea did re-take the lead seven minutes from time with another defender, Alex, finding the net. But Chelsea were undone yet again, this time in injury time courtesy of Steven Taylor. The point means Chelsea cement second place, but whether it'll be enough for Ancelotti to remain in charge is very debatable. Newcastle are in twelfth.
The other matches kicked off at 4PM with two of them concerning the relegation battle. The televised match though was between Arsenal and Aston Villa at the Emirates. Villa were logically safe but needed a point to be completely, mathematically safe. It was Villa who came flying out of the traps and Kyle Walker floated a ball to Bent, who broke the offside trap, he controlled it majestically on his chest before poking past Szczesny after eleven minutes. Four minutes later Bent broke the offside trap again as Ashley Young slipped the ball in and Bent tapped it through the keeper's legs to make it 2-0. Arsenal arguably should have had penalty later in the first half when Dunne missed ball and Ramsey but in my opinion the referee got it right. Arsenal through everything at Villa in the second half but they stood strong until Van Persie managed to scramble the ball over in the final minute. Arsenal stay only two points ahead of Man City with City playing Stoke again on Tuesday, Villa jump up to thirteenth and are now guaranteed Premiership football next season.
The other non-relegation battle match was actually a battle for Europa League as Liverpool hosted Tottenham. Liverpool came into this game on the back of that 5-2 thrashing of Fulham but looked a different team yesterday. Van Der Vaart opened the scoring after just nine minutes with a brilliant placed lob from outside the box. Tottenham wrapped it up eleven minutes into the second half when Flanagan fouled Pienaar just inside the box, Modric converted the spot-kick. Tottenham now over-take Liverpool into fifth by a solitary point.
Birmingham had the chance to almost book their safety yesterday at home to Fulham. That didn't happen as Mark Hughes' men bounced back from that Monday Night thrashing. Brede Hangeland made the difference as he opened the scoring after just five minutes before finishing the match off four minutes into the second half. Fulham move into eighth place.
It was win or bust for West Ham as they took on fellow relegation candidates Wigan at the DW Stadium. It was looking good for West Ham as Demba Ba broke the deadlock after twelve minutes. The Hammers were then on cloud nine when Ba made it 2-0 fourteen minutes later. But Wigan pulled one back twelve minutes into the second half through N'Zogbia. Panic bells started ringing and it allowed Wigan to equalise through substitute Conor Sammon with twenty-two minutes to go. The final nail in the West Ham coffin was struck in injury time when N'Zogbia scored his second to give Wigan the 3-2 victory. Unfortunately for Avram Grant, he was given his marching orders shortly after the game and West Ham will be looking for a new manager in the Championship.
So West Ham are now officially relegated but the rest of the bottom end of the table couldn't be any closer:
15. Blackburn 40
16. Wolves 40
17. Birmingham 39
18. Blackpool 39
19. Wigan 39
20. West Ham 33
The final game of the season sees Blackburn take on Wolves in their winner takes all battle. Birmingham have to travel to Tottenham and Blackpool have to ravel to Champions Manchester United while Wigan have to travel to Stoke.
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