Everton kept alive their hopes of playing in Europe next season after a 48th-minute header from Brazilian forward Richarlison gave them a 1-0 Premier League win at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday.
The result lifted Everton to eighth place on 59 points before the last round of games, level with sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and seventh-placed West Ham United, who were at relegated West Bromwich Albion in a later kickoff.
The Toffees visit champions Manchester City in their final match on Sunday while Wolves, who stayed 12th on 45 points are at home to second-placed Manchester United.
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti was hopeful his side could spring an upset on the final day of the season after a topsy-turvy campaign.
“We are in the fight, nothing is impossible,” the Italian told Sky Sports. “Manchester City will be the most difficult game but it was important to stay there.
“They are the best team in Europe but we have to try. To qualify for Europe it will be a fantastic season. If we don’t qualify it will be a good season.”
Everton snapped a five-game winless home streak as Richarlison rose superbly in the heart of the penalty box to meet an outswinging Gylfi Sigurdsson corner and leave visiting goalkeeper John Ruddy clutching thin air.
Wolves were the better side in the first half, with Morgan Gibbs-White testing Jordan Pickford with a rasping volley before the Everton keeper kept out an Adama Traore shot with a fingertip save.
But Everton improved in the second half after Richarlison struck and Ruddy did well to deny Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 71st minute before Sigurdsson twice went close with long-range efforts.
The home side withstood some late pressure from Wolves and threatened to add a second on the beak as Calvert-Lewin failed to connect with Richarlison’s cross from the left.
Everton’s Seamus Coleman lauded the home supporters as a factor after the Toffees had suffered a record-equalling nine league defeats at home in a top-flight season.
“We can’t underestimate the difference the fans made today,” he said.
“We’ve been crying out for it all season. It’s no excuse for our home form but it is just so great to see fans back. It makes a difference to our performances, without a shadow of a doubt.”
Late goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe kept Arsenal’s slim European hopes alive, beating Crystal Palace 3-1 in Roy Hodgson’s final Selhurst Park game.
However, Arsenal can now only finish in the Europa Conference League, with a Europa League finish now out of their reach.
Hodgson was given a guard of honour by both sides ahead of kick-off, but the niceties ended there. The game was a feisty affair as Arsenal chased a much-needed win to give them a glimmer of hope for European football next season.
Liverpool moved into the Champions League qualifying spots after a 3-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday took them above Leicester City and into fourth place with one round of Premier League matches remaining.
Roberto Firmino struck two minutes before halftime and a Nathaniel Phillips header made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute before a superb late strike from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain secured a fourth straight win.
The victory moves Liverpool onto 66 points, ahead of fifth-placed Leicester on goal difference while Chelsea are third on 67 points.
Despite having little to play for other than pride, Burnley, who are now in 17th place, responded to the return of fans at Turf Moor with an aggressive start to the game.
Chris Wood struck the side netting from a promising position and the Clarets were first to the ball across the field in the opening exchanges.
But Liverpool wasted two good opportunities with Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah both off target after finding space in the box.
Burnley winger Dwight McNeil brought a good save out of Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker with a 25-metre drive but it was the visitors who made the breakthrough.
Sadio Mane fed Andy Robertson on the left and his low cross was expertly slotted home by Firmino, the Brazilian looking confident again after his two goals at Manchester United last week.
Phillips eased any lingering Liverpool nerves with a firm header at the back post from a Mane cross from the left but he had to be alert at the other end to clear a Ben Mee header off the line as Burnley looked for a way back into the game.
A fine individual effort from substitute Oxlade-Chamberlain wrapped up the win in the 88th minute, the former Arsenal midfielder twisting to find space for a fierce low drive past Will Norris.
Juergen Klopp’s side face Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday while Chelsea are at Aston Villa and Leicester are at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
“We feed off pressure. It’s a massive club and fans demand results,” said Robertson.
“We have hit form at the right time. Sunday is a final effectively for us, Leicester and Chelsea. We have given ourselves a chance when a lot of people had written us off. But we need to make sure our performance is of the highest level (against Palace).”
Champions Manchester City and second-placed Manchester United have already secured Champions League qualification.
May 19, 202111:41 PM BSTSportsVilla loss deepens Tottenham gloom with Kane future in the balance
Tottenham Hotspur’s European hopes were dealt a huge blow as their final Premier League home game of the season ended in a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa on Wednesday and striker Harry Kane perhaps waving a farewell to the club’s fans.
England captain Kane’s uncertain future has left Spurs fans wearing a frown in the past week and their mood was hardly raised as a horrible own goal by Sergio Reguilon and an Ollie Watkins strike earned Villa the win.
Defeat left Tottenham in seventh place with 59 points, the same as Everton, after West Ham United moved to 62 by beating West Bromwich Albion later.
Tottenham now face the ignominious prospect of being in the inaugural version of UEFA’s third-tier Europa Conference League next season at best, having reached the Champions League final in 2019.
Defeat at Leicester City in their final game on Sunday could even see them finish as low as ninth and facing the prospect of no European football at all next season.
Kane, who has scored 220 goals from 335 in all competitions for Tottenham, including 22 this season in the Premier League, was a subdued figure on Wednesday and forced only one save from Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.
After the final whistle, a glum-looking Kane walked slowly around each side of the pitch on his own, receiving warm applause from fans, a few of whom waved goodbye.
Tottenham’s fans had sung “we want Levy out” during the game, aimed at the club’s chairman Daniel Levy who admitted in a message to fans in the match programme that the club had “lost sight” of key priorities.
Ogbonna bundled West Ham in front in the 82nd minute before Antonio wrapped up the points six minutes later.
West Ham moved into sixth spot on 62 points, three ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, with one game left.
One point against Southampton on Sunday would secure West Ham a place in next season’s Europa League and their highest top-flight finish since they ended fifth in 1999.
West Brom manager Sam Allardyce, who took charge in December after Slaven Bilic was sacked, confirmed after the game that he would step down at the end of the season.
“I am not long term. They need long term. They need planning for next season to get back up and beyond,” Allardyce said.
West Ham’s bid for an unlikely top-four finish had fizzled out after a run of one win in five league games before their trip to a West Brom side managed by their old boss
Tottenham’s earlier defeat at home by Aston Villa opened the door for David Moyes’ side and they are now tantalisingly close to a return to European competition for the first time since they were involved in the Europa League in 2016.
“We have been playing really well but tonight we did not play really well, but it shows we can win in other ways,” Moyes, in his second spell as West Ham boss, told reporters.
“I am delighted but it is not done. I will go away and sit back and enjoy it and look at the permutations, we have to win our game and then there is no danger.”
When Rice smashed his penalty against the post and Pereira gave West Brom the lead it looked as though West Ham might squander their chance to take advantage of Tottenham’s result.
Soucek scored from point-blank range in first-half stoppage time with his 10th goal of the season.
West Ham struggled to impose themselves after the break although Aaron Cresswell curled a sublime free kick against the outside of the post and Pablo Fornals wasted a chance.
Ogbonna was on hand to bundle in a corner in the 82nd minute to put West Ham in front and they sealed the points on the counter-attack as Jesse Lingard fed Antonio to score.
With their home fans roaring them on on Sunday, West Ham’s European destiny is in their own hands.
“Overall we have earned it this year but we have a bit to do yet and hopefully we can get over the line,” Moyes said.
Joe Willock scored for the sixth successive game as Newcastle United welcomed 10,000 fans back to St James’ Park by beating relegated Sheffield United.
The 21-year-old on-loan Arsenal midfielder headed home Jacob Murphy’s cross in front of the Gallowgate End to become the youngest-ever player to net in six straight Premier League games.
Willock’s strike ensured a relatively serene reunion with supporters for Magpies boss Steve Bruce – who has come under criticism from a section of fans – although there were a few smatterings of disquiet.
That could have been different had David McGoldrick taken an early chance to put the visitors in front but he steered Enda Stevens’ lay-off wide from just inside the box.
After that let-off, however, Allan Saint-Maximin teased and tormented the Blades backline, playing a key part in the goal, before being substituted with what appeared to be a calf injury in the second half.
Indeed, injuries were the only real downside for the hosts, already without top scorer Callum Wilson, as Willock also limped off to cast doubt over whether he will have the chance to extend his scoring run.
