Manchester City wrapped up their fifth Premier League title in six seasons a day earlier than expected thanks to Nottingham Forest’s victory over second-placed Arsenal on Saturday.
A title race that had come to the boil since March ended abruptly as Forest won 1-0 at the City Ground to end Arsenal’s slim hopes while ensuring their own survival.
City, who have now won three in a row, have 85 points with three games remaining beginning at home to Chelsea on Sunday when they will be presented with the trophy.
Arsenal, who held an eight-point lead over City as recently as March, have 81 points with one game left.
“To have helped the club win a third straight Premier League title is something very special,” City captain Ilkay Gundogan said. “It has been a season I will never forget.”
Forest’s victory, courtesy of a first-half goal by Taiwo Awoniyi, lifted them to 37 points and means they will enjoy successive top-flight seasons for the first time in 27 years.
“First of all congratulations to Manchester City for winning the championship but it is a sad day for us,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said after his side’s third defeat in five league games. “Now we must heal. It is very painful.”
Forest’s joy was unbridled at the final whistle and manager Steve Cooper, who has used 33 players this season, said it would allow the former European champions to build.
“Really proud of the club, supporters and players and really proud of that performance,” Cooper said.
With Forest safe it is only the fourth time in the Premier League that all three promoted clubs survived.
RELEGATION BATTLE
But the relegation battle beneath them will go down to the wire with two of Everton, Leeds United and Leicester City to join already-relegated Southampton.
Everton needed an equaliser by Yerry Mina in the ninth-minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers — a point that could prove vital in their bid to extend their unbroken 69-year stay in the top flight.
Wolves had led through Hwang Hee-chan goal at Molineux.
“That could be a massive goal for us. We’ll recover ready for next weekend now. One more big final to go,” Everton defender James Tarkowski said.
Everton are 17th with 33 points, two points above the relegation zone with one game left against Bournemouth next weekend, but Leeds (31 points) and Leicester (30) both still have two games left.
Leeds visit West Ham United on Sunday with Leicester at Newcastle on Monday. Leeds then end at home to Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday and Leicester host West Ham.
At the other end of the table Roberto Firmino scored an emotional late equaliser in his last home game for Liverpool to salvage a 1-1 draw for his side against Aston Villa that just about kept their hopes of a top-four finish alive.
Liverpool had won seven games in succession to make a late dash for Champions League qualification but defeat by Villa would have guaranteed that Newcastle United and Manchester United would finish in the top four.
Villa led at Anfield thanks to Jacob Ramsey’s headed goal in the 27th minute, five minutes after Ollie Watkins missed a penalty for the visitors.
Liverpool’s top-four hopes looked over with Manchester United winning at Bournemouth, but Brazilian Firmino, making his Anfield farewell after eight trophy-laden seasons, struck an equaliser in the 89th minute after coming off the bench.
Evan Ferguson scored twice in the first half as Brighton beat Southampton in the Premier League to secure European football for the first time in their history.
The 18-year-old forward opened the scoring with a powerful low shot past Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy before doubling the Seagulls’ advantage with a first-time finish from inside the area.
Mohamed Elyounoussi’s glancing header offered the visitors brief hope of a comeback but Pascal Gross fired in a third to seal victory for the hosts.
Brighton strengthened their grip on sixth place in the table and have all-but qualified for next season’s Europa League because of their superior goal difference over seventh-placed Aston Villa.
A point from their two remaining matches will confirm a sixth-placed finish but victory over their south-coast rivals assures Brighton of a Europa Conference League spot at the very least.
Southampton, whose relegation was confirmed with their defeat by Fulham last time out, will finish their top-flight campaign against Liverpool at St Mary’s next Sunday
West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen set up one goal and scored another to inspire his side to a 3-1 Premier League victory at the London Stadium on Sunday and deepen the relegation crisis at Leeds United.
Declan Rice and Manuel Lanzini were also on the scoresheet for the hosts as they rallied from a goal down after Rodrigo had given the visitors a first-half lead.
Leeds remain in the relegation zone with 31 points from 37 games, two points behind 17th-placed Everton with the home visit of Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season next Sunday. Everton welcome Bournemouth to Goodison Park.
It completes an excellent week for West Ham, who climb to 14th in the table having booked their place in the Europa Conference League final with a win over AZ Alkmaar.
