ARSENAL claimed the final Champions League spot at the expense of their arch rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, on the last day of the Premier League season Sunday with a 1-0 win at Newcastle United. Defender Laurent Koscielny put visitors, Arsenal, ahead in the 52nd minute to secure fourth place with 73 points, one point ahead of fifth-placed Spurs, who mustered a late goal from Gareth Bale to beat Sunderland 1-0 at White Hart Lane.
Chelsea sealed third place on 75 points with a 2-1 win at home to Everton. Manchester United had already been crowned champions and their attention was on giving retiring manager, Alex Ferguson, a send-forth to remember, but as the goals rained in they could not give him a win as they drew 5-5 at West Bromwich Albion. Last year’s champions, Manchester City, finished 11 points behind United in second after a 3-2 defeat at home to Norwich City.
With first and second place decided some time ago and all three relegation spots already determined, the burning issue of the day centred on who would grab the final top-four place. Discounting the highly improbable mathematical possibilities, it boiled down to a battle between North London’s big foes, Arsenal and Tottenham.
Arsene Wenger’s side had the advantage before kickoff, with a one-point lead and the knowledge that as long as they won at Newcastle, the Champions League place was theirs.
No comments:
Post a Comment