Leicester City and Leeds United were relegated to the Sky Bet Championship after Everton beat Bournemouth to preserve their top-flight status on a dramatic final day of the Premier League season.
Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the most important goal of his career and possibly Everton’s history to save the side from relegation with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth.
Everton came into the final day with their fate in their hands, and Doucoure’s stunning strike ensured there was nothing relegation rivals Leicester and Leeds could do to leapfrog the Toffees to safety.
Leicester, who beat West Ham 2-1, were on course to stay up at the halfway stage of the final-day fixtures after Harvey Barnes’ goal lifted the Foxes out of the bottom three, but Doucoure crucially changed the complexion of the relegation picture in Everton’s favour with his 57th-minute winner.
Leeds United’s bid to survive on the final day failed to get off the ground, with Harry Kane’s second-minute opener inspiring Tottenham to a 4-1 victory at Elland Road which ended their three-season stay in the top-flight.
Leicester City, who lifted the title seven years ago, became just the second former Premier League champions to be relegated, despite being West Ham 2-1 at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes were on course to stay in the Premier League at the halfway stage of the final-day fixtures after Harvey Barnes gave them the lead against West Ham and lifted them out of the bottom three, but Doucoure changed the complexion of the relegation picture in Everton’s favour with his decisive strike.
Leicester and Leeds join Southampton – who drew 4-4 with Liverpool on the final day – in next season’s Championship after the Saints’ 11-year spell in the top-flight ended following defeat to Fulham on May 13.
More to follow…
