How the final day played out as Everton survive and Leicester relegated with Leeds
The Foxes did their job by winning, but Abdoulaye Doucoure saved Everton’s skin
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The final day of the Premier League was always set to be a dramatic one at the foot of the table, with the last two remaining relegation spots the only major matter left to be concluded.
With Southampton already down, Leeds United, Everton and Leicester City were fighting it out to survive - with the Toffees in the driving seat at the beginning of the afternoon and knowing that a win for themselves made everything else irrelevant.
What unfolded though saw one side quickly out of the running and one doing their job, but needing to wait to confirm their future. Here’s how the final day played out at the bottom of the league:
2 mins - Disaster straight from kick-off for Leeds as Porro wins the ball on the edge of the box, Son knocks it on to Kane and he buries a first-time finish to put Spurs ahead.
11 mins - Below the trio fighting it out, Southampton showed why they are going down as they gifted Diogo Jota an open goal for Liverpool to take the lead.
29 mins - But in the next quarter of an hour so that game swung back and forth - Roberto Firmino made it two for the visitors before James Ward-Prowse and Kamaldeen Sulemana quickly made it 2-2.
33 mins - After a few near-misses for those other bottom clubs, Harvey Barnes changed everything. A swift exchange of passes saw him burst behind the West Ham defence and finish brilliantly - Leicester ahead, and out of the relegation zone in the as-it-stands table. Everton dropped into the bottom three.
Half time: Despite a couple of penalty calls, Everton haven’t offered enough to get the lead they need so much. Work at the break for Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce.
47mins - Another Struijk error, another goal for Tottenham and that’s surely that for Leeds. Pedro Porro runs behind and buries Spurs’ second of the game immediately after the restart.
48 mins - Way too late, but Southampton have come from two down to lead Liverpool 3-2. A fantastic solo goal by Sulemana.
57 mins - Abdoublaye Doucoure sends Goodison Park wild with relief as he simply hammers a dropping, bouncing ball, fizzing it in from 20 yards. That puts Everton back above Leicester and safe with just over half an hour to play - the Foxes are doing their part but can’t do anything to survive while the Toffees lead.
61 mins - Leicester are making sure they do what they need to do to give themselves a chance - Faes nods in Tielemans’ free-kick to give themselves daylight, two up against West Ham. It doesn’t change the table, though.
68 mins - Jack Harrison rifles one in across the keeper and in to put Leeds back in the game. They are still 2-1 down but the equally big issue is they need Everton and Leicester to both concede too.
69 mins - Never mind - Leeds immediately concede another as Harry Kane runs through and finishes for 3-1. As you were.
72 mins - And that’s why Southampton are going down, too. Liverpool score two in two minutes, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota making it 4-4.
79 mins - Leicester’s defence is breached as Pablo Fornals pulls one back for West Ham, 2-1 to the Foxes now who have to win and who need Bournemouth to equalise at Everton.
90 mins - No further goals but plenty of action to come - ten minutes of injury time added on at Goodison Park to ensure that game will finish last.
95 mins - Jordan Pickford makes a flying save to his left to keep Bournemouth at bay, as the final whistle goes as Leeds - who are down - and Leicester, who must wait.
100 mins - One more tackle and the final whistle goes to signal Everton’s survival, relegating Leicester in the process. The Toffees have survived once more by the skin of their teeth, while the Foxes go down seven years after winning the title.
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