Manchester United, Chelsea nab UCL spots as Leicester miss out on final day
Manchester United and Chelsea have secured Champions League spots, while Leicester City missed out on a berth in the continent’s preeminent competition following a frenzied final day in the Premier League.
United topped Leicester 2-0 at the King Power Stadium and Chelsea beat Wolverhampton Wanderers by the same score at Stamford Bridge to finish third and fourth in the table, respectively. The Foxes will be joined in the Europa League by Tottenham Hotspur, who vaulted Wolves for sixth place courtesy of a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
Seventh-placed Wolves can still earn a Europa League berth if Chelsea defeat Arsenal in the FA Cup final Aug. 1.
Leicester center-half Jonny Evans did his former employers a favor on a day where Brendan Rodgers’ injury-ravaged side made a decent account of themselves.
Evans hauled down Anthony Martial in the area with 20 minutes to play, handing United a record 14th penalty in the league this season, and allowing Bruno Fernandes to capitalize for an eighth league goal since joining the club in January. Evans was then sent off for a reckless challenge on Scott McTominay in injury time, and Jesse Lingard added a second tally for the visitors in the 98th minute with the last kick of the match.
In west London, two goals in first-half stoppage time sealed Chelsea’s crucial victory over Wolves.
Mason Mount struck a perfect free-kick from 25 yards out with Chelsea’s first shot on target on the stroke of halftime before Olivier Giroud beat Rui Patricio to an overhit pass from Mount and rounded Conor Coady for his sixth league goal since the restart.
Elsewhere, Harry Kane’s fifth goal in three outings gave Spurs a 13th-minute advantage at Selhurst Park before Jeffrey Schlupp leveled for the hosts eight minutes after the interval. With the result, Tottenham finish level on points with Wolves with a slight three-goal advantage in goal difference.
