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HEUNG-MIN SON’S BRACE HELP SPURS THRASH NORWICH TO SECURE UCL SPOT

Tottenham booked their return to the Champions League with a 5-0 rout at relegated Norwich where Son Heung-min earned a share of the Premier League Golden Boot.

Son scored twice in five second-half minutes to finish level with Liverpool’s Mohamad Salah on 23 goals as Spurs ran riot to complete an achievement that boss Antonio Conte had described as needing a “miracle”.

Tottenham were ninth when the Italian took over in November and then seven points adrift of fourth when they lost to Burnley in February but 10 wins from their next 14 games saw them overhaul Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham.

Dejan Kulusevski scored twice and Harry Kane also bagged as Spurs made sure there would be no last-day failure at Carrow Road.

They will return to the premier European club competition after two seasons away and the future looks bright if they can get Conte to commit his future to the club this summer.

Norwich are heading in the opposite direction after another listless display left their home fans chanting against the board and they will have to regroup in the summer ahead of another stint in the Championship.

It never looked like it would be a case of the north London club being ‘Spursy’ as Conte’s side started confidently.

They had an early chance to ease their nerves inside the opening 10 minutes as a quick counter-attack saw Kulusevski cut back to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who blazed over when he should have scored.

That did not matter, though, as they went ahead in the 16th minute.

Hojbjerg’s ball over the top played in Rodrigo Bentancur and as he raced in on goal the midfielder squared for Kulusevski to tap in from close range.

Norwich were almost gifted an equaliser as a sloppy Eric Dier pass allowed Milot Rashica in on goal but he shot wide.

Instead, it was a poor pass at the other end that led to a goal as Spurs doubled their lead just after the half-hour.

Goalkeeper Tim Krul was playing out from the back, but he passed straight to Bentancur, who crossed for Kane to head into an empty net.

Qualifying for the Champions League was the primary goal for Spurs, but the second was for Son to overhaul Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

He spurned a good chance in the first half as he chose to attempt a first-time volley at the far post when he had time to bring it down.

For large periods of the second half it looked like he would miss out on the silverware as he missed three golden chances.

First he saw an effort palmed away by Krul, who then produced a miraculous save to deny the South Korean from close range after a telepathic cross by Kane.

Then moments later, Kulusevski barged through on goal, rounded Krul and – with an empty net to shoot at – attempted to square to Son, who was tackled by Max Aarons.

The Swede was not going to make the same mistake as two minutes later he out-muscled a defender following Kane’s pass, cut inside and then curled a sublime effort into the far top corner.

Five minutes then changed the course of Son’s afternoon as he scored twice.

After again being denied by Krul, he got another bite of the cherry as Lucas Moura popped off a quick pass and the South Korean found the bottom corner.

Then he put himself in the outright lead as he curled a trademark effort into the far corner from 20 yards to mark mass scenes of celebration.

Salah’s late goal at Anfield did not dampen the mood as Son’s and Spurs’ season ended on a high.

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ARSENAL 5-1 WIN OVER EVERTON ONLY ENOUGH FOR EUROPA LEAGUE SPOT

Arsenal made light work of Everton in a 5-1 victory at Emirates Stadium yet still had to resign themselves to playing Europa League football next season after Tottenham powered past Norwich.

Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Cedric Soares, Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard were on target but the result became incidental once Spurs secured fourth place in the Premier League by storming Carrow Road with a 5-0 win.

Emphatic defeats by Tottenham and Newcastle had left Arsenal needing a final-day collapse from their north London rivals to have a chance of qualifying for the Champions League but none materialised.

Instead, they had to sign off a disappointing season by crushing an Everton side that had climbed their Everest on Thursday night by delivering a stunning comeback win against Crystal Palace to escape relegation with a game to spare.

Frank Lampard made six changes and beyond a lone strike by Donny van de Beek, they played like a team who had already checked out knowing their season had been saved.

They were particularly vulnerable at corners with Arsenal engineering three of their five goals from the set piece and they looked in danger of capitulating right from the start.

Arsenal had lost the last three Premier League meetings between the rivals but as they poured forward with Bukayo Saka shooting high, that run looked certain to end.

Martinelli aimed a powerful shot on the turn directly at keeper Asmir Begovic as pressure grew on the visiting goal.

Everton had barely ventured from their own half inside the opening 20 minutes but when they did Demarai Gray was kept out by Aaron Ramsdale after being set-up by Dele Alli.

The one-way traffic quickly resumed, however, and when VAR intervened for an Alex Iwobi handball, Martinelli smashed the ball past Begovic.

Four minutes later and Arsenal had surged 2-0 ahead as a scruffy corner was worked to Nketiah by accident as much as design and the forward nodded home from close range.

Everton were in danger of being overwhelmed yet with the help of leaden footed home defence they pulled a goal back through substitute van de Beek, who slotted in Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s pass without breaking stride.

It then became the visitors’ turn to lose concentration as Saka worked a corner to an unmarked Soares and the Portugal right-back produced a mighty shot that gave Begovic no chance.

Gabriel Magalhaes was the next to profit from good work at a corner as he blasted in the fourth and by the 82nd minute it had become a rout as Odegaard found the bottom left corner despite his attempt lacking any real power.

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ROSS BARKLEY GIVES CHELSEA VICTORY IN FINAL GAME OF ABRAMOVICH ERA

Ross Barkley fired the final goal of the Roman Abramovich era as Chelsea edged past Watford 2-1 to tie up a third-place Premier League finish.

One-time England midfielder Barkley could leave Chelsea this summer, and the 28-year-old can be reasonably satisfied if this late winner becomes his Stamford Bridge sign-off.

Kai Havertz’s early tap-in had Chelsea in control until Dan Gosling headed home with two minutes on the clock.

Barkley quickly turned in Reece James’ cross however, to ensure that Chelsea just about ended their home Premier League campaign with more wins than draws.

Stamford Bridge played host to a last-day-of-term affair, with Watford already relegated and Chelsea only requiring to go through the motions to seal third spot.

Abramovich’s Chelsea tenure is now at an end, after 19 years and 21 trophies.

Incoming owner Todd Boehly was on hand at Stamford Bridge again, and finally saw the Blues win in person.

The US magnate was joined by Swiss billionaire and consortium partner Hansjorg Wyss, who enjoyed his first outing at the west London stadium.

Boehly and partners will hope their Chelsea takeover can finally be completed in the coming week, and certainly ahead of the May 31 deadline when the Blues’ temporary operating licence expires.

The end of the Abramovich era will also coincide with the final outing for several Chelsea stars, with Real Madrid-bound Toni Rudiger enjoying a standing ovation on his second-half substitution.

Brazil wing-back Kenedy enjoyed his first Premier League appearance for Chelsea since 2017, and provided the assist for Havertz’s goal.

The 26-year-old still has a year to run on his Chelsea deal, but his solid hour’s work here could yet prove his last appearance in blue.

Saul Niguez will return to Atletico Madrid too, after his Chelsea loan, and he kept shape in his last Blues run-out.

Barkley came off the bench as another who may have turned out for the last time, while Andreas Christensen was not in the squad but is headed to Barcelona.

Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta might just yet join Christensen at the Catalan giants, and after a decade with the Blues, the least the 32-year-old deserved was for this match to end in a home win.

Marcos Alonso was missing too and is yet another Blues star who Barcelona heavily covet.

Abramovich’s UK Government sanctions have left the Blues unable to sign existing players to new deals or to conduct any future transfer business for the last 11 weeks.

The uncertainty around the future ownership might be all-but resolved, but a nucleus of long-serving Chelsea players still do not know their fates.

And that meant neither players nor fans could enjoy the customary goodbye at the final whistle, but at least the home side pulled off the win.

Watford’s defeat spells the end of Roy Hodgson’s remarkable managerial career too, with the 74-year-old adamant that this time, he will retire for good.

The balmy weather did precious little to alleviate the end-of-term atmosphere both on and off the field.

Neither team faced any jeopardy going into the encounter, and neither side truly added any in a benign first-half.

Havertz had three golden chances in front of goal before the break, and put one of them away.

For the first, a slightly heavy initial touch from Mount’s ball over the top pushed him wide, and the shot was then easily deflected.

The second yield the only goal of the half, with the Germany forward tapping in from Kenedy’s driven cross.

Kenedy sent Havertz through again in the last move of the half, and the 22-year-old angled an effort against the bar.

Both sides coasted through the second-half, until Gosling headed in from Adam Masina’s cross.

That spurred the Blues into action to seek the win, and Barkley delivered, to cap a difficult campaign in at least victorious fashion.

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BARNES, POPE STAR AS BURNLEY OUT OF BOTTOM THREE

Nick Pope was in inspired form as Burnley drew 1-1 with Aston Villa, taking them out of the relegation zone and above Leeds United on goal difference ahead of the final day of the season.

Pope produced two fine saves to deny Villa midfielder John McGinn before Burnley took the lead on the stroke of half-time.

After Emiliano Buendia had tripped Maxwel Cornet, Ashley Barnes scored his first goal of the season from the penalty spot.

Their lead did not last long as Buendia atoned for his earlier error with a volley three minutes after the restart.

Pope then thwarted Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore and Matty Cash before Matt Lowton was dismissed as the match entered stoppage time, but the Clarets held on for a vital point.

Burnley and Leeds both have 35 points, but the Clarets’ -18 goal difference is superior to Jesse Marsch’s team’s -38.

Villa remain 14th with 45 points from 37 matches.

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EVERTON COME BACK TO SEAL PREMIER LEAGUE STAY IN CRYSTAL PALACE WIN

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a dramatic 85th-minute winner as Everton secured their Premier League status with a sensational comeback victory against Crystal Palace.

Richarlison’s 16th-minute free-kick clipped the bar as Everton started on the front foot.

Palace took the lead with on 21 minutes with Jean-Philippe Mateta’s header from an Eberechi Eze free-kick before Jordan Ayew bundled home their second goal 15 minutes later.

Everton needed a response and Michael Keane provided it with a thumping finish early in the second half to reduce the deficit.

Richarlison’s deflected shot hauled the Toffees level with a quarter of an hour left and, in an incredible finale, Calvert-Lewin sealed victory with a header from Demarai Gray’s free-kick.

Victory moves Everton four points clear of third-bottom Leeds United, with one match remaining.

Palace drop to 13th spot with 45 points.

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CHELSEA CLOSE ON THIRD PLACE DESPITE LEICESTER DRAW

Chelsea all but guaranteed themselves a third-place finish in the Premier League courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.

James Maddison fired Leicester into a sixth-minute lead from the edge of the penalty area before Marcos Alonso met a Reece James cross on the volley to restore parity on 34 minutes.

The hosts upped the ante after the interval with Romelu Lukaku heading wide, Christian Pulisic missing from close range and Antonio Rudiger being thwarted in a frenetic six-minute spell.

Further chances fell to Trevor Chalobah and James but the hosts were unable to find a winner.

The result takes Chelsea’s points to 71, three more than Tottenham Hotspur with the Blues boasting a superior goal difference.

Leicester stay ninth with 49 points from 37 matches.

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EINTRACHT FRANKFURT BEAT RANGERS IN SHOOTOUT TO WIN EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL

Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League final after holding their nerve to beat Rangers 5-4 in a clinical penalty shootout as they claimed their first European trophy in 42 years.

Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s spot kick — Rangers’ fourth — while Eintracht were flawless in their execution, scoring all five after the game had finished 1-1 after 120 minutes.

Joe Aribo had struck against the run of play in the 57th minute to give Rangers the lead, charging clear after a string of defensive errors and sliding the ball past Trapp.

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SEVILLE, Spain, May 18 (Reuters) – Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League final after holding their nerve to beat Rangers 5-4 in a clinical penalty shootout as they claimed their first European trophy in 42 years.

Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s spot kick — Rangers’ fourth — while Eintracht were flawless in their execution, scoring all five after the game had finished 1-1 after 120 minutes.

Joe Aribo had struck against the run of play in the 57th minute to give Rangers the lead, charging clear after a string of defensive errors and sliding the ball past Trapp.

The Germans, unbeaten in the competition going into the final and eyeing their first European title since 1980, bounced back as Rafael Borre snuck in between two defenders to turn in a Filip Kostic cross in the 70th.

“We played 13 matches in Europe and we did not lose a single one,” said Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner.

“We took it step-by-step and at the end we were rewarded. I have no words to express what I feel for the players,” added the Austrian, whose side will now compete in next season’s Champions League despite finishing in 11th place in the Bundesliga.

Frankfurt are the first Bundesliga team to win the Europa League, or its predecessor the UEFA Cup, since 1997, when Schalke beat Inter Milan on penalties.

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LIVERPOOL TAKE TITLE RACE TO THE FINAL DAY WITH COMEBACK VICTORY AT SOUTHAMPTON

Liverpool ensured the Premier League title race will go to the final day of the season by coming from behind to beat Southampton 2-1 at St Mary’s.

Joel Matip’s crucial second-half winner moved the Reds a single point behind leaders Manchester City to set up a tantalising finale on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men knew they had to be victorious on the south coast to remain in contention to become top-flight champions for only the second time in 32 years and were stunned by Nathan Redmond’s superb solo opener.

But the much-changed visitors controlled proceedings for almost the entire evening and levelled through former Saints loanee Takumi Minamino before Matip completed the turnaround with the aid of a deflection off Kyle Walker-Peters.

The Reds, who remain in contention for an unprecedented quadruple, will welcome Wolves to Anfield in five days’ time, hoping Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa can do them a major favour away to City.

Defeat for 15th-placed Southampton was an eighth in 11 games.

Klopp bemoaned the scheduling of this must-win fixture due to it coming three days after the Reds’ gruelling FA Cup final win over Chelsea.

The German opted for nine changes from that penalty shoot-out success, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker and defender Ibrahima Konate the only men retained and Sadio Mane joining injured duo Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah in being given the night off.

His rejigged side enjoyed plenty of early possession but were rocked by Redmond’s fine 13th-minute effort.

After Lyanco dispossessed Diogo Jota just outside Saints’ box, Redmond received the ball from Nathan Tella and ran almost half the length of the pitch before cutting in from the left and delightfully curling home from the edge of the area via a slight deflection off James Milner.

Klopp felt the robust challenge on Jota was a foul and he had cause for further frustration minutes later as Roberto Firmino’s precise headed finish from a Kostas Tsimikas free-kick was flagged for offside.

Choruses of ‘God Save the Queen’ rang out from sections of the home support following the fallout of Liverpool fans booing the national anthem at Wembley at the weekend before the visitors soon levelled.

Japan international Minamino claimed the 27th-minute equaliser, beating recalled Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy at his near post with a powerful, rising drive into the roof of the net after being expertly slipped in by Jota.

Liverpool were forced into a change at the break as captain Jordan Henderson replaced the injured Joe Gomez, pushing the versatile Milner to right-back.

The enforced alteration had little impact on the flow of the game and, after going close through Jota and Harvey Elliott, the visitors decisively edged ahead in the 67th minute.

Tsimikas’ outswinging corner from the left was inadvertently flicked on by Saints winger Mohamed Elyounoussi and Matip held off Walker-Peters to send a looping header beyond McCarthy and into the right corner in front of the delirious travelling fans.

Southampton rarely threatened a costly equaliser, although Liverpool keeper Alisson fumbled a Redmond effort from distance late on.

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NINE-MAN EVERTON MISS CHANCE TO SECURE PREMIER LEAGUE STATUS WITH BRENTFORD DEFEAT

Everton blew a chance to secure their Premier League status as Brentford twice came from behind to earn a 3-2 win against nine men at Goodison Park.

Leeds’ draw against Brighton meant victory for the Toffees would put an end to the spectre of a first relegation since 1951, and that seemed the most likely outcome when Dominic Calvert-Lewin marked his first start in five weeks with a 10th-minute opener.

But, in keeping with Everton’s season, things were not going to be that simple – Jarrad Branthwaite was sent off for a foul on Ivan Toney eight minutes later, and Brentford levelled through a Seamus Coleman own goal.

Though Richarlison restored Everton’s lead just before the break, the pressure told in the second half as two goals in three minutes from Yoane Wissa and Rico Henry gave Brentford their first league double over Everton since 1936, and left Frank Lampard’s side still only two points above the bottom three.

Everton’s misery was compounded by a late red card for substitute Salomon Rondon for a poor challenge on Henry.

It was a deflating afternoon for Everton fans, who had given their players a huge reception before the match, the team buses barely able to reach the doors of Goodison amid a fog of blue flares, but who left in their droves before the final whistle.

It had felt so different at the start. There were less than three minutes gone when Calvert-Lewin flicked the ball on, Anthony Gordon broke through and, when his shot was saved, Richarlison headed just wide.

When Gordon won a free-kick on the right, the academy product whipped in a low ball which found its way into the far corner of the net via a combination of Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin.

The roof almost came off the stadium but the mood changed eight minutes later.

Richarlison was appealing for a penalty for a shirt pull but Brentford pumped the ball long for Toney to run at goal. He got goal side of Branthwaite, who clipped his heels to earn a red card and give Brentford a free-kick that Christian Eriksen fired narrowly wide.

Everton were forced on to the back foot as Alex Iwobi shifted to right-back and Brentford pushed forward.

Mathias Jensen fired just wide after Andre Gomes fluffed a clearance but the pressure soon told – Wissa pinged in a cross and captain Coleman inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.

It threatened to unravel for Everton there and then as Bryan Mbeumo tested Jordan Pickford from range, but Richarlison is always a threat in any situation, and the Brazilian turned things around for his side again.

He barged his way into the box, was brought down by a combination of Mads Bech Sorensen and Kristoffer Ajer, and picked himself up to convert the penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Everton dropped deeper to defend after the break but Brentford soon found the gaps.

Toney could not get out of the way of a Jensen shot, taking a painful blow to the face for his troubles. Pickford then awkwardly punched an Eriksen free-kick into a crowd, grateful to see Iwobi hook it clear.

The pressure was telling. Vitalii Mykolenko squared up to Toney and appeared to thrust his head towards him, but Michael Oliver was content to give both players a talking to.

That was perhaps a let-off for Everton, but greater punishment was coming. Brentford levelled in the 62nd minute with Wissa meeting Eriksen’s corner at the near post to head home.

Everton fans were barely done venting their frustration at the poor marking when they saw worse – Henry getting free of Gordon to meet Christian Norgaard’s deep ball and power a header inside the far post, leaving Everton to look to their final fixtures against Crystal Palace and Arsenal for salvation.

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BUNDESLIGA: HAALAND SCORES ON FINAL APPEARANCE FOR BORRUSIA DORTMUND

Erling Haaland scored a penalty on his final appearance for Borussia Dortmund in a 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin, who face a play-off to stay in the Bundesliga.

The visitors took the lead at Signal Iduna Park through a spot-kick from Ishak Belfodil in the 18th minute.

Haaland – set to head to the Premier League next season after Manchester City triggered his £51.1million release clause – had Dortmund level from a penalty with 20 minutes left.

Jude Bellingham then played in Youssoufa Moukoko to slot home from a tight angle in the 84th minute – which coupled with a late winner for Stuttgart sent Felix Magath’s side into the relegation play-offs.

Stuttgart had started the day in 16th place and looked set to stay there after Anthony Modeste had headed in equaliser for Cologne on the hour to cancel out Sasa Kalajdzic’s early opener.

However, in stoppage time, Wataru Endo nodded in a from a corner to spark pandemonium around the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

RB Leipzig secured fourth spot and with it a place in the Champions League after a late goal from defender Willi Orban salvaged a 1-1 draw at relegated Arminia Bielefeld.

Janni Serra had bundled the home side in front with 20 minutes left, which had looked enough to sign off from the top flight with a win – only for Orban to nod home a stoppage-time equaliser from a free-kick.

Robert Lewandowski, who has been linked with a summer move away, took his Bundesliga goal tally to 35 as champions Bayern Munich ended the campaign with a 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg – where they had been 2-0 up at half-time.

Union Berlin beat Bochum 3-2, with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring twice, to finish in fifth place, a point behind Leipzig, and go into the Europa League.

A last-minute goal from Exequiel Palacios saw third-placed Bayer Leverkusen end the campaign with a 2-1 home win over Freiburg, who finish sixth.

Marcus Ingvartsen scored twice as Mainz held Europa League finalists Eintracht Frankfurt to a 2-2 draw, while bottom club Greuther Furth went down 2-1 at Augsburg, where Michael Gregoritsch struck a late winner.

Jonas Hofmann grabbed a brace to help Borussia Monchengladbach come from behind to sweep aside Hoffenheim 5-1.