London: Harry Kane fired Tottenham Hotspur into next season’s Champions League with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United as Chelsea faltered in a 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield that secured survival for the Terriers in different games of Premier League, Wednesday.
Earlier, Arsene Wenger’s penultimate game in charge of Arsenal ended in depressingly familiar fashion as the 10-man Gunners went down to Leicester City 1-3 in their away fixture. Premier League champions Manchester City, meanwhile, thrashed Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium.
A point for Huddersfield also ensures Swansea will join West Brom and Stoke in being relegated to the Championship barring a 10-goal swing in goal difference between the Welsh side and Southampton on the final day of the season Sunday.
At the other end of the table, only defeat for Champions League finalists Liverpool at home to Brighton at the weekend will give Chelsea any chance of a top-four finish as their late season charge came undone at Stamford Bridge.
A surprisingly much-changed Chelsea side from the one that beat Liverpool four days ago fell behind when Laurent Depoitre forced the ball home five minutes into the second half.
Recognising the error of his team selection, Antonio Conte threw on Olivier Giroud and Eden Hazard from the bench, and was quickly rewarded when Marcos Alonso restored parity just after the hour mark. However, Huddersfield held on desperately in the final half hour to secure the vital point that guaranteed another season in the top flight.
Spurs capitalised on Chelsea’s slip-up to ensure they will have Champions League football for a third consecutive campaign when they move into a new 62,000 capacity stadium next season.
Kane proved to be their talisman once more as his 39th goal of the season just after half time was enough to move Spurs above Liverpool into third.
At the Etihad, Man City added three more records to a sensational season by breaking the previous best Premier League marks for wins, points and goals. Pep Guardiola’s men also bid farewell to Yaya Toure in the Ivorian’s final home game in City colours.
Leroy Sane bagged a hat-trick of assists for City as Danilo opened the scoring before a Leonardo Ulloa’s header into an unguarded goal from a Davy Propper cross restored parity for the visitors.
However, Bernardo Silva quickly restored City’s lead before Sane again provided the inspiration for Fernandinho to seal a record-breaking three points 18 minutes from time.
Earlier, Arsenal remain the only team in England’s top four leagues without a point away from home this year having now lost seven straight Premier League games on the road.
Kelechi Iheanacho had already fired the Foxes into an early lead before Arsenal were reduced to 10 men when Konstantinos Mavropanos was shown a straight red card for hauling down Iheanacho.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang scored his ninth Arsenal goal in just 13 appearances to draw the visitors level. However, Jamie Vardy rifled home from the spot before Riyad Mahrez added a late third for Leicester.
