LONDON: Liverpool and Chelsea secured the final two Champions League qualification spots on a nerve-jangling final day of the Premier League season, with Leicester City missing out in the three-way fight for a top-four finish on Sunday.

With Manchester City already guaranteed a third title in four years and Manchester United certain to finish second, the focus was on the battle for the final two places in the top four.

Liverpool avoided any drama as they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 thanks to two goals from Sadio Mane to finish in third spot — a silver lining to a difficult season in which their attempted defence of the title crumbled.

Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea lost 2-1 at Aston Villa — a result that could have been curtains for them in the top-four battle.

Yet they were saved as arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur twice came from a goal down to win 4-2 at Leicester.

Leicester were leading 2-1 after 76 minutes, only for goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to punch the ball into his own net. Substitute Gareth Bale scored in the 87th and again in stoppage time as Leicester poured forward in search of a winner at the King Power Stadium.

Harry Kane was also on target for Tottenham to win the Premier League Golden Boot award for the third time with 23 goals, one ahead of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. The striker also had more assists than anyone else, with 14.

Liverpool finished on 69 points with Chelsea on 67 and Leicester on 66.

Jamie Vardy ramped up the pressure on deposed champions Liverpool and Chelsea early on a see-saw afternoon, putting Leicester ahead from the penalty spot.

That meant, as it stood, Liverpool, playing in front of the biggest crowd at Anfield since they became English champions least season, dropped out of the Champions League qualification places.

But after an uncertain start, Mane calmed nerves in the 36th minute and minutes later Kane, possibly playing his final game for Spurs, levelled for the visitors at the King Power.

Chelsea were rocked when Bertrand Traore fired Villa ahead just before the break when he met Matt Targett’s corner and his shot looped over Edouard Mendy and in off the bar.

Vardy then scored again from the penalty spot shortly after half time and minutes later Villa doubled their lead when Anwar El Ghazi beat substitute goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from the penalty spot.

At that stage it looked as though Chelsea, playing Manchester City in next week’s Champions League final, would miss out on the top four.

They pulled a goal back but the key action took place at the King Power, where a Schmeichel own goal and two late Bale strikes turned the game around.

Liverpool, hit by a string of injuries and dogged by inconsistent form earlier this season, have been impressive down the home stretch, winning eight out of their last 10 games to seal their spot in Europe’s premier club competition.

Chelsea, last week’s beaten FA Cup finalists, will be hugely relieved that Tottenham did them a favour, with their season threatening to unravel in the final weeks.

They can now face City in the Champions League final without the added pressure of needing to win to qualify for next season’s competition.

Leicester, forced to settle for a Europa League spot, also missed out on the top four on the final day of last season when they were beaten by Manchester United.

West Ham United beat Southampton 3-0 to finish in sixth place to qualify for the Europa League and Tottenham’s win at Leicester ensured the team got into the new Europa Conference League.

Arsenal failed to qualify for European competition for the first time in 25 years after finishing in eighth place, a point behind north London rivals Tottenham, despite beating Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0.

Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United had already been relegated.

Sergio Aguero scored two goals on his final appearance for Manchester City in their 5-0 romp against Everton.

The Argentine, City’s all-time record goalscorer, returned to the squad for his farewell and came on as a second-half substitute.

Manchester United beat Wolverh­ampton Wanderers 2-1 to end 12 points behind City.

There were also wins for Newcastle United, Leeds United and Sheffield.

Final standings

(Tabulated under played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Manchester City 38 27 5 6 83 32 86

Manchester United 38 21 11 6 73 44 74

Liverpool 38 20 9 9 68 42 69

Chelsea 38 19 10 9 58 36 67

Leicester City 38 20 6 12 68 50 66

West Ham United 38 19 8 11 62 47 65

Tottenham Hotspur 38 18 8 12 68 45 62

Arsenal 38 18 7 13 55 39 61

Leeds United 38 18 5 15 62 54 59

Everton 38 17 8 13 47 48 59

Aston Villa 38 16 7 15 55 46 55

Newcastle United 38 12 9 17 46 62 45

Wolverhampton Wanderers 38 12 9 17 36 52 45

Crystal Palace 38 12 8 18 41 66 44

Southampton 38 12 7 19 47 68 43

Brighton & Hove Albion 38 9 14 15 40 46 41

Burnley 38 10 9 19 33 55 39

Fulham 38 5 13 20 27 53 28

West Bromwich Albion 38 5 11 22 35 76 26

Sheffield United 38 7 2 29 20 63 23

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2021