Norwich City and Newcastle United Relegated as Liverpool frustrates Chelsea

Source – Reuters

Norwich City and Newcastle United were relegated from the Premier League on Wednesday as Sunderland pulled off another great escape with a one-sided 3-0 victory over Everton.

Lamine Kone, Sunderland centre-back first two goals for the club and a Patrick van Aanholt free-kick took Sam Allardyce’s side four points clear of the drop zone with just one game remaining. It is the fourth consecutive season that Sunderland have pulled off a late escape to avoid relegation to secure a 10th consecutive top flight campaign for the Black Cats.

Norwich returned to the Championship a year after promotion despite a 4-2 win over Watford, with Nigerian, Odion Ighalo on the scoresheet for the Hornets, while Newcastle, Sunderland’s arch rivals, will play in the second tier for the first time since 2010.

“It’s the attitude of the players who absorb the pressure and deliver a performance like that,” Allardyce told Sky Sports in an on-pitch post-match interview.

“That’s what’s happened over the past 10 games — only one defeat. It’s pretty miraculous. To the lads and all the staff, thank you very much.”

Newcastle went down despite the best efforts of Spanish coach Rafael Benitez – recruited in March after Steve McClaren was sacked – but an upturn in performances and results was ultimately undone by Saturday’s 0-0 draw at already-relegated Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, Christian Benteke powered home a stoppage-time header to earn Europa League finalists Liverpool a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea, who had gone ahead in the 32nd minute after a dazzling solo goal from Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard.