EPL Roundup: Man City Wins First Title Since 1968, Arsenal Clinches Champions League Spot, Bolton Relegated
By Ty Duffy
Substitute Edin Dzeko then scored to even it 2-2. Sergio Aguero followed with the winner. City won 3-2, and edged Man United, looking on from the pitch after beating Sunderland 1-0, on goal difference. Crying City fan avoided becoming a meme.
From a fan perspective, this was basically like the Cleveland Browns winning the Super Bowl. It begins what will be a run of objectionable Manchester City dominance, but for today it’s a special moment. For Man U, it was shades of the 1999 Champions League Final, in reverse. Absolutely brutal.
Champions League Places: Newcastle lost 3-1 to Everton, leaving the battle for third and an assured spot in the Champions League to Arsenal and Tottenham. Spurs did their part, dispatching Fulham 2-0 at home, though Arsenal also did theirs. The Gunners fought back from a 2-1 deficit (helped by some cartoonish goalkeeping) and held on to the finish with a nervy 3-2 lead. They finished third with 70 pts. Spurs finish fourth on 69 pts.
Tottenham await the Champions League Final result to determine whether fourth will be enough for a place next season. Arsenal fans can exhale, enjoy the schadenfreude for either one of their London rivals next week and follow Robin Van Persie’s contract negotiations. He scores when he wants. Perhaps, he’ll stay when his wife wants.
Relegation: QPR blew the 2-1 lead, but still stay in the Premier League. Bolton Wanders were relegated. The Trotters held a 2-1 lead over Stoke that would have seen them through, but Stoke equalized on a late penalty. They join Blackburn and Wolves in the Championship next season. Reading and Southampton have earned automatic promotion to the EPL. West Ham face Blackpool for the final place in the playoff final.
[Photo via Getty]
Previously: The Premier League Invades U.S. Television on Sunday, Soccer Skeptics in 1990 Would Have Been Gobsmacked