(MENAFN- Arab Times) Hull City were relegated from the Premier League after a 0-0 draw against 10-man Manchester United on the final day of the season on Sunday. The Tigers have not beaten United since 1974 but, in the end, even a rare victory would not have been enough to save them from dropping into the Championship.
Steve Bruce's side needed to take maximum points at the KC Stadium and hope that fourth bottom Newcastle were beaten by West Ham, but the Magpies' 2-0 victory meant they survived at Hull's expense.
The hosts bettered Louis van Gaal's team, who had substitute Marouane Fellaini sent off with 13 minutes left, but could not find a winner as United legend Bruce once again failed to secure a first victory as a manager against his former club.
Hull had two goals disallowed and saw chances for Ahmed Elmohamady and Nikica Jelavic brilliantly kept out by Spanish goalkeeper Victor Valdes on his full debut for United.
But, just 12 months after reaching a first FA Cup final and securing their highest ever league finish of 16th, a frustrating campaign ends with Hull having to face up to a return to the second tier.
As expected United finished fourth and face a play-off tie to qualify for the group stages of next season's Champions League.
They arrived with little to play for except perhaps for those with question marks over their future.
Angel di Maria was included for his first start since being sent off against Arsenal in March but United's club record signing lasted just 23 minutes before having to go off, seemingly, with an injury.
Valdes made his first start for United in place of the injured David De Gea and there was no place in the squad for Radamel Falcao amid reports the Colombia striker has been told his loan spell from Monaco will not be extended.
Valdes could be United's first-choice goalkeeper next season if De Gea leaves for Real Madrid and the former Barcelona keeper had plenty of work to do in the opening 30 minutes as Hull looked to take the lead and heap pressure on Newcastle.
Valdes spilled Robbie Brady's free-kick but was spared embarrassment as Paul McShane's close-range finish was ruled out for offside.
Within a minute, Valdes showed his quality with a fine low save to keep out Elmohamady's header from a Brady delivery and the hosts had another goal disallowed moments later.
Brady's corner found its way to Stephen Quinn and his goalbound shot was flicked in by Dame N'Doye, who was ruled offside in the six-yard box.
Wayne Rooney clipped the bar with a shot from 20 yards and Ander Herrera narrowly failed to connect with Ashley Young's long ball in a rare breach of Hull's three central defenders.
David Meyler should have given Hull the lead when Chris Smalling's header from Elmohamady fell kindly for him, but the Irishman side-footed over from 12 yards.
It was followed by news of Newcastle's opening goal at St James' Park and the home fans fell quiet for the first time.
Hull did their best to raise the volume again and Daley Blind hacked the ball clear from close to his own goal line after Michael Dawson's header caused panic in the United area.
Valdes was beaten again when N'Doye improvised to flick Elmohamady's cross goalwards, but the effort dropped wide of the same upright.
Valdes reacted sharply to keep out Nikica Jelavic's flick at the near post after a low ball in from substitute Sone Aluko before Fellaini was dismissed for a reckless challenge that left McShane needing extended treatment.
It meant seven minutes were added on, which served only to prolong Hull's agony as time slowly ran out on their top-flight status.
Tottenham 1, Everton 0
In Liverpool, Tottenham secured a fifth place finish in the Premier League as Harry Kane ended his breakthrough season with the decisive strike in his side's 1-0 win at Everton on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino's side took the points at Goodison Park thanks to England forward Kane's 31st club goal of the season in all competitions and his 21st in the league.
That victory, combined with Liverpool's 6-1 defeat at Stoke, lifted the north Londoners two points above the Reds into fifth and ensured they will go straight into the Europa League group stage in September, instead of having to start the season in July with a qualifying round for Europe's second tier competition.
Everton finished 11th after a lacklustre defeat that summed up their disappointing campaign.
Pochettino recently told his players that few of them are guaranteed of a place at the club next season and that warning had the desired effect.
Tottenham made a bright start, appealing in vain for a penalty when Ryan Mason went down under pressure from Phil Jagielka after a quick exchange of passes with Christian Eriksen.
Brendan Galloway was making his home debut for Everton and the teenage left-back suffered a little stage fright early on when he carelessly gifted possession to Christian Eriksen, who set up Erk Lamela for a shot that forced a save from Tim Howard.
That blunder sparked a response from Everton and Kevin Mirallas was sent clean through on goal, but with only Hugo Lloris to beat the Belgian forward shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Mirallas showed more composure to carve out another chance when he juggled the ball to work space for a shot that fizzed just over.
But, after a barren spell since marking his England debut with a goal in March, Kane looked a more lively presence up front and he opened the scoring in the 24th minute.
Eric Dier delivered a tempting cross into the penalty area and Kane's clever movement and predatory instincts were on full display as he evaded two defenders to head in from close-range for only his second goal in his last eight appearances.
Mirallas should have equalised before half-time when he dribbled around Lloris, only to clip his shot over from a tight angle with the goal unguarded.
Muhamed Besic came on for Ross Barkley at the interval and the Everton substitute almost grabbed an immediate equaliser with a powerful strike that flashed past a post.
Eriksen's shot was deflected wide for a corner that produced a headed chance which Federico Fazio was unable to convert, but Tottenham had already done enough to take the points.
Stoke 6, Liverpool 1
In Stoke-on-Trent, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored on his final Premier League appearance but it proved a bittersweet moment as the Reds were thrashed 6-1 by Stoke City on Sunday at the Britannia Stadium.
Gerrard will join Major League Soccer outfit LA Galaxy, when his contract expires,,and any hopes the midfielder had of finishing with a victory in his 710th match were ended by a dominant first-half display by Stoke.
The Potters blew the visitors away as they carved open the Liverpool defence at will to score five goals in 23 minutes as the Reds suffered their joint biggest defeat in the Premier League.
It was also Liverpool's heaviest defeat since 1954.
However, with Liverpool 5-0 down Gerrard got on scoresheet as he latched on to a flick on from Rickie Lambert with 20 minutes of the game left and struck a low shot angled past Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
Stoke have become a more refined outfit under Mark Hughes but they lacked none of the aggression and intensity with which they were synonymous in the opening stages.
And even though they had little to play for, Hughes' side were determined to not to go through the motions.
Liverpool flickered briefly into life early on and a neat passing culminated in a chance for Adam Lallana, who curled the ball round Begovic from a tight angle but also past the Stoke goalkeeper's post.
The Potters then seized control of the game though a mixture of clinical finishing and lacklustre defending from Liverpool
Stoke opened the scoring when Marko Arnautovic cut the ball back for Charlie Adam on the edge of the area and his powerful shot was spilt by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet into the path of Mame Biram Diouf who emphatically dispatched it from close range.
The Belgian goalkeeper was slightly less at fault for Stoke's second moments later when Senegal forward Diouf was allowed space to unleash a fierce shot which flew into the back of the net.
Liverpool were, though, architects of their own downfall for Stoke's third goal when a routine cross into the box was headed back across goal by Emre Can for Jonathan Walters to bundle home at the second attempt.
Stoke were hungry for more goals and added a fourth when Adam caught Lucas in possession after a weak pass from Mamadou Sakho and drilled a lot shot into the bottom corner of the net.
A fifth arrived on the stroke of half-time when Steven Nzonzi ran forward unchallenged and spectacularly struck the ball from 25 yards over Mignolet and into the net.
Liverpool needed a second-half comeback better than the 2005 Champions League final vintage inspired by Gerrard, but predictably it became more about damage limitation in the second period for Brendan Rodgers.
The Liverpool manager was not tempted to introduce Raheem Sterling, after a week of intense scrutiny about the forward's future, at the break.
Instead he replaced Can with Kolo Toure and Alberto Moreno with Jordon Ibe at half-time and later brought Lambert on with 21 minutes remaining.
And it was from Lambert's flick on that Gerrard profited with his 186th goal for the Reds with a composed finish € met by a standing ovation from all four sides of the Britannia Stadium.
However, Stoke had the final word and heaped more misery on Liverpool when Diouf crossed from the right flank for substitute Peter Crouch to head home.
Palace 1, Swansea 0
In London, Alan Pardew guided Crystal Palace to a best ever 10th place finish in the Premier League thanks to a 1-0 victory over Swansea on the final day of the season on Sunday.
Moroccan international Marouane Chamakh drove the ball home from inside the penalty box on 57 minutes following a scramble to provide the only goal of the match in a tight affair at Selhurst Park.
It was the former Arsenal striker's fourth goal of the season and first since January.
Palace, who picked up their ninth victory since former Newcastle handler Pardew took over in January, took their points tally to 48 and a 10th place finish after closest rivals Everton and West Ham both lost.
There are significant financial rewards for each place gained in the final standings.
The 53-year-old Londoner, who played as a midfielder for Palace between 1987 and 1991 and memorably scored the winning goal in an FA Cup semi-final victory over Liverpool in 1990, was forced out of Newcastle just weeks after winning the manager of the month award in November 2014.
His former club needed a desperate 2-0 last day victory over West Ham to avoid relegation while Palace have been guaranteed their top flight status for weeks.
Swansea, who have enjoyed their best season since John Toshack led them to a tally of 69 points in 1981-82, have flourished under manager Garry Monk and close out their campaign in eighth spot on 56 points,
Swansea, who became the first Welsh club to play in the Premier League since its formation in 1992 and won the 2013 League Cup under Michael Laudrup for their first major trophy, came into the match having won five of their past eight matches on the road.
Burnley 1, Aston 0
In Birmingham, leading scorer Danny Ings brought what is likely to be the final curtain down on his career with Burnley on Sunday in the best way possible by scoring the only goal for the relegated side in a farewell 1-0 win over FA Cup finalists Aston Villa.
Ings, widely believed to be due for a move to a club remaining in the Premier League club in the close season, struck early in the first-half with his 11th of the campaign to give Burnley only their seventh win of the season, all by one goal margins.
For Villa it was a second disappointing result ahead of their daunting FA Cup final meeting with holders Arsenal after being thrashed 6-1 by Southampton last weekend.
Ings opened the scoring in the sixth minute as Villa failed to clear the ball on several occasions.
They were put out of their misery as Ings rose above Nathan Baker to head Ashley Barnes's headed pass past Jed Steer - who has enjoyed a rollercoaster season having been loaned out to lower league Yeovil.
Villa pressed for an equaliser throughout the rest of the half, Christian Benteke having an effort saved and Ashley Westwood going close twice in the final five minutes before the break, a rising shot going just over the bar and then his second effort being saved by Tom Heaton.
An entertaining game carried on in high spirited fashion in the second-half with both sides having chances.
It was Villa, though, who were the most persistent with former Leeds United star Fabian Delph, who has boosted the club by agreeing a long-term deal, and the infuriatingly inconsistent Charles N'Zogbia unable to get the better of the admirable Heaton, whose form earned him a call-up to the England set-up last week.
Dutch international central defender Ron Vlaar, whom manager Tim Sherwood wants to sign a new contract, also sent a header flashing over the bar but there was to be no spoiling Burnley's farewell party.
Leicester 5, QPR 1
In Leicester, Leicester City celebrated their stunning escape from Premier League relegation with a breezy 5-1 demolition of relegated Queens Park Rangers on the season's final day.
Jamie Vardy marked his first England call-up with the opener and further strikes from Marc Albrighton, Leonardo Ulloa, Esteban Cambiasso and Andrej Kramaric left the home fans inside the King Power Stadium in heady mood.
Charlie Austin, another new face in England coach Roy Hodgson's latest squad, replied for the visitors, but there was nothing else for Chris Ramsey to cheer about in his first game since being made permanent QPR manager.
Nigel Pearson's Leicester finished the campaign with a run of seven wins, one draw and one defeat, giving them a 14th-place finish and taking them above the 40-point barrier in the top flight for the first time since 2001.
Leicester were unchanged from the team that had secured survival last weekend with a 0-0 draw at Sunderland and they were quickly into their stride, Ulloa curling wide and Jeffrey Schlupp hitting the side-netting.
The hosts made the breakthrough in the 16th minute following an error by QPR goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who was deputising for the concussed Robert Green.
The 25-year-old spilled a tame effort from Riyad Mahrez and 28-year-old Vardy followed up to tap in his fifth goal of the campaign.
McCarthy partially atoned by saving well from Vardy and Matt Phillips then came within inches of equalising with a 20-yard shot that beat Kasper Schmeichel, only to flash the wrong side of the post.
But Leicester made it 2-0 two minutes before half-time as Albrighton was afforded space to advance before crashing a shot high into the net.
Leicester were forced into a change at the interval, with Ritchie De Laet replacing Marcin Wasilewski, but within seven minutes of the second period, they had doubled their advantage.
First, Ulloa used his chest to divert a shot from Wes Morgan into the bottom corner, before former Argentina international Cambiasso fired home from 12 yards.
Austin claimed a consolation by heading in a cross from Joey Barton in the 57th minute to register his 18th goal of the campaign, but by then QPR were already destined to finish the season at the bottom of the pile.
And there was yet more misery to come as Kramaric bludgeoned home following a punt from Schmeichel that QPR failed to deal with.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.