Premier League Final: It’s A Wrap As Arsenal Hoists Trophy; Hammers Depart; Five Champions League Places; Sunderland Crashes The Europe Party; Chelsea Misses Out; Farewells At The Etihad

The Premier League title was decided a week earlier but Arsenal finished the job in style on Sunday with a 2-1 season ending victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The game was meaningless for a Crystal Palace club focused on its own potential trophy when the Eagles take on Rayo Vallecano for the Conference League title this Wednesday. Sunday was Arsenal’s time to celebrate and hoist the trophy which had proved so elusive after three consecutive second place finishes. The Gunners earned this title by being the more composed club down the stretch and getting the better of one-time tormentor Manchester City.

Like Crystal Palace, but on a grander stage, Arsenal will play one more time this season. The Gunners can double their trophy haul with a win against PSG in this coming weekend’s Champions League final.With both contestants focused on future matches, the game at Selhurst Sunday featured heavily rotated sides. Reflecting that approach, Arteta made 16-year-old Max Dowman the youngest starter in Premier League history.

The real on-pitch drama in Week 38 surrounded the fight for league survival between West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur. West Ham finally scored some goals in a 3-0 win over a Leeds side which was already on the beach after a fine promotion season.

Unfortunately, it was too little, too late as Tottenham Hotspur also won, defeating Everton 1-0 and sealing Premier League relegation for West Ham. Joao Paulinha was the hero at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the loanee from Bayern Munich swept in the rebound of his own header which had hit the post in the 42nd minute.It was to be the only score of the game as Everton’s one shot on target was consistent with their season-long struggle to find the net. Only five clubs, including the three relegated sides, have scored fewer goals than the Toffees.

Tottenham Hotspur survives but the celebration is muted by an abysmal league performance for a second consecutive year just as its fiercest rival Arsenal wins the Premier League title. West Ham, meanwhile, could draw no satisfaction from its own final day victory as players remained on the pitch until the Spurs result went final and confirmed the Hammers’ fate.West Ham Manager Nuno Espirito Santo is expected to be gone, his contract evidencing the club’s early forecast of potential demotion. The agreement, signed last September, allowed Santo to walk or West Ham to sack him without compensation in the event of relegation.

Unlike Tottenham Hotspur ownership or players, Spurs Manager Roberto De Zerbi can take credit for his fireman like role in salvaging Spurs’ continued Premier League existence. The former Brighton and Marseilles manager rescued the sinking ship of interim manager Igor Tudor by winning twice and drawing twice in De Zerbi’s seven league matches in charge, earning just enough points for his club to eke out survival from the relegation rumble with West Ham.The Hammers go down after accumulating 39 points, just three points short of West Ham’s own dubious Premier League record for most points by a relegated team in a 38-match season.

Beyond relegation, the European picture was finalized on Sunday. Aston Villa came from behind to defeat Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad in Pep Guardiola’s final match in charge.City was understandably distracted by the enormity of saying farewell to not just Guardiola but two other club legends in Bernardo Silva and John Stones. Guardiola even admitted to the farewell celebration taking priority over the match itself, with normal starters such as Erling Haaland taking a bench seat for the match.Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins took advantage by taking target practice in advance of his upcoming England World Cup role. Watkins’ brace enabled Villa to retain fourth place in the Premier League standings.

Good for Aston Villa, but bad for the Premier League and Bournemouth. If Villa had dropped to fifth in the table, a sixth Champions League spot would have gone to Bournemouth, which drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest on Sunday.As it is, the Cherries are headed to the Europa League, sans their departing manager Andoni Iraola, to compete alongside another surprising Premier League club.

Sunderland, in its first season back in the Premier League after a meandering journey though the lower tiers of English football, will also be playing in the Europa League next season. The Black Cats defeated Chelsea 2-1 at the Stadium of Light to cap a remarkable promotion season which no one could possibly have expected. Expected to be a contender for a quick return to the second tier, the Black Cats made themselves comfortable in the top half of the table and finished the season in style, capping a four match unbeaten run with a Europe clinching home win over Chelsea. The Blues contributed to their own demise with an own goal and a red card.Chelsea will have additional time on the training pitch next season for new Manager Xabi Alonso to straighten out the mess at Stamford Bridge as Sunday’s result ensured that Chelsea will not have any European matches.Sunderland Manager Regis Le Bris deserves Manager of the Season consideration after leading the Black Cats to 54 points, 15 points above the drop line and sending the Cats to Europe for the first time in more than 50 years.

EUROPA LEAGUE FOOTBALL IS COMING TO SUNDERLAND! pic.twitter.com/Up6w6rnm9L

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 24, 2026

Brentford Manager Keith Andrews has also been mentioned for the Manager of the Season award, but the Bees agonizingly finished outside the European places on goal differential after a 1-1 draw at Liverpool. Mohamed Salah had an assist in his final match in a Liverpool shirt as he said goodbye to supporters along with long time teammate Andy Robertson.Liverpool joins Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa in qualifying for the Champions League.

Brighton, finishing the season level on points with Brentford, qualified for the Europa Conference League by virtue of a superior goal differential to the Bees despite the Seagulls finishing the season with back-to-back losses.

Brighton were 2-0 losers at home to Manchester United as the Red Devils’ Bruno Fernandes broke the Premier League record with his 21st assist of the season and then capped his historic day by scoring his club’s final goal of the season. The Manchester United victory capped an impressive season for the club as interim Manager Micheal Carrick earned a full-time gig which was also announced on the weekend.

Mediocre seasons for Fulham and Newcastle ended with a 2-0 Cottager victory over the Magpies at Craven Cottage.

Burnley and Wolves, the two worst teams in the Premier League whose relegation has long been certain, ended their mutually repugnant seasons in fitting fashion by drawing with each other 1-1 at Turf Moor as they said goodbye to the Premier League.