London, May 25: The final whistle of the 2024-25 Premier League season brought with it a whirlwind of emotions—ecstasy for some, heartbreak for others, and a farewell to legends.
Champions Liverpool were held at home but lifted the trophy in front of a jubilant Anfield crowd, while Manchester City and Chelsea sealed their Champions League spots with professional wins. Newcastle confirmed their return to Europe’s elite despite defeat, but for Aston Villa and Brentford, dreams of continental football slipped away in dramatic fashion. There were farewells, controversies, and goals aplenty as the league signed off in a fashion only the Premier League can—unpredictable, unforgiving, and utterly unforgettable.
Semenyo Double Sinks Leicester
Antoine Semenyo struck twice in the final quarter of an hour as Bournemouth ended their Premier League campaign with a dominant 2-0 victory over relegated Leicester City. The Cherries controlled proceedings throughout but had to wait until the 75th minute to break the deadlock, with Semenyo finishing from close range after Illia Zabarnyi’s knockdown. The forward then rifled in a second from the edge of the box to seal the points.Leicester, heading back to the Championship, had an early goal chalked off for offside and were lucky not to go a man down when Conor Coady escaped red for a reckless trip. VAR was heavily involved, denying both sides goals during a cagey first half. But in the end, it was Bournemouth’s quality and persistence that prevailed.
Gundogan’s Stunner Helps City Clinch Third Place at Fulham
Manchester City ensured a third-place finish with a 2-0 win over Fulham, ending what has been a rare trophyless season under Pep Guardiola. Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring with a spectacular bicycle kick – his first league goal of the season – before Erling Haaland added a second from the spot after Jorge Cuenca fouled the German midfielder.
Fulham showed flashes of threat, especially through Harry Wilson, but City’s control never looked in doubt. While Guardiola’s side fell short in their title defence, they will return to the Champions League next season with ambitions to reclaim their crown.
Salah Saves 10-Man Liverpool
Already-crowned champions Liverpool played out a celebratory 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at Anfield, with Mohamed Salah netting late to rescue a point after Ryan Gravenberch’s red card left the hosts with 10 men.
Palace, fresh from their FA Cup triumph, had taken the lead through Ismaila Sarr following a mistake by Conor Bradley. Liverpool, despite being a man down, pushed forward and were eventually rewarded when Salah slotted in from close range to send the Anfield faithful into one final cheer of the season. The game also marked Trent Alexander-Arnold’s emotional farewell, as the homegrown star played his final half in red.
Newcastle Celebrate CL Return Despite Defeat
Newcastle United sealed their return to the Champions League despite a nervy 1-0 home defeat to Everton. Carlos Alcaraz’s second-half header gave the visitors the win, but results elsewhere, particularly Manchester United’s victory over Aston Villa, ensured Eddie Howe’s side hung on to a top-four spot.The mood inside St James’ Park turned from tense to jubilant as confirmation of their European qualification came through, rounding off a historic season in which they also lifted the Carabao Cup – their first domestic trophy in 70 years.
Martinez Red Cost Villa in Champions League Race
Aston Villa’s dreams of a Champions League return were dashed in controversial fashion as they fell 2-0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Villa had Emiliano Martinez sent off for a reckless challenge and saw a goal ruled out for a supposed foul on United keeper Altay Bayindir – a decision which couldn’t be reviewed as the referee had already blown his whistle.Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen were the scorers for United, the latter converting a late penalty. Unai Emery’s side, who reached the Champions League quarter-finals earlier this season, will have to settle for the Europa League despite a spirited campaign.
Colwill Fires Chelsea Into the Champions League
Levi Colwill’s second-half strike was enough to guide Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest and secure a top-four finish. With Champions League qualification secured, Enzo Maresca’s men can now turn their attention to the Europa Conference League final against Real Betis.
Forest, meanwhile, despite a seventh-place finish and European qualification of their own, fell short of the top-five dream. They will feature in the Conference League next season, three years after ending a 23-year Premier League exile.
Odegaard’s Late Strike Hands Arsenal Final-Day Win Over Saints
Martin Odegaard struck an 89th-minute winner as Arsenal overcame Southampton 2-1 to finish second in the table. Kieran Tierney, making his final appearance before a return to Celtic, had given the Gunners the lead before Ross Stewart headed in an equaliser for the already-relegated Saints.
Southampton showed moments of promise but Odegaard’s composed finish in the dying minutes ensured Mikel Arteta’s men ended the campaign on a high.
Brighton Beat Spurs But Miss Out on Europe
Brighton secured a memorable 4-1 win at Tottenham, but results elsewhere meant their eighth-place finish wasn’t enough for European qualification. After falling behind to a Dominic Solanke penalty, the Seagulls roared back with goals from Jack Hinshelwood, Matt O’Riley, and a stunning Diego Gomez strike in stoppage time.
Despite the performance, Brighton’s European hopes were dashed by the fine margins of the final day. Spurs, fresh off their Europa League title win, ended their league campaign in a dismal 17th place – their worst-ever Premier League finish.
Brentford Held by Wolves, Miss Out on European Football
Bryan Mbeumo’s 20th league goal was cancelled out by a thunderous strike from Wolves’ Marshall Munetsi as Brentford were held 1-1 at Molineux, extinguishing their slim hopes of sneaking into Europe.The Bees led through Mbeumo after capitalising on a defensive error, but were pegged back with 15 minutes left when Munetsi blasted in a superb equaliser. Brentford needed a win and favourable results elsewhere to qualify but ultimately fell short after a season of near-misses.
Bowen Scores as West Ham End Season with Win Over Ipswich
Jarrod Bowen was on target as West Ham rounded off their season with a 2-1 win against Ipswich Town. While the result had no bearing on European qualification, it was a fitting finale for a campaign that saw the Hammers display flashes of brilliance and resilience under David Moyes. (Agencies)
