🦁 Man City defeat Chelsea; Leeds lose at West Ham; Brighton get big win | OneFootball

There were three Premier League games on the second last Sunday of the season, featuring sides at the very top and very bottom of the table.

Here’s how it all went down.

Manchester City start title party with narrow but easy win over Chelsea

Scorers: Alvarez 12′

After dominating the opening minutes of the game, Man City took the lead in the 12th minute through Julien Alvarez. It came after Wesley Fofana passed straight to City, and from there Cole Palmer got it to the Argentinian who cooly finished.

City were in complete command with Chelsea struggling to make a chance let alone hold the ball after 25 minutes.

A first-half that resembled a training ground exercise came to a close with Chelsea making a slight improvement in their play.

The second 45 started much the same with most in attendance just waiting for the trophy presentation.

A second City goal almost came in the 58th minute but Kalvin Phillips’ header hit the post instead of the back of the net.

Raheem Sterling was the main (only?) threat for Chelsea, with the former City man looking to become just the third player to score for both clubs in the fixture. The other two? Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard.

A second Alvarez goal was ruled out in the 71st minute due to a Riyad Mahrez handball in the buildup. The Algerian was then replaced by Erling Haaland.

The game petered out with Chelsea offering little in attack and City happy to play keep ball to close out their home league season.

West Ham come from behind to win and push Leeds ever closer to the drop

Scorers: Rice 31′, Bowen 72′, Rodrigo 17′

Leeds started the brighter with Patrick Bamford, in particular, looking sharp with a number of runs behind the West Ham defence.

Rodrigo gave Leeds a deserved lead in the 17th minute, smashing home a volley from inside the box. The ball came his way from a Weston McKennie long throw that the Irons will be disappointed was not cleared.

West Ham came close to an equaliser just before the half-hour mark but the penalty box pinball eventually saw the ball safely in the arms of Joel Robles.

The equaliser did come in the 32nd minute when Declan Rice fired home after good work from Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen.

Leeds responded well to that setback, keeping the ball well but not creating too many chances.

The first 15 minutes of the second half were rather quiet with few efforts on goal from either side.

Bowen gave West Ham the lead in the 72nd minute, finishing stylishly after a lovely through ball from Danny Ings.

Leeds huffed and puffed but didn’t look like scoring with less than 10 minutes to go.

In the 85th minute, Crysencio Summerville wasted a great chance for an equaliser, while Brendan Aaronson skied the rebound.

The game should have been out of sight but Danny Ings made a mess of a relatively easy chance.

Manuel Lanzini did what Ings couldn’t in the 94th minute, slotting home after great play from Lucas Paqueta, and that was that.

Brighton clinch European spot with victory over sorry Saints

Scorers: Ferguson 29′, 40′, Elyounoussi 58′

Kaoru Mitoma had the best chance of the opening 10 minutes but missed the target from close range after some great footwork.

Southampton really should have opened the scoring just before the 20-minute mark when Carlos Alcarez and Theo Walcott combined to cut through Brighton’s midfield. After getting the ball back from Walcott, Alcarez blazed wide, which summed up Saints’ season.

How this game had not a goal yet was baffling as Mitoma, again, missed a great chance. The Japanese winger was quick to intercept Alex McCarthy’s wayward pass but his clipped finish hit the post.

Evan Ferguson broke the deadlock in the 29th minute as he smashed the ball through McCarthy in the Saints goal, who will feel disappointed he didn’t stop the shot.

Ferguson got his and Brighton’s second 11 minutes later, slotting home after a stunning run and cross from Mitoma.

Southampton got an unlikely lifeline in the 58th minute when Mohamed Elyounoussi headed home a James Ward-Prowse corner.

A Saints equaliser was ruled out by VAR shortly after. It was a lovely finish from Walcott but he was just offisde.

Pascal Gross grabbed Brighton’s third with a lovely finish from just inside the box.

Brighton pushed for a fourth late into the game but it mattered little. There was a party atmosphere at the Amex Stadium as European football was clinched for the first time in the club’s history.

Saturday’s results: