Quickfire Premier League round up – Man United and Everton say goodbye

There were critical results at the top and bottom of the Premier League this weekend with three teams securing their status for next season and the Champions League battle going down to the last week. There were also two big managerial farewells and records broken.

Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea: Frank Lampard not only broke the all-time Chelsea goal scoring record, from midfield, but his two goals also secured Champions League football for Chelsea next season in a virtuoso showing which just goes to emphasise how important he still is to the club, but Villa were more than a match for them until Benteke lost his head and Villa lost their man advantage.

Stoke 1-2 Spurs: This was an excellent win for Spurs who showed toughness and grit to battle out a result that many thought they might not, and really could have won by a much greater margin but for some wasteful finishing, and which puts the pressure firmly back on to Arsenal on Tuesday night.

Everton 2-0 West Ham: Everton put on a superb display to pay the most fitting of home goodbyes to David Moyes in front of a red hot crowd and West Ham did not know what hit them as Everton scored one incredible goal and could have scored many more than they did, but this was all about saying thank you to Moyes who has turned them from perennial strugglers to perennial top six.

Fulham 1-3 Liverpool: This was the Coutinho and Strurridge show for Liverpool and they scorched through Fulham in a manner very similar to the six they put past Newcastle a couple of weeks ago as the dynamic duo linked up for two goals and caused Fulham fits, but the Liverpool defence was a shambles which needs sorting out thoroughly over the summer.

Norwich 4-0 West Brom: If anyone saw this coming they need to play the lottery because Norwich don’t score 4s and West Brom don’t concede them but a hopeless showing from West Brom, the exact opposite of the type that Clarke promised, and some enterprising attacking from Norwich in front of their vociferous home support saw them coast to an easy win and survival.

QPR 1-2 Newcastle: This was like a park game as QPR conceded two unbelievably stupid goals; Rob Green picked up a back pass and Newcastle goal keeper Rob Elliot handled the ball outside his box but Newcastle won and keep themselves in the league somehow.

Sunderland 1-1 Southampton: Possibly the most entertaining game as both sides pushed hard for what would be a critical win with one great goal and one scrappy one and now both sides will be hoping that Arsenal do them a favour on Tuesday against Wigan.

Manchester United 2-1 Swansea: This was all about saying goodbye to Sir Alex Ferguson and lifting the Premier League trophy which meant the game itself was a bit of a sideshow and United put in a surprisingly limp showing for the final home game of the Ferguson reign, but they just about did enough to get him a win.