Hull relegated as Stoke ruin Gerrard farewell

Hull City were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday after drawing 0-0 at home to Manchester United on a final day marked by high scores and high-profile departures.

Hull, beaten FA Cup finalists last season, needed to defeat United to stand any chance of staying up, but their failure to do so left them three points adrift of safety.

"It is one of those awful experiences," said Hull manager Steve Bruce, the former United captain, whose club had spent two seasons in the top flight.

"It is not a time for excuses. You have to take your medicine and come back as strongly as you can."

Hull made an enterprising start as Paul McShane and Dame N'Doye saw goals ruled out for offside, while United's stand-in goalkeeper Victor Valdes saved brilliantly from Ahmed Elmohamady.

The visitors, missing injured goalkeeper David de Gea and on-loan striker Radamel Falcao, lost Angel di Maria to injury and saw substitute Marouane Fellaini sent off for an ugly foul on McShane in the second half.
But Bruce was unable to engineer a first managerial win over his old employers as Hull sank into the Championship and Louis van Gaal's United finished the campaign in fourth place.

Newcastle United were the only other team at risk of relegation, but they secured their top-flight status with a 2-0 victory at home to West Ham United.

Jonas Gutierrez, who returned to action last month after a 17-month battle with testicular cancer, was Newcastle's saviour, teeing up Moussa Sissoko for a 54th-minute header and scoring with a deflected effort.

"Every player deserves credit," said Newcastle manager John Carver. "We have not had a good season, but I am going to enjoy this moment."

- Gerrard, Lampard, Drogba depart -
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, criticised by fans for a perceived lack of investment, had vowed prior to the game not to leave until the club win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League.

West Ham, meanwhile, announced after the match that manager Sam Allardyce's contract will not be renewed and he will leave the club with immediate effect.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored in vain on a wretched 710th and final appearance for the club as Brendan Rodgers's side capitulated in a humiliating 6-1 defeat at Stoke City.

With Raheem Sterling benched over his contract stand-off, Liverpool conceded five first-half goals, with Mame Biram Diouf scoring twice and Jonathan Walters, Charlie Adam and Steven Nzonzi also on target.

Gerrard replied in the second half, to give the visiting fans one last goal before his departure for the Los Angeles Galaxy, but ex-Liverpool striker Peter Crouch restored Stoke's five-goal cushion late on.
Liverpool's sixth-place finish nevertheless takes them into the Europa League, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, who won 1-0 at Everton courtesy of Harry Kane's 21st goal of the league campaign and 31st in all competitions.

But Rodgers conceded that his position was now under scrutiny, saying: "I have always said if the owners want me to go, I will go. But I still feel I have a lot to offer here."

Gerrard's former England team-mate Frank Lampard also found the net in his final game before leaving England for the United States, but he scored in a winning cause as runners-up Manchester City beat Southampton 2-0.

The 36-year-old midfielder, who is due to join New York City, converted a cross from James Milner in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, with Golden Boot-winner Sergio Aguero scoring his 26th goal of the campaign late on.

- Walcott hat-trick -

City's win condemned Southampton to seventh place, which will yield a Europa League spot only if Arsenal beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup final.

Another departing Premier League stalwart, Didier Drogba, was carried off the pitch by his team-mates after injuring himself in the early stages of Chelsea's 3-1 win at home to Sunderland.
At that point, the champions trailed to a 26th-minute Steven Fletcher header, but after Diego Costa, Drogba's replacement, equalised with a penalty, Loic Remy scored twice in the second half.

Chelsea were presented with the Premier League trophy after the game.

Arsenal rubber-stamped third place, and automatic Champions League qualification, by demolishing West Bromwich Albion 4-1 as Theo Walcott staked a claim for a cup final starting place with a first-half hat-trick.

Jack Wilshere was also on target, with Gareth McAuley replying for West Brom.

Villa will go into the cup final on the back of a defeat after a first-half Danny Ings header saw them beaten 1-0 at relegated Burnley.

Leicester City celebrated their stunning escape from relegation with a 5-1 romp at home to relegated Queens Park Rangers, with new England call-up Jamie Vardy opening the scoring.

In the day's other game, Crystal Palace beat Swansea City 1-0 courtesy of a 57th-minute goal by Marouane Chamakh.
Source: AFP