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26

2019 Relegated Cardiff Chelsea Finish Third Despite

15th, Scoreless Draw In Leicester

May Embarrass United

| At Old Trafford On
EXAMINER Final Day

IRISH

anchester United’s disap-
pointingseasoncametoa
Mfitting conclusion as rele-
gated Cardiffwentoutwithabang, Chelsea confirmed a third-place finish after a goalless draw
giving their former manager Ole with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium
Gunnar Solskjaer plenty to think
Gonzalo Higuain had Chelsea’s best chance but failed to
about. convert Marcos Alonso’s cross just before half-time.
A campaign that started with After the break, Youri Tielemans’ fierce shot went narrow-
the divisive Jose Mourinho ly wide of Willy Caballero’s goal.
ended with a shambolic 2-0 loss Both teams remain where they started ahead of kick-off.
to a side relegated with a match
Chelsea finished a point above Tottenham Hotspur with 72
to spare, leaving United an eye- points, while Leicester end the season ninth on 52 points. C
watering 32 points behind
Premier League champions
Manchester City. Spurs In Fourth Place After Home Draw
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s Tottenham Hotspur confirmed a fourth-place finish with a
brace was the difference as thrilling 2-2 draw with Everton.
Cardiff beat United for the first Eric Dier had given Spurs a half-time lead with a close-range
time since 1960 – quite the way finish from a corner on three minutes.
for Neil Warnock to bow out in Everton turned the match on its head with two goals in
what he expects to be his last three minutes from Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun midway
top-flight match as a manager. enough. Greenwood’s move- After all, this was just the fourth through the second half.
But as the visitors celebrated, ment and hunger in a fluid time that Cardiff had gone into But Christian Eriksen’s fourth goal in as many matches
ex-Bluebirds boss Solskjaer was attacking role brought two early a league game ahead at the against Everton rescued a point as he slotted in a 75th-minute
left reeling on an afternoon that chances, while Andreas Pereira break. free-kick.
highlighted just why there will and Marcus Rashford also had Anthony Martial replaced Spurs finish fourth on 71 points, while Everton are eighth on
be personnel changes at Old attempts to score as the hosts Phil Jones at half-time and 54. C
Trafford this summer. dominated possession. looked to have been brought
United have regressed since But a lack of cutting edge and down by Sean Morrison when Aubameyang Shares Golden Boot With
the Norwegian started his reign increasingly ragged play gave through on goal, only for the
in December with a 5-1 win in the visitors hope, with referee officials to wave play on. Second Half Brace In Burnley
the Welsh capital, but there did Jonathan Moss’ contentious The change saw Scott A second-
appear to be a dollop of fortune decision to award a penalty McTominay deployed as cen- half double by
about the decision that saw against Diogo Dalot handing ter-back and it backfired nine P i e r r e -
Mendez-Laing score from the them a chance from the spot. minutes later as the midfielder E m e r i c k
penalty spot. Mendez-Laing dusted him- failed to deal with a throw-in Aubameyang
Mason Greenwood, the 17- self down to slot past David De and Murphy nipped behind to h e l p e d
year-old who became United’s Gea to send the travelling sup- square for Mendez-Laing to tap Arsenal finish
youngest Premier League port wild. into an empty net. the season
starter, was the only positive in “You’re getting sacked in the One angry United fan shout- with a victory
a poor first half that was com- morning” chanted the away ed for executive vice-chairman and gave him
pounded nine minutes after the fans as Solskjaer’s side went Ed Woodward to resign as the a share of the
restart by Mendez-Laing capital- behind. Bluebirds celebrated. Golden Boot.
izing on dreadful defending to The lead that was close to Rashford, Martial, Paul A r s e n a l
tap home. being cancelled out as Pogba, Greenwood and Lingard had faint
There were boos from those Greenwood superbly made all tried to reduce the deficit, hopes of overhauling Tottenham Hotspur in fourth place, but
left in the stands at full-time as space before unleashing a while Bobby Reid went close to needed an eight-goal swing as well as a Spurs defeat by
United’s season ended without deflected shot that Neil a third for the visitors. Everton.
a win in six matches in all com- Etheridge touched on to the Outgoing Cardiff midfielder After a goalless first half, Aubameyang claimed his 21st and
petitions, and just two victories post. Aron Gunnarsson got a touch- 22nd PL goals of the campaign soon after half-time. The first
from 12 games Greenwood hit the side-net- ing send off when replaced, just came as he pounced on a defensive error on 52 minutes.
Those results highlight the ting after Jesse Lingard tried his as United skipper Antonio The second arrived 11 minutes later, Alex Iwobi providing
need for change at Old Trafford luck, but Cardiff were still prov- Valencia did when brought on the assist as Aubameyang’s right-foot finish drew him level
this summer, on the field and ing an unsettling presence and for his final appearance in red. with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane on 22 PL
behind the scenes, and saw De Gea did well to tip over a That improved the mood a goals this season.
United stumble home sixth, curling Josh Murphy effort. touch, but this was to be an Ashley Barnes headed a goal back for Burnley with 25 min-
meaning their 2019-20 cam- United looked disjointed out embarrassing loss that saw the utes left, but Eddie Nketiah’s strike in stoppage time made it
paign could start in the Europa of possession and little better in hosts finish with the same gap safe for Arsenal.
League on July 25. it, leading to a smattering of to relegated Cardiff as they did The Gunners finish fifth on 70 points, a point behind Spurs.
United had started well boos at the half-time whistle. to neighbors City. C Burnley are 15th, on 40 points. C