The gameweek 36 matches on Saturday centred around the fight for the Champions League spots and the battle for survival. Here are some of the crucial top-flight results from those crucial encounters:
Antonio winner ends Spurs perfect home record
Tottenham suffered a blow in the race to secure a top-four finish this season when they suffered a 1-0 defeat at home against West Ham in the early kick-off. The defeat ended Tottenham’s hundred per cent record at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium of three games in all competitions.
Tottenham had the best chance of the first period, as Heung-Min Son saw an effort kept out by decent save from Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. Lucas Moura also fired agonisingly wide before Fabianski produced again good stop, this time from Christian Eriksen.
Despite their first-half dominance, the home side fell behind on 67 minutes. Marko Arnautovic found Michail Antonio in the box, he chested the ball down and the smashed an effort past Hugo Lloris from eight yards out.
Tottenham struggled to break the home side down. However, West Ham full-back Ryan Fredericks did need to produce a good block to deny Fernando Llorente from 12 yards out. At the other end of the pitch, Lloris denied Antonio with his legs from a similar distance out.
West Ham centre-back Issa Diop managed to break through from his own half and run 40 yards before seeing his effort parried by Lloris in the home goal. The home side looked set to equalise deep into stoppage-time, as substitute Vincent Janssen’s header at the post looked to be heading in, only for Fabian Balbuena to clear the effort off his goalline.
The loss still leaves Spurs third place in the table, four points clear of fifth-place Arsenal, who can make up ground against Leicester later today. Mauricio Pochettino’s side remain favourites for a top-four of the four contenders. West Ham are 11th, just two points outside the top half of the table.
Saints secure safety with derby draw
The Saints took the lead on 12 minutes, as Shane Long fired home from the penalty spot after Nathan Redmond squared the ball for the striker.
The lead lasted just eight minutes, as a good move involving Joshua King, Callum Wilson saw Dan Gosling fire home from inside the penalty area. Long then hit the post for the home side after Artur Boruc saved his initial shot on goal.
Bournemouth turned the game around 32 minutes. Angus Gunn could only parry a David Brooks shot and Wilson was on hand to score with the rebound. However, the Saints equalised ten minutes into the second period, as midfielder James Ward-Prowse beat Boruc with a low effort.
Saints took the lead on 67 minutes, substitute Matt Targett heading home at the back post from a Yan Valery cross. The visitors who had struggled to mount much attacking-wise equalised on 86 minutes, as Wilson scored his second from close-range from a Ryan Fraser cross.
Despite conceding the late goal, the draw was enough to secure the Saints Premier League status for next season. Meanwhile, Bournemouth remain 14th place in the table and now unlikely to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Saturday’s other Premier League results
Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton
Fulham 1-0 Cardiff
Watford 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 1-1 Newcastle
Who picked up the result of the day in Saturday’s Premier League games?
