Bear with me here. I’m alternating between watching the soccer matches and the first rounds of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, which I’m covering elsewhere. As I write up the last weekend in the Premier League season, I’m trying to avoid mixing up the two. I need to recall that Yoo Sung-ho is a pianist who plays Bach and Rachmaninov and not a footballer who plays in midfield for Wolves. Wish me luck.
Premier League Winners
Manchester City
After their loss in the FA Cup final, people were saying that City would struggle just to stay in the Champions League spots, with their last Premier League matches against tricky opponents Bournemouth and Fulham.
The result was two cool-headed wins for Pep Guardiola's club. Against Fulham, İlkay Gündoğan gave a vintage performance with an overhead kick for the first goal and drawing a penalty that allowed Erling Haaland to put three points away from the penalty spot. They end the season in third place. What was everyone gnashing their teeth over?
Antoine Semenyo
The Bournemouth winger’s two goals broke down a determined Leicester defense and got him into double figures in scoring for the season.
Jack Hinshelwood
Two goals for Brighton’s academy graduate off chaotic corner kicks. Diego Gómez scored his first Premier League goal off a blaster, but everyone will be talking about Hinshelwood’s oh-so-cool back heel past Guglielmo Vicario to put Brighton ahead for good in their win over Tottenham.
Carlos Alcaraz
Not the Spanish tennis phenom, but the Argentinian soccer player by the same name. He headed home Taras Mykolenko’s cross to give Everton a gritty road win over Newcastle that for a while looked like it would send the Magpies tumbling out of the Champions League spots.
Kieran Tierney
In his final game in an Arsenal jersey, the Scottish left-back tipped home Ben White’s cross to open the scoring in the Gunners’ win over Southampton. Next season he’ll be manning the left side at Celtic, and he departs with the affection of Arsenal fans after five seasons.
Sunderland
Tom Watson is the name of a legendary golfer, and it’s also the name of a teenager who wrote his name in the team’s history books when he picked up a turnover at midfield, dribbled to just outside the box and unleashed a low shot that gave Sunderland a stoppage-time win that earned them the third promotion spot to the Premier League.
The Black Cats were relegated from the top flight back in 2017 and came painfully close to promotion four years ago, but now they are back to renew the Tyne-Wear derby with Newcastle. Watson will not be joining them, as his transfer to Brighton for next season has already been signed, but he’ll leave with the gratitude of the fans on Wearside.
Premier League Losers
Aston Villa
This is what happens when you leave Champions League qualification to the final game. You can certainly argue that the VAR officials should have let Morgan Rogers’ goal stand when he kicked it out of the fumbling hands of Altay Bayındır. Nevertheless, Manchester United were the better team on the afternoon, especially after Emiliano Martínez was sent off. Their loss allowed Newcastle to back into that last Champions League spot. The Europa League beckons for the Villans.
Neco Williams and Chris Wood
When a draw for Nottingham Forest would have at least gotten them Europa League play, Williams’ weak defensive header gave the ball to Pedro Neto, who crossed to Levi Colwill for Chelsea’s goal. Wood had numerous chances to draw the game, but despite enjoying a career season, the New Zealander could not hit the target. Their loss at home means there will only be domestic football for the Trees come next season. What a downer.