Raul Jimenez scored twice as Fulham won 4-2 at Luton Town on Sunday to confirm its hosts’ relegation from the Premier League.
Jimenez netted on the stroke of halftime to put Fulham 2-1 up at the break and then added a second four minutes into the second half as Luton’s slim hopes of staying up ended at Kenilworth Road.
Luton had only a mathematical possibility of avoiding relegation, needing to close a three-point gap on Nottingham Forest, one place above it in the standings, and also engineer an unlikely 12-goal swing on goal difference.
But it was behind when Adama Traore scored on his first league start for Fulham after 16 substitute appearances in the campaign.
He blasted home a right-footed strike to put Fulham ahead in the 43rd minute, only for Carlton Morris to equalise two minutes later from the penalty spot after Calvin Bassey had tripped Chiedozie Ogbene.
But a third goal in seven minutes before the break saw Jimenez restore Fulham’s lead with a side-footed effort after a late run to perfectly meet Harry Wilson’s pass.
Mexico international Jimenez then expertly flicked home a header from a free kick to make it 3-1 early in the second half, but Fulham allowed Luton to pull one back in the 55th minute when Alfie Doughty’s free kick crept along the ground and evaded a sloppy defence on its way into the net.
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Wilson struck the woodwork with a free kick of his own on the hour before reaping a reward for his efforts, and making it 4-2, with an accurate finish nine minutes later, after being set up by Traore.
The result allowed Fulham to move above Wolverhampton Wanderers, who lost at Liverpool, into 13th place. Luton finished third from bottom on 26 points, returning to the Championship after a single season in the top flight.
Spurs beat Blades 3-0 to finish fifth and qualify for Europa League
Sheffield United finished the season with the worst defensive record in Premier League history after it conceded 104 goals in 38 games. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Tottenham Hotspur beat Sheffield United 3-0 away at Bramall Lane in its final Premier League game of the season on Sunday to cement fifth place and qualify for the Europa League.
The result helped Spurs finish with 66 points, two points below fourth-placed Aston Villa and three points above fellow London side Chelsea.
Dejan Kulusevski netted twice with a goal in each half while Pedro Porro also scored with a thunderbolt which gave United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham no chance of making a save.
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The Blades, whose relegation was confirmed last month, finished the season with the worst defensive record in Premier League history after it conceded 104 goals in 38 games.
Wood double confirms Forest survival with win over Burnley
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany gestures, after the English Premier League match between Burnley and Nottingham Forest. | Photo Credit: AP
Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood scored two goals to secure a 2-1 victory at relegated Burnley as his side finished its Premier League season with a flourish at Turf Moor on Sunday.
There was an almost impossible mathematical chance Forest could have been relegated but it would have needed it to lose, Luton Town to beat Fulham and for there to be a 12-goal swing on the goal difference between the two sides.
None of those things happened and it was a comfortable end to the campaign for Forest, despite Josh Cullen pulling a goal back for Burnley with 18 minutes remaining.
Forest, who was docked four points for breaching Profit & Sustainability Rules, finished the season one place above the drop zone in 17th with 32 points from 28 games, six clear of Luton, while Burnley came second-bottom with 24 points.
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