The final day of the Premier League season ended with Chelsea fans relieved and Leicester fans crushed with Champions League places finalized.
With the title in Manchester City’s hands and the relegation spots already filled, Championship Sunday in the Premier League was all about Champions League places.
Coming into the day, Chelsea, Liverpool and Leicester City were in a three-team race for just two spots.
When all was said and done, Liverpool clinched comfortably with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. Things got significantly more dramatic for the other two.
Chelsea was on the outside looking in while losing to Aston Villa. Leicester had Champions League in their grasp with a 2-1 lead over Tottenham. Then an own goal by Kasper Schmeichel and a Gareth Bale brace in the final minutes ended their hopes.
Premier League: Tottenham became Leicester’s nemesis and Chelsea’s hero
There was a huge sigh of relief for Thomas Tuchel’s side and Chelsea fans thanks to Leicester’s misfortune, which put them through to fourth place despite a 2-1 loss.
Bale was the real MVP for Chelsea
Gareth Bale heading into the Chelsea dressing room after securing them Champions League football...pic.twitter.com/PIJHn9NmtZ
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) May 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/youneshh/status/1396516658706059268?s=20
Leicester fans were left looking around and wondering what happened.
242 - Leicester ended more days in the Premier League’s top four than any other side this season and yet failed to finish inside the top four places (242 days). Unlucky.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 23, 2021
Leicester going for the top four... pic.twitter.com/YqsNmlB7C2
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) May 23, 2021
Aston Villa gave them everything they needed.
Aston Villa to Leicester City: pic.twitter.com/Pre9hh6HLM
— Lucky star. (@ssubissekimuli) May 23, 2021
Opposing fans had fun at Leicester’s expense.
Just how Leicester City bottled top 4 again. 🥶#CitiSports pic.twitter.com/f5ym2XoJQv
— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) May 23, 2021
Leicester were in the top four for 254 days, the most of any side in the league this season, but ended up missing out.
— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) May 23, 2021
Liverpool fans: pic.twitter.com/hVcHj25pBS
Brendan Rodgers when Leicester have the chance to get Top 4 pic.twitter.com/thIAMQzeKn
— Manny 🪮 (@44Manny_) May 23, 2021
Two months ago, when I said, Brendan Rodgers & Leicester City would bottle the UCL position and Liverpool would qualify pic.twitter.com/3alnRjw4RK
— Babawo Menama (@aiholma) May 23, 2021
While Chelsea and Leicester were the center of attention, Arsenal didn’t escape the trolling.
#PremierLeague
— Ọ̀gágun Che Àlàó Guvera (@Great_Kamil) May 23, 2021
What are you fighting for?
Liverpool: Top 4
Chelsea: Top 4
Leicester: Top 4
Arsenal: pic.twitter.com/BhEY1naMBY
Champions League: Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea
— Chukwuemeka 🇳🇬 (@ChuxEkere) May 23, 2021
Europa League: Leicester, West Ham
Europa Conference: Tottenham
Social Media League: Arsenal pic.twitter.com/02DFh9hfZp
The 2020-21 Premier League season finished with Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea in the Champions League places atop the table. Leicester will have to once again take the Europa League as a consolation prize.
It was an exciting way to end an unusual league campaign played largely in empty stadiums. The only thing left to do is settle the Champions League Final in Porto between Chelsea and Manchester City.