LIverpool Win to take second spot 
Liverpool beat nine-man Newcastle to finish the season on a high note, but their hopes of a first league title in 24 years were dashed as Manchester City beat West Ham to be crowned champions. The Reds started the day trailing City by two points with a far inferior goal difference,
meaning they needed to beat Newcastle and hope City lost at home to the Hammers.
Liverpool did their job as Daniel Agger and Daniel Sturridge converted Steven Gerrard free-kicks to cancel out Martin Skrtel's first-half own-goal.But the result at Etihad Stadium rendered that irrelevant and Brendan Rodgers's team were forced to settle for second place.
They can, however, comfort themselves with the knowledge they defied expectations by even challenging for the title,
and
passed 100 league goals for only the second time in their history.And with Champions League football returning for the first time since 2009-10, there is renewed belief the good times could be coming back to Anfield.
It a position Newcastle can only dream of; they squandered a first-half advantage to finish 10th,
with Shola Ameobi and Paul Dummett sent off, and fans calling for manager Alan Pardew to depart.Liverpool's fans arrived more in hope than expectation, once again lining Anfield Road to greet the team bus and
belting out an ear-splitting rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone before kick-off.
But the Reds appeared nervous from the outset - careless in possession and weak in the challenge - and Newcastle took advantage.
Ameobi, out of contract in the summer after 13 years at St James's Park, signalled the threat with an early header.
Liverpool probed through Jordan Henderson, back from a three-game ban that many feel derailed his side's title charge,
before a quickly-taken free-kick by Luis Suarez was disallowed.
Moments later, Yoan Gouffran broke clear on the left and delivered a cross that Skrtel sliced past Simon Mignolet -
to the disbelief of most inside the ground but the delight of Newcastle supporters, who had been voicing their disapproval for Pardew.
Gouffran twice came close to doubling the visitors' lead as Liverpool produced one of their worst halves of football all season.
When they finally mustered some momentum, the out-of-sorts Suarez shot tamely at Tim Krul and Sturridge headed off target from a superb position.
News of City's opening goal against West Ham barely registered with the Liverpool fans - their own team's performance was of greater concern -
and their afternoon suffered another setback when left-back Jon Flanagan was forced off at half-time.
City's second at Etihad Stadium seemed to coincide with a dropping of heads,
but Rodgers sent Philippe Coutinho on in place of Joe Allen, and his side scored twice in the space of as many minutes.
Gerrard was the provider from almost identical positions, his first free-kick met with a back-post volley by a recalled Agger and the second poked in by Sturridge.
The atmosphere was transformed, the name of Rodgers ringing out as he applauded all four sides of the ground,
and Liverpool's path to victory was eased by two yellow cards in quick succession for Ameobi and a straight red for substitute Dummett following a rash challenge on Suarez.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27273390
English Premier League: Luis Suarez wins the golden boot 
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has finished the season on a high inspite of losing out on the title as Manchester City were crowned champions of England. And, his performance this season is the reason behind that. Suarez has been scoring goals for fun this season,
and even if Liverpool don’t turn out to win anything at the end of the season, Suarez’s effort towards the team has been nothing short of brilliant.
He has started 32 matches this season, bagging 31 goals and 12 assists. He is followed by team-mate Daniel Sturridge who has 20 goals to his name. Sturridge is the second English striker to have scored 20 or more goals in a single season since 2010 after Wayne Rooney.
http://www.sportskeeda.com/football/english-premier-league-luis-suarez-wins-the-golden-boot/
Premier League: Tottenham beat Aston Villa 3-0 to secure Europa League football 
Tottenham beat Manchester United to a place in next season's Europa League after an easy win over Aston Villa.Paulinho cut through the heart of the Villa defence to shoot past Brad Guzan to put Spurs in early control.Nathan Baker headed Danny Rose's cross past his own goalkeeper before Emmanuel Adebayor scored from the spot.Spurs finished the season in sixth place, three points shy of their total last term, in what could be boss Tim Sherwood's last game in charge.Despite finishing five points clear of Manchester United,
uncertainty surrounds Sherwood's future as the club has been linked with several replacements for next season.
Sherwood has likened his status to that of a "supply teacher", enhanced by claims from midfielder Sandro this week that his manager would depart in the summer.
Yet with the Brazilian player in the starting line-up, Spurs did not look like a side with a lack of respect for their manager,
as Sherwood had stated, and the game was as good as over by half-time with all the goals coming before the break.
The result did little to enhance the prospects of Villa manager Paul Lambert,
who also faces uncertainty after another inconsistent season where his side finished 15th, only five points above the drop zone.
Villa only secured their Premier League status with two games left and with American owner Randy Lerner
set to make an announcement about his role in the club, both clubs could be set for a summer of upheaval.
It took 20 minutes before Villa threatened the hosts' goal and by that stage they could have been three goals behind.
Harry Kane had twice gone close before Paulinho opened the scoring after 14 minutes.
The Brazilian, who unlike compatriot Sandro has been selected in his national team's World Cup squad,
strode through the Villa defence and collected Gylfi Sigursson's pass before beating Guzan at a second attempt.
Shorn of the injured Christian Benteke, Villa lacked any purpose going forward and they went further behind when Baker headed into his own net.
It got worse before the interval. After a corner was cleared,
Sandro's shot caught Gabriel Agbonlahor's arm and referee Jonathan Moss had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Adebayor dispatched his kick from 12 yards for his 14th goal of the season.
The second half was a damp squib in comparison but in a rare moment of action Fabian Delph fired wide after 57 minutes following Villa's best move of the match.
Sherwood and Sandro exchanged a friendly hug after the midfielder was substituted and there was a scare for American goalkeeper Guzan after a collision with Kane.
Whether Sherwood will be smiling when his future is discussed with chairman Daniel Levy remains to be seen.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27273512[ 此帖被羅力亞在2014-05-12 01:19重新編輯 ]
