West Ham stays up but Spurs loss raises United’s Euro hopes
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WEST Ham United guaranteed its English Premier League survival with a 2-0 win over 10-man Tottenham Hotspur yesterday in a London derby which took the pressure off Hammers manager Sam Allardyce.
Younes Kaboul was dismissed in the 25th minute with a straight red card for taking down last man Stewart Downing. Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who prevented a far bigger defeat with a string of brilliant saves, then stopped a powerful free kick from Andy Carroll. But West Ham went ahead from the resulting corner by Mark Noble when Harry Kane accidentally headed in Carroll’s header in the 27th minute.
Downing made it 2-0 in the 44th at Upton Park with a low free kick after the Spurs wall voluntarily disintegrated when Paulinho and Emmanuel Adebayor left an embarrassingly large gap.
West Ham continued strongly after the interval as Mohamed Diame’s overhead kick produced an exquisite save from Lloris, who did well to stop Kevin Nolan scoring the follow-up.
The Spurs goalkeeper’s one-man stand continued as Carroll flicked the ball to Nolan, with the goalkeeper bravely spreading himself to block the shot.
Fit again and returning to form, Carroll is making a late bid for inclusion in England’s World Cup squad. He was substituted to a loud ovation in the 84th.
It was an unprecedented third win for West Ham over Tottenham in one season to ensure survival and heap further pressure on Spurs boss Tim Sherwood.
Tottenham’s defeat opens the door for Manchester United to claim the sixth spot and a Europa League place. United was hosting fourth-bottom Sunderland later yesterday.
Two games in hand
United has two games in hand on Spurs and a vastly superior goal difference, meaning that it can guarantee European football at Old Trafford next season by winning its three remaining games.
Currently under the interim stewardship of player-coach Ryan Giggs, United hosts Hull City on Tuesday before closing the campaign with a trip to Southampton.
Yesterday’s headline game was Everton’s home fixture with Manchester City, which can take over from Liverpool at the top of the table on goal difference with victory at Goodison Park.
Liverpool’s 0-2 loss at home to Chelsea last weekend means that City will effectively be assured of winning the title — barring an improbable goal difference swing — if it wins its last three fixtures.
Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion pinched the final place in the English Championship (second tier) playoffs after Leo Ulloa’s 90th-minute winner gave it a 2-1 victory at Nottingham Forest.
Oscar Garcia’s side came from behind to beat Forest as Brighton finished sixth on 72 points, a point ahead of Reading which drew 2-2 at home against promoted Burnley.
Brighton, which has never played in the Premier League, will play third-placed Derby County over two legs in the playoff semifinal, while Queens Park Rangers faces Wigan Athletic in the other semi. The final will be held at Wembley Stadium on May 24.
Champion Leicester City, which finished the season on 102 points, condemned Doncaster Rovers to relegation with a 1-0 victory, although Birmingham City needed to stage a late two-goal comeback to draw 2-2 at Bolton Wanderers and stay up on goal difference.
Birmingham appeared to be heading for the third tier until Nikola Zigic, on 78 minutes, and then a stoppage-time header from Paul Caddis saved the Blues.
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