Matchweek 38 of the 2022-23 EPL season, the league’s final day, saw Leeds and Leicester relegated, Everton survive and Aston Villa return to Europe.
Here’s how it looked for punters:
Leeds, Leicester go down
In the end, there was no movement at all in the relegation scrap. And by the finish, a torrid sFinal Day chaeason ends in disaster for Leeds and Leicester City.
Both clubs required victory on the final day of the EPL season to remain in the top flight, but both were relying on Everton losing to Bournemouth. Despite the chaos of final-day action where each match runs concurrently, by the conclusion none of it mattered for both teams as the Toffees ($1.61) secured a famous 1-0 win courtesy of a Abdoulaye Doucoure stunner.
“When Abdoulaye Doucoure’s goal went in, the stadium was shaking, the gantry was shaking like no gantry I’ve been on in my life.” – @GNev2 pic.twitter.com/TgCFzNfS8w
— 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 (@EvertonNewsFeed) May 28, 2023
The Foxes, at least, were in with a shot and ensured nails were being bitten all over Goodison Park after they defeated West Ham as marginal $2.09 favourites. For Leeds, though, they were never in the hunt, hammered 4-1 by Tottenham who were $11 at -2.0 pre-game. Prior to the EPL season kicking off, Leeds were $3.30 chances with Palmerbet to be relegated, with Brentford, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth all considered greater hopes of dropping down. All four of those clubs survived. Leicester, meanwhile, were $17 chances of going down. Except now, seven years after winning a fairytale EPL title, will be down in the second tier. It’s a remarkable fall from grace given the club’s resources.
Leicester are relegated from the Premier League.
Nobody saw that coming at the start of the season 😳 pic.twitter.com/tHYR0g8zTC
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 28, 2023
Villa back on the Continent
In far more joyful scenes, Aston Villa are back. More specifically, they’re back in Europe, after a 13-year absence. Villa ($1.89) needed victory over fellow Europe-bound Brighton ($3.81) on the final day of the season to secure seventh, which grants an English club a playoff spot in the third-tier Europa Conference League. After going up 2-0 inside the half-hour, Villa Park was suitably rocking. And while the Seagulls pegged one back to ensure some nervy second-half moments, the Claret and Blue secured a 2-1 win to seal their spot. After a poor start to the EPL season under Steven Gerrard which saw them with two wins from 11 games, Villa have been one of the most overachieving clubs in the second-half of the campaign thanks largely to Spaniard Unai Emery, who is in a strong position to lead the club deep into the Conference League next year.
The old place was rocking today, European football back at Villa Park under the lights is food for the soul.
UP THE EUROPEAN VILLA!! pic.twitter.com/2zgOAioF0L
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) May 28, 2023
Final day chaos
We’re used to seeing crazy results on the final day of the EPL season. And this year was no different. While the jeopardy was far lower given the title and Top 4 race had been sewn up, there was still some wild outcomes by the final whistle. Leading the charge was Southampton’s 4-4 draw with Liverpool, which few had on their bingo cards. In fact, that clash started at $19 for a total score of over 7.5.
Elsewhere, Arsenal filled their boots on the final day of the season to run out 5-0 victors over Wolves. The Gunners were $11 pre-game at -4.0. But perhaps most notably it was Brentford ($3.42) who snapped Manchester City’s 25-game unbeaten run to round out a hugely successful season. The West London club were $5.00 chances prior to the EPL season kicking off to finish inside the Top 10 but did so with ease, 14 points ahead of Crystal Palace in 11th.
Man City 1-2 Brentford
Brentford 1-0 Man CityBrentford are the only team to do the double over Manchester City in the Premier League this season 👊 pic.twitter.com/BhNkRVUctL
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 28, 2023