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With a 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Sunday at the Goodison Park Stadium, Everton escaped relegation on the penultimate day of the Premier League.
As the Toffees battled out the game’s last minutes with their hopes of making the Premier League on the line, Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the game-winning goal.
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Sean Dyche’s players knew they needed to win at Goodison Park on Sunday in order to save their status in the Premier League, but the apprehensive hosts struggled to outplay their adversary in a tight first half.
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The roof of the storied old stadium was raised in the 57th minute when Doucoure stepped up with what turned out to be the decisive winner as the crowd’s patience was wearing thin and other results was not going their way.
Even though there were many times for the home crowd to be concerned about late on, Everton managed to hang on to complete the season in 17th place, two points ahead of Leicester City in 18th.
Leicester and Leeds United, who took the heaviest hit from relegation, will compete in the EFL Championship in 2019. Only four teams in the English top flight—including Leicester, the 2015–16 Premier League champion—have been promoted, league champions, and subsequently relegated all within a 10-year span.
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The Foxes took the lead in the 34th minute thanks to a goal from Barnes, and then added a second through a header from Wout Faes in the 62nd, but by that time the audience had realized that Everton had taken the lead, so the celebrations were muted.
West Ham’s Pablo Fornals scored a goal in the 79th minute, but Everton’s victory rendered the outcome irrelevant, and the Leicester supporters applauded and wept at the final whistle.
Tottenham Hotspur defeated Leeds 1-4 at Elland Road, sending Leeds out of the league as a result. Harry Kane scored twice for the visitors. After spending the previous three seasons in the top division, it is returning to the Championship.
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Spurs, which finished eighth and missed out on a spot in the UEFA Conference League, also had goals from Pedro Porro and Lucas Moura. Leeds received a consolation from Jack Harrison.
