On the final day of a thrilling 10-match showdown, Mohamed Salah etched his name alongside two legends by matching an iconic record.
Manchester City needed just a single point to secure their Champions League place after a season without silverware. But Pep Guardiola’s side did more than enough, sealing a confident win in their final Premier League match. Over at another venue, Chelsea crushed Nottingham Forest’s dreams while claiming their own Champions League ticket.
The title race had wrapped up long ago, but spots in European competitions were still up for grabs. In a high-stakes final round with all 10 matches played simultaneously, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle United clinched their places in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool and Arsenal had already secured their Champions League tickets. Despite finishing low in the league standings, Tottenham Hotspur also qualified by winning the Europa League.
After 38 rounds, the champions finished on 84 points, with Arsenal trailing by 10 as runners-up.
Manchester City claimed third place with 71 points, Chelsea followed in fourth with 69, and Newcastle rounded out the top five with 66 points.
Five Teams Battled for Three Champions League Spots
Chelsea arguably faced the toughest test among the contenders. Their opponent, Nottingham Forest, was also chasing a UCL spot. In a tense away fixture, it took until the 50th minute for English defender Levi Colwill to break the deadlock and put Chelsea ahead.
Meanwhile, Manchester City dominated at Fulham’s ground, cruising to a 2–0 victory. İlkay Gündoğan opened the scoring in the 21st minute, and Erling Haaland doubled the lead in the 72nd.
Newcastle, however, stumbled at home, falling 1–0 to Everton. Argentine forward Carlos Alcaraz netted the lone goal in the second half. Despite the loss, Newcastle still booked a UCL berth thanks to favorable results elsewhere.
Salah’s Record Goal Caps Liverpool’s Title Celebration
After sealing the title with commanding performances, Liverpool seemed to lose momentum. That dip continued as they nearly lost again, this time at home to Crystal Palace. The Reds fell behind early and were later reduced to 10 men.
But they avoided defeat thanks to an 84th-minute strike from Mohamed Salah.
“Though he dipped slightly late in the season, Salah still finished as the league’s top scorer with 29 goals. He claimed the Golden Boot for the fourth time, tying Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.”
Earlier this season, Salah set another record for most goal involvements (goals + assists) in a 38-match Premier League season, surpassing the joint record of 44 held by Henry and Haaland.
“By scoring against Palace, the 32-year-old also matched another legendary stat—joining Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer with 47 goal involvements in a single 42-match Premier League season.”
After reaching one milestone and equaling another, Salah celebrated the title alongside his teammates. One standout moment was Trent Alexander-Arnold hoisting the trophy—marking the end of a remarkable two-decade chapter at Liverpool.
Wins for Arsenal and Manchester United
For Arsenal and Manchester United, there wasn’t much at stake on the final day.
Mikel Arteta’s men beat Southampton 2–1 on the road, ending the season strongly. Though they were in the title race, Arsenal ultimately finished far behind the champions.
For United, it was a rare moment of relief in a disappointing campaign. Having failed to win in their last eight league games (six losses and two draws), they finally tasted victory, beating Aston Villa 2–0 under Rubén Amorim.
This defeat crushed Villa’s Champions League hopes. With 66 points, they finished sixth and will play in the Europa League next season.
United’s win lifted them to 15th place, finishing with 42 points.
Relegated Clubs
Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton had already been relegated earlier in the season.
