London: Hull City were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday after drawing 0-0 at home to Manchester United on a final day of the season marked by high-profile departures.
Hull, beaten FA Cup finalists last season, needed to beat United to stand any chance of staying up, but their failure to do so left them three points adrift of safety. Newcastle United were the only other team at risk of relegation, but they secured their top-flight status with a 2-0 victory at home to West Ham United.
At Hull, Manchester United were without on-loan striker Radamel Falcao and injured goalkeeper David de Gea, heavily linked with Real Madrid, meaning both may have played their final games for the club.
Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard scored in vain on a wretched final appearance for Liverpool as Brendan Rodgers’s side sank to a humiliating 1-6 defeat at Stoke City.
Liverpool nevertheless qualified for the Europa League alongside Tottenham Hotspur, who won 1-0, courtesy of Harry Kane’s 21st goal of the league campaign and 31st in all competitions.
Gerrard’s former England teammate Frank Lampard also found the net in his final game before leaving England for the United States, but he scored in a winning cause as Manchester City beat Southampton 2-0.
The 36-year-old midfielder, who is due to join New York City, converted a cross from James Milner in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, with Sergio Aguero scoring his 26th goal of the campaign in the 88th minute.
Another departing Premier League stalwart, Didier Drogba, was carried off the pitch by his teammates after injuring himself in the early stages of Chelsea’s 3-1 win at home to Sunderland. In the day’s other game, Crystal Palace beat Swansea City 1-0.
