Hull took the fall on the day Newcastle were saved by their 2-0 home win against West Ham United, but the biggest talk of town should be Liverpool’s continued tumble in the last third – the second they have gone through in two seasons.
Red-hot all season last year, the Super Reds were everyone’s form team and favourites for the title in their last five games of last season, but they still let slip their chance to land the crown for the first time in more than 20 years in just the similar way they failed to cling on to a European position this season.
Brendon Rogers’s side was already of the reckoning for a Uefa Champions League spot when they visited Stoke City on the last day of the season, but a 6-1 drubbing not only made sure they also slipped out of the Europa action, rather that they also became the biggest embarrassment of the day.
Stoke, who ended the season placed ninth on the log, are not one of the big sides of English soccer and such a result against them means preparations for the new season should begin early and earnestly for Rogers – should he manage to keep his job.
Already, there are calls for the side’s signing committee to beef up a team left ordinary by the departure of Uruguayan goal-getter, Louis Suarez for Barcelona last season. Those calls have been made worse by the rumoured departure of England forward Raheem Sterling to any of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City.
The 20-year-old still has a two-year-contract that Rogers hopes he will honour, but reading between the lines, the skilful striker could be a goner.
Last day results
24 May 38 FT Hull City 0:0 Manchester United 24 May 38 FT Leicester City 5:1 Queens Park Rangers 24 May 38 FT Arsenal 4:1 West Bromwich Albion 24 May 38 FT ManCity 2:0 Southampton
24 May 38 FT Aston Villa 0:1 Burnley
24 May 38 FT Newcastle Utd 2:0 West Ham United 24 May 38 FT Chelsea 3:1 Sunderland
24 May 38 FT Stoke City 6:1 Liverpool
24 May 38 FT Crystal Palace 1:0 Swansea City
24 May 38 FT Everton 0:1 Tottenham Hotspur
Post published in: Football