Chelsea’s likely new owner watched Romelu Lukaku score his first Premier League points of 2022 before the team collapsed to draw 2-2 at Wolverhampton on Saturday, meaning they will still have to work to confirm their qualification for the Champions League.
Lukaku scored a brace in a span of two minutes at the start of the second half. The Belgian striker has struggled in his first season back with Chelsea after becoming the summer’s biggest signing for a record $135m.
Chelsea still have to finish the season in which they could return to the Champions League, but it is not confirmed yet.
Goals from Francisco Trincão in the 79th minute and Conor Coady’s header seven minutes into added time left Thomas Tuchel’s team in third place, four ahead of fourth-place Arsenal who face Leeds on Sunday.
WATFORD DESCENDS
Watford became the second team to be relegated in the Premier League after losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace.
Even if Roy Hodgson’s team had won at Selhurst Park, it was highly possible that they would be relegated. But saving him was no longer mathematically possible after Wilfried Zaha scored from a penalty in the 30th minute to confirm the score.
Hodgson, 74, will leave Watford, having failed in his short-term mission to prevent the team from immediately returning to the Championship.
The former England manager was hired in January after the club dropped to the bottom three positions and now sits penultimate, 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Norwich, which is last, was relegated last weekend.
OTHER RESULTS
Burnley’s relegation woes intensified following a 3–1 loss to Aston Villa for caretaker manager Mike Jackson’s first loss.
Steven Gerard’s Villa did Everton and Leeds a favor by destroying Burnley.
Everton are third from bottom and two points behind Burnley and Leeds in the fight not to be relegated.
Brentford scored two early goals in a 3-0 win over Southampton on Saturday and increased the team’s chance of finishing in the top half of the table in its first season in the Premier League.
It was the third loss in four games for Southampton, who are 15th.