Blackpool and Birmingham relegated in England
Sunday, May 22, 2011
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A dramatic final day of the season ended with Blackpool FC and Birmingham City FC joining West Ham United FC in being relegated, while Manchester City FC wrapped up third place.
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Blackpool FC and Birmingham City FC have been relegated from the Premier League on a dramatic final day of the season which was also marked by Manchester City FC finishing third.
Of the five teams in danger of losing their top-flight status at kick-off, Blackpool had the toughest fixture of all, at Manchester United FC. Having gone a goal up, the champions − who finish the campaign unbeaten at home − fell 2-1 behind but recovered to win 4-2. Michael Owen rounded off the scoring at Old Trafford with a neat finish from Anderson's through ball.
League Cup winners Birmingham, meanwhile, started the day outside the bottom three yet succumbed 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur FC, who have qualified for the UEFA Europa League in fifth. Blackpool and Birmingham finished a point shy of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, beaten 3-2 at home by relegation rivals Blackburn Rovers FC, and three behind Wigan Athletic FC, who hauled themselves out of trouble courtesy of a 1-0 triumph at Stoke City FC.
Elsewhere, Manchester City confirmed their place in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League group stage with a 2-0 defeat of Bolton Wanderers FC. Arsenal FC, in fourth, drew 2-2 with Fulham FC, who had Zoltán Gera dismissed after 74 minutes.
