City celebrate title with Everton rout, Liverpool secure CL spot

Sergio Aguero signed off for Manchester City in style on Sunday, scoring twice in a 5-0 romp for the Premier League champions against Everton.

City’s record goalscorer, who is leaving the club after next week’s Champions League final, hit a quickfire double after coming off the bench with 25 minutes remaining.

His efforts added to earlier strikes from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Phil Foden as City showed no sign of letting up ahead of the showpiece clash against Chelsea in Porto.

Manager Pep Guardiola was in tears after the final whistle, describing Aguero as a “special person for all of us”.

“He helped me a lot,” the City boss said as fans celebrated in the stands. “We cannot replace him. There are many players at this club, Joe Hart and David Silva helped us to be this club, what it is.”

Everton were overwhelmed on an emotional occasion, with City presented with the Premier League trophy and fans returning to the stadium after 14 months away due to coronavirus restrictions.

It was the first chance for the supporters to salute the champions and acknowledge their European exploits.

Only 10,000 were permitted inside the Etihad but the atmosphere they generated inspired the team and few left before the post-match ceremonies, which included the club tributes to Aguero.

Everton formed a guard of honour to greet City onto the field and players from both sides then did likewise for Aguero.

Supporters would have to wait to see the Argentine in action, however.

The striker, having been troubled by injury in recent weeks, was not fit enough to play the full 90 minutes and had asked manager Pep Guardiola if he could start from the bench.

City, who were 3-0 up, sent on Aguero with just under half an hour remaining and he soon made his mark.

The Argentine made it 4-0 as he jinked through the area in the 71st minute and deftly flicked the ball past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with the outstep of his right boot.

He claimed his second, and City’s fifth, soon after as he leapt from the edge of the area to plant a header past Pickford from a Fernandinho cross.

He could even have had a hat-trick as he connected with another header but this time Pickford saved.

Liverpool and Chelsea seized the final two Champions League places in a dramatic end to the season, leaving Leicester heartbroken for the second consecutive campaign.

With Manchester City already guaranteed a third title in four years and Manchester United certain to finish second, the focus was on the battle for the final two places in the top four.

United ended their season without losing an away match as they beat Wolves 2-1 at Molineux. With one eye on next week’s Europa League final and with second place in the table secure, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rested the majority of his key players against a Wolves side playing under coach Nuno Espirito Santo for the final time.

Heading into the 38th and last round of fixtures, just one point separated Chelsea in third place from Leicester in fifth.

Two Sadio Mane goals gave Liverpool a 2-0 win at home to Crystal Palace while Thomas Tuchel’s side were indebted to a late Leicester collapse against Tottenham at the King Power Stadium.

Chelsea lost 2-1 at Aston Villa but were saved by the 4-2 defeat for Brendan Rodgers’ FA Cup winners.

Liverpool, hit by a string of injuries and dogged by inconsistent form earlier this season, have been impressive down the home stretch, winning eight out of their last 10 games to seal their spot in Europe’s premier club competition.

Chelsea, last week’s beaten FA Cup finalists, will be hugely relieved that Tottenham did them a favour, with their season threatening to unravel in the final weeks.

They can now face Manchester City in the Champions League final without the added pressure of needing to win to qualify for next season’s competition.

Leicester, forced to settle for a Europa League spot, also missed out on the top four on the final day of last season when they were beaten by Manchester United.

West Ham also secured a Europa League spot by beating Southampton 3-0 while Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United had already been relegated.

Agencies