West Brom 1-3 West Ham, Spurs 1-2 Aston Villa: Premier League – as it happened
West Ham #WestHam
5.22pm EDT 17:22
That’s it for tonight’s bumper clockwatch. Thanks for your company and emails – I’ll leave you with some heartwarming news from Molineux. Goodnight!
Raúl Jiménez to return for Wolves next season after ‘remarkable recovery’
5.12pm EDT 17:12
The final scores
Home advantage still ain’t what it used to be.
5.08pm EDT 17:08
Full time: West Brom 1-3 West Ham
Peep peep! An excellent comeback from West Ham leaves them needing one more precious point to qualify for the Champions League. Tomas Soucek, Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio got the goals after Matheus Pereira had put West Brom ahead from a corner. It was an open, entertaining game, loads of fun for the neutral.
5.06pm EDT 17:06
Full time: Burnley 0-3 Liverpool
Liverpool’s third away win in seven days takes them into the top four for the first time in three months!
Burnley v Liverpool: Premier League – live!
5.04pm EDT 17:04
Burnley 0-3 Liverpool The margin of Liverpool’s win means their goal difference is now four better than Leicester, so it won’t be a factor on Sunday. Leicester need to better Liverpool’s result, it’s that simple. They play at home to Spurs, Liverpool are at home to Roy Hodgson.
5.03pm EDT 17:03
“Crap, crap, crap,” says Mary Waltz, who may or may be an Everton fan. “That’s all I have to say.”
Don’t take this the wrong way, but you could still qualify for the Europa Conference League.
5.02pm EDT 17:02
GOAL! West Brom 1-3 West Ham (Antonio 88)
Michail Antonio seals a priceless win for West Ham! Pablo Fornals led a three-on-two break and found Jesse Lingard 20 yards from goal. He played in Antonio, who crashed a first-time shot back across Sam Johnstone. Expertly done.
Michail Antonio scores the third for the Irons. Photograph: Getty Images
Updated at 5.08pm EDT
5.01pm EDT 17:01
GOAL! Burnley 0-3 Liverpool (Oxlade-Chamberlain 89)
Liverpool have now won seven and drawn two of their last nine games.
Burnley v Liverpool: Premier League – live!
4.59pm EDT 16:59
West Brom 1-2 West Ham Right, here’s the Premier League table as things stand. If it stays like this, West Ham will only need a point at home to Southampton to finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League. That would be a mighty achievement. If it does happen, the solitary Europa League Conference place will be between Spurs, Everton, Arsenal and Leeds. Admittedly Leeds would have to win by around 14 goals at home to West Brom and hope Spurs, Everton and Arsenal all lose, but it’s Leeds, I’m ruling nothing out.
Updated at 5.09pm EDT
4.57pm EDT 16:57
GOAL! West Brom 1-2 West Ham (Ogbonna 82)
Angelo Ogbonna puts West Ham into the lead! The resulting corner was swung to the far post by Cresswell, and Ogbonna stormed into the six-yard box and thumped a header into the ground that bounced up into the roof of the net. VAR does its best to disallowed it for handball but replays show it came only off his head and the goal stands
Ogbonna heads the Hammers in to the lead. Photograph: Getty Images
Updated at 5.02pm EDT
4.55pm EDT 16:55
West Brom 1-1 West Ham The substitute Jarrod Bowen cuts infield and plays a penetrative reverse pass to Fornald, whose shot on the run is kicked away by Johnstone. If West Ham do get a winner here they will only need a draw at home to Southampton on Sunday.
4.53pm EDT 16:53
Burnley 0-2 Liverpool I’ve just realised that Liverpool’s back four tonight (and for the past few games) have a combined shirt number of 185. The game’s gone!
4.50pm EDT 16:50
“Re: your (mis)fortune at having the duty of handling the Clockwatch on Sunday,” says Matt Burtz. “We as readers wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Both of you?
4.49pm EDT 16:49
West Brom 1-1 West Ham It’s end-to-end stuff at the Hawthorns, and West rom are having fun in front of their home fans. Hal Robson-Kanu hits a good shot from the edge of the area that is blocked by his teammate Matt Phillips. At the other end, Pablo Fornals shoots tamely at Johnstone after a surging run from Declan Rice.
The game is probably too open for David Moyes’ liking. He’d love to win but it’s not essential. It’s far more important that West Ham don’t concede, because that would mean a Europa League place is out of their hands.
4.44pm EDT 16:44
It’s still Burnley 0-2 Liverpool, with just under 20 minutes remaining at Turf Moor.
Burnley v Liverpool: Premier League – live!
4.39pm EDT 16:39
West Brom 1-1 West Ham Now Cresswell has hit the outside of the post with a terrific free-kick! He was a long way out, at least 35 yards, but Sam Johnstone was anticipating a cross and left a big gap at the near post. Cresswell almost found it.
4.37pm EDT 16:37
West Brom 1-1 West Ham Cresswell’s near-post corner is headed across goal and just wide by Soucek. Antonio almost got a touch inside the six-yard box as well. Soucek really is so dangerous at set pieces.
4.36pm EDT 16:36
West Brom 1-1 West Ham Just under half an hour remaining at the Hawthorns. If it stays like this, West Ham will be guaranteed a Europa League place if they beat Southampton at home on Sunday. If they lose, all bets are off.
4.32pm EDT 16:32
“It looks like it will be four of the Big Six in the Champions League despite the interlopers,” says Phil Haran. “In the end only Arsenal & Spurs need a Super League to get into the Champions League. Money always wins!”
I thought it was gravity?
4.25pm EDT 16:25
GOAL! Burnley 0-2 Liverpool (Phillips 52)
A lovely moment for Nat Phillips, one of the season’s unlikely heroes. He has scored his first goal for Liverpool, heading in emphatically from Sadio Mane’s cross. The win will move Liverpool into the top four, ahead of Leicester on goal difference. Only their beloved Roy Hodgson stands between Liverpool and a Champions League place next season.
Burnley v Liverpool: Premier League – live!
4.20pm EDT 16:20
West Brom 1-1 West Ham Matheus Pereira again tries to score from a right-wing corner! This time Randolph punches it unconvincingly onto the roof of the net. The referee had given a foul so it wouldn’t have counted. Or would it?
4.19pm EDT 16:19
Peep peep! The second halves are underway at the Hawthrosn (West Brom 1-1 West Ham) and Turf Moor (Burnley 0-1 Liverpool).
4.19pm EDT 16:19
“As things stand there will be six teams whose final day performance will decide the places in Europe,” says Mary Waltz. “Ulcer time this weekend!”
I pity the fool who is doing the Premier League clockwatch on Sunday. I’ll just check the rota and see which poor bugge- oh for eff’s sake.
4.17pm EDT 16:17
“Re: nobody wanting to be in the Europa Conference League,” begins Oliver. “Can I say that as a West Ham fan I’ll take any level of European football we can get. We’ve had enough rubbish seasons in recent memory that a European adventure – preferably one that goes beyond the qualifying rounds – would be nice whatever level it comes at.”
Yeah, I was being flippant really. I like the idea of the Conference League for the reasons you suggest – teams outside the elite deserve more chances of glory, because the traditional opportunities have largely been removed by the inequality of modern football. I just worry that it will become an unwanted prize for the weaker Big Six teams. And I wish they hadn’t called it the Europa Conference League, which is only marginally better than the Europa Afterthought League.
4.04pm EDT 16:04
Half times: Burnley 0-1 Liverpool, West Brom 1-1 West Ham
I’m going to bathe my eyes in something for 10 minutes, but I’ll be back for the start of the second halves.
Burnley v Liverpool: Premier League – live!
Updated at 4.05pm EDT
4.04pm EDT 16:04
West Brom 1-1 West Ham Scratch that, the Premier League have given the West Brom goal to Pereira. That’s fair enough as his corner was on target and you could certainly argue it was a shot.
4.02pm EDT 16:02
GOAL! West Brom 1-1 West Ham (Soucek 45+2)
For the second time this season, Tomas Soucek has scored at both ends. Said Benrahma did all the work, sliding a lovely cross that gave Soucek an open goal from four yards. He looked offside at first, and the VAR check went on forever, but replays showed he was this far behind Benrahma when the ball was played across.
Tomas Soucek scores the equaliser for the Hammers. Photograph: Ryan Browne/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
Updated at 4.20pm EDT
3.59pm EDT 15:59
GOAL! Burnley 0-1 Liverpool (Firmino 43)
John Brewin is your man for this one.
Burnley v Liverpool: Premier League – live!
3.55pm EDT 15:55
Full time: Crystal Palace 1-3 Arsenal
Peep peep! Arsenal’s late dash for Europe continues with their fourth successive league victory. They rode their luck in the second half before Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe scored in injury time to ruin Roy Hodgson’s last home game as Palace manager. Arsenal are now only one point behind Spurs, Everton and, as things stand, West Ham.
3.54pm EDT 15:54
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-3 Arsenal (Pepe 90+5)
It’s all over now! Pepe dances into the area, twists Tomkins inside out and guides a shot into the far corner. That’s a sensational solo goal from a player who has improved enormously in the last few months.
Nicolas Pepe makes it three for the Gunners. Photograph: Frank Augstein/PA
Updated at 4.02pm EDT
3.52pm EDT 15:52
Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal That goal moves Arsenal within a point of a Europa League place, never mind the Europa League Conference. Their last game is at home to Brighton on Sunday.
3.51pm EDT 15:51
Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal Roy Hodgson is muttering away to himself, wrestling with football vicissitudes one last time. Now he’s starting to grit his teeth in frustration. It probably won’t happen, but imagine if he calmly stuck the head on Arteta at the final whistle.
3.50pm EDT 15:50
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal (Martinelli 90+1)
The substitute Gabriel Martinelli has won it for Arsenal! He got the wrong side of Joel Ward to meet Martin Odegaard’s dangerous inswinging cross, looped the ball over Guaita and volleyed it into the empty net. There was a VAR check for handball but the goal stands!
Gabriel Martinelli puts the Gunners back in front. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Updated at 4.25pm EDT
3.46pm EDT 15:46
“Oh you glorious Baggies!!!” says Mary Waltz. “The fact that Everton fans have to rely on a relegated team to save their bacon is sad. If I had any pride or self respect I would refuse their charity. But since I don’t, I will take it.”
3.46pm EDT 15:46
Crystal Palace 1-1 Arsenal Three minutes plus added time remaining at Selhurst Park. If Arsenal don’t score, they will miss out on European football for the first time since 1995-96.
3.44pm EDT 15:44
West Brom 1-0 West Ham Matheus Pereira could be a great signing for someone this summer. He has oozed class and swagger in a relegated team, so imagine what he would be like with better players around him.
3.43pm EDT 15:43
GOAL! West Brom 1-0 West Ham (Soucek 27 og)
Another twist in the Europa Conference League plot! Matheus Pereira’s wicked inswinging corner brushes the head of Tomas Soucek and flies past Darren Randolph. The corner was on target so it might go down as Pereira’s goal.
Darren Randolph is beaten by Matheus Pereira’s corner. Photograph: Getty Images
Updated at 3.48pm EDT
3.41pm EDT 15:41
Crystal Palace 1-1 Arsenal At the other end, Chambers’ delicious cross is volleyed wide by Aubameyang. That was an excellent chance.
3.41pm EDT 15:41
Crystal Palace 1-1 Arsenal Palace continue to push for a winner. Jordan Ayew, on for Benteke, has a close-range header saved by Leno.
3.40pm EDT 15:40
“Right you are, Rob, regarding what Kane’s teary lap does and doesn’t prove,” says David Reynolds. “But I would say that when Levy digs in his much overrated heels, it is too ensure a high price, but rarely to actually keep the player who wishes to leave. Given our perilous financial straits, I think he will play it so that Kane’s price is as high as the market can stand; not a pound lower, but not a pound higher – I don’t see him deliberately pricing out all interested parties.”
As a Spurs fan you’ll know more than me, but didn’t he force Luka Modric to stay for an extra season? Part of the problem is that, because of Covid, nobody knows what the market can or should stand. There’s also the new manager to consider. But maybe you’re right, and it’s certainly hard to begrudge Kane a move.
3.33pm EDT 15:33
Crystal Palace 1-1 Arsenal Chambers makes a vital block from Zaha, who created the chance with a glorious first touch to kill a long ball forward.
3.29pm EDT 15:29
Crystal Palace 1-1 Arsenal Bernd Leno makes a fine save from an increasingly rampant Benteke. There’s a pulsating atmosphere at Selhurst Park.
3.26pm EDT 15:26
DECLAN RICE MISSES A PENALTY!
West Brom 0-0 West Ham I say ‘misses’, it happened about eight minutes ago but I can’t keep up with everything. So sue me! Michail Antonio was brought down by Sam Johnstone, and Rice smashed his penalty against the post.
Declan Rice thumps his spot kick against the base of the post. Photograph: Ryan Browne/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
Updated at 3.30pm EDT
3.22pm EDT 15:22
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Arsenal (Benteke 62)
Christian Benteke continues his brilliant recent form! It was a classic Benteke goal, a diving header from Andros Townsend’s free-kick that bounced up to beat the diving Leno. There was a long VAR check, both for offside and a push on Elneny, but the goal stands!
Christian Benteke scores the equaliser for the Eagles. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Updated at 3.30pm EDT