Well Lineker has taken his bow from Match of the Day and with his goodbye comes my own from this blog. Thank you for joining us throughout the day for all the Premier League action and for the presenter’s final MOTD. Of course this is not where the football action ends this season with the Conference and Champions League left to be decided. Do join us for live coverage of those. For now, see you soon and catch up on Lineker’s final appearance below:

This is a nice feature to reflect on Lineker’s time at MOTD:

Shearer says “well done mate” and they embrace. It fades to black and then Bocelli sings over highlights from this Premier League season.

Lineker says: “For the final time here is the Premier League table. But I can’t find a copy so you will have to read it for yourselves. Liverpool won the league, you can see the teams who qualified for the Champions League. One of the teams going down is Leicester which is not how I wanted to finish it.” The big speech coming now.

Bocelli has sent Lineker a message, the singer who sang when Leicester won the Premier League. He wishes him all the best.

Hansen added: “We had so many good laughs and we worked with so many great people. We weren’t bad on that programme at all.” Wraps up the VT. Shearer says Lineker has been in charge of MOTD for 3,428 days. Richards hands him a MOTD cap and he has a Golden Boot. Lineker is visibly emotional.

Ian Wright added: “What Gary Lineker means to me. Someone I admire so much, someone who has helped me so much in the punditry game. I was fortunate enough to do it alongside him and now I am lucky enough to call him my friend.”

Now tributes pour in from around the football world. Pep Guardiola, Claudio Ranieri and Virgil van Dijk among those to say well done.

Richards said: “I was in awe, I was a little bit star stick as well. His greatest strength is he is the calmest person in the room.”

Hansen added: “Nothing seemed to phase him.”

Shearer said: “On air he is professional but off air he is kind and generous.”

Lineker’s family are also included in the VT, surely he will be emotional watching this.

Peter Shilton said: “You are the one person I could rely on on and off the pitch.”

And Paul Gascoigne added: “You were always there for me.”

Alan Hansen, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards are among those speaking to camera about Lineker.

Shearer says: “He loves it, it means the world to him.”

Now Shearer says: “Gary for the first time in 26 years it is time for you to take a back seat. We couldn’t let you go without saying a proper goodbye.” They then run a VT of Lineker’s highlights alongside tributes from his fellow pundits.

Lineker chooses Mitouma’s strike as the goal of the season, he says “his finish is exquisite”. The presenter had to choose after the public narrowed it to a top three and Shearer and Richards couldn’t choose.

Confirmation for the worst season for the newly promoted teams ever, as reported on MOTD. The gap is getting a bit bigger there. Now for goal of the season.

Catch up on that report:

“Well it had to be Leicester last didn’t it?” says Lineker. The star came through the academy at Leicester before having a seven-year senior stint at the side, making over 190 appearances.

Now we are travelling to Ipswich, a recap of that game:

Ed Aarons was at St Mary’s for this encounter:

“Don’t you think he would look good in a black and white shirt?” questions Shearer as he hints he wants Bryan Mbeumo to join Newcastle. We now move to Southampton, who took on Arsenal.

Will Unwin was in Wolverhampton for that game, catch up here:

“I think he will,” Richards says on if Ange Postecoglou will still be Tottenham manager next season. Now we move to Wolves.

Now we are heading to Tottenham, David Hytner was there for the Guardian earlier today if you need a recap:

Slot also paid tribute to Lineker’s time at MOTD: “Thank you for being such a great presenter of a show that I have watched many times in Holland and as I have [living here]. I liked that I got to give you a Liverpool shirt instead of the other club you played for.” Lineker looked really touched by the sentiment from the Liverpool boss.

Lineker spoke to Arne Slot post-match and the Liverpool manager said: “Today was special… There is still a date to look forward to which is tomorrow where we can celebrate with our fans in the city.”

Is it just me who gets emotional watching football celebrations? No matter the team, I find myself welling up.

Andy Hunter was at Anfield earlier for the trophy lift:

MOTD taking us through which goals could be crowned the score of the season now. Among them the stunners from Jhon Duran and Omar Marmoush. But no winner revealed yet, that’ll come a little later. Now we go to Anfield.

Richards jokes that Shearer said he wasn’t happy Sunderland were promoted back to the Premier League in the green room but Shearer says on the show he is happy they are back. Queue the studio laughs.

Liam Searle has emailed and said: “It’s a bad answer for a ‘best moment’, but I think one of the things that makes it hard is that he’s done an impressively consistent job for so long at a genuinely impressive level. Presenting in boxers in 2016 to just covering a set of matches on a random November, he still made games interesting and enjoyable to watch.

“I’m 28 and so was too young to ever see Des Lynam host the show, but I know how much people look back fondly at his time in the role. I really think I’ll feel the same way about Gary’s 26-year stint.

“As an aside while watching the show, whatever people make of the refereeing with the non-goal for Villa, the goalkeeping was much worse. I do not understand how he couldn’t get control of the ball.”

We are back in the studio and of course we focus on United v Villa with that controversial decision on Villa’s potential goal. Shearer says: “They are absolutely raging and rightly so. Once the ref has blown, VAR can’t intervene. The ramifications [are clear to be seen]. Morgan Rogers has every right. I understand the anger, I really do.”

And Richards adds: “If you look the goalkeeper is not in control. He has made a mistake, Rogers has pounced on it and it should have been a goal.”

And again we move on to another game, this time Manchester United v Aston Villa:

Well, this is quite the Lineker story from Ed Tristram: “France 98 I was living in Paris and I went down to the AA building at place de la Concorde for the chance to get a signature. I arrived. Des Lynam came out, signature obtained, followed by Ally McCoist signature obtained then came Gary Lineker.

“He stopped to sign my book, my cigarette in one hand. As I passed him by autograph book to sign, my hand with said cigarette in it drifted down to his waist and woosh I’d burnt a hole in his silk shirt (all the rage late 90s). He signed Gary and the letter L and the looked at me in disgust and walked off. To date I only have his partial signature.”

Before any punditry on that game, we are over to Nottingham Forest v Chelsea. The report is here: Before kick-off, a giant banner dangled from the upper tier of the Trent End, an oversized mock brown tourist sign. “Destination: Europe,” it read. Below that, a flag of a camper van with Nottingham Forest scarves flickering out of the windows.

A report recap for you: For quite a while the defiant brilliance of Everton’s Jordan Pickford and the attacking excellence of Carlos Alcaraz threatened to derail Newcastle’s Champions League ambitions.

Ultimately, Aston Villa’s defeat at Manchester United enabled Eddie Howe’s team to stumble into Europe’s showpiece competition on goal difference but this reminder of their fallibility served as a warning that the St James’ Park squad could do with some significant reinforcement.

Lineker starts on the penalty and Shearer says: “I would be fascinated to see why he gave away the penalty last week… Normality resumed but he has missed three this season so maybe that was on his mind last week.”

And on City’s form and players, Richards added: “I think the players they have now have a part to play bu they aren’t reaching the numbers former players [were hitting].” Now we are off to Newcastle.

A recap of that match is here, read the full report below: With 20 minutes gone at Craven Cottage, and with Fulham yet to muster anything even the most creative observer could describe as an attack, Ilkay Gündogan scored a thrillingly explosive goal to draw any real sense of sting from this final-day stroll in the south-west London sun.

Before the music we all know from our childhoods, the BBc show highlights from Gary Lineker’s career. Match of the Day is getting started and for the last time with Lineker as the presenter, he began back in 1999. Any favourite Lineker MOTD moments? Email me and let me know.

A recap of today’s results before Match of the Day gets underway:

• Bournemouth 2-0 Leicester

• Fulham 0-2 Man City

• Ipswich 1-3 West Ham

• Liverpool 1-1 Crystal Palace

• Man Utd 2-0 Aston Villa

• Newcastle 0-1 Everton

• Nottm Forest 0-1 Chelsea

• Southampton 1-2 Arsenal

• Tottenham 1-4 Brighton

• Wolves 1-1 Brentford

Here is some more background on Gary Lineker’s BBC exit:

Touches of class abounded at Anfield. There was the impromptu guard of honour that Liverpool gave ­Crystal ­Palace in recognition of their historic FA Cup win and the tumultuous reception that meant everything to Trent ­Alexander-Arnold as he stepped on to the podium to collect one final medal with his boyhood club. Most ­poignantly and appropriately, there was the sight of Alan Hansen passing the Premier League trophy to Virgil van Dijk. A weight of history passed between two great Liverpool captains as well. Read the full report:

It is a scenario straight from the footballing world. A public falling out, leading to a star player becoming a free agent. From the moment Gary Lineker’s hastened departure from the BBC was announced this week, after he apologised for amplifying a social media post with antisemitic connotations, speculation began over his next move. In truth, however, the 64-year-old had already been thinking about his plans beyond the broadcaster. Read the full piece:

I will still be reflecting some reaction from today’s Premier League action but some attention will now be turned to the Match of the Day as it is the final episode with Gary Lineker at the helm.

On 73 minutes here came a moment that Aston Villa argued afterwards might have cost them the bumper prize of Champions League football next season and its lucrative cash injection of millions, and which promoted an official complaint about why Thomas Bramall and not a more experienced referee was in charge. Read the full report:

It was a day of farewells at Molineux where Bryan Mbeumo and Marshall Munetsi exchanged goals in an entertaining draw. Wolves supporters got to potentially watch Matheus Cunha for one final time in gold before his likely summer departure, while Brentford said goodbye to the chances of European football. Read the full report:

“Without wanting to annoy Hammers supporters,” David Wall gingerly says. “Why is there so little talk of Jarrod Bowen when it comes to transfer speculation? A few years ago there was some talk about him going to Liverpool but since then his name is rarely mentioned. Yet he is the ideal wide forward, both hard working and genuinely productive in terms of goals and assists. I expect his statistics match up well against any of the players in a similar position at clubs like Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United, etc. Is it as much about who is in fashion as it is about who would make a sensible signing?”

It is slightly perplexing that he isn’t linked with other clubs, given he has started to break into the England team as well. It could be because the Hammers have not had the greatest league season? Who knows? But I think West Ham supporters will happily keep Jarrod as one of their own.

With 20 minutes gone at Craven Cottage, and with Fulham yet to muster anything even the most creative observer could describe as an attack, Ilkay Gündogan scored a thrillingly explosive goal to draw any real sense of sting from this final-day stroll in the south-west London sun.

A fun fact for you, Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo is the first player for the club’s men’s team to start every Premier League game since Cesar Azpilicueta in the 2018/19 campaign.

This was the kind of end‑of‑season match where there was almost as much interest in what was happening in the stands as on the pitch. Banned from the touchline after picking up a suspension against Newcastle last week, Mikel Arteta was seen deep in conversation with the Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke throughout as Kieran Tierney signed off with a goal before he returns to Celtic and Martin Ødegaard broke Southampton’s hearts with a late winner. Read the full report:

Before kick-off, a giant banner dangled from the upper tier of the Trent End. It was an oversized brown tourist sign. “Destination: Europe,” it read. Below that, a flag of a camper van with Nottingham Forest scarves flickering out of the windows. For Forest, all roads from here lead to the Europa Conference League and not the Champions League, which Chelsea will play in next season after two years away. First, however, for Enzo Maresca and Chelsea, is a trip to Wroclaw, a final against Real Betis, in the competition Forest will grace for the first time next season. Read the full report:

Wolves manager Vitor Pereira told the BBC: “Very proud of my players, the club and our supporters.

“We wanted to finish with a win, but it was not possible in a good game with chances for both sides. It was a game we could win, but [Brentford] could have won also.

“We lost two positions [in the table]. I’m not happy with this, but I’m very happy with what we’ve achieved this season since we arrived.

“After the City game, we committed some mistakes that were not usual. Sometimes it looks like we’re not focused in those moments. We’ve conceded some goals that we cannot concede.”

Brighton wanted to lock down eighth place to give themselves hope of a Uefa Conference League finish. They got the result thanks to a pair of Jack Hinshelwood goals, a penalty from the substitute, Matt O’Riley, and a cracker from another replacement, Diego Gómez. Sadly for them, it would not be enough in terms of the European picture, results elsewhere not falling for them. Read the report:

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has reacted to his team securing third and he speaks in the third person as he does so: “This club has to play in the Champions League, I have to play in the Champions League, Pep has to manage the team in the Champions League, so it’s important and we’re relieved now to be there because it’s been a hard and difficult season. We’re really happy.

“We came back after a really difficult period and we’ve been working through it together. It’s not been easy but we’ve shown great character. In the end we’ve come third and we’re relieved, we’re really happy. We’re focused on going into the Club World Cup in good shape and to attack that.”

For quite a while the defiant brilliance of Everton’s Jordan Pickford and the attacking excellence of Carlos Alcaraz threatened to derail Newcastle’s Champions League ambitions. Ultimately, Aston Villa’s defeat at Manchester United enabled Eddie Howe’s team to stumble into Europe’s showpiece competition on goal difference but this reminder of their fallibility served as a warning that the St James’ Park squad could do with some significant reinforcement. Read full report:

This is Bournemouth’s best-ever Premier League season, but somehow it has not felt like it lately. As recently as the end of February, they were fifth in the league, eyes firmly fixed on the Champions League places. But just two wins from 12 games before the visit of relegated Leicester extinguished any hope of a first European campaign for the Cherries next season. Read the full report:

Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes told Sky on finding out the club had secured Champions League football: “I realised that we were going with the supporters. We celebrated and then I asked the bench and it was 2-0 to Manchester United. It’s a strange feeling because for me, we should win this game, we should win. It was not beautiful, but everything you work for is when you get Champions League.”

Ipswich bid farewell to their Premier League status after just one year back in the top flight with defeat against West Ham in the final game of the season at Portman Road… It was Ipswich’s ninth consecutive defeat in their dismal season and they won just four games, three away – at Tottenham, Wolves and Bournemouth – and just one at home against Chelsea. Meanwhile, West Ham’s season finished with them in 14th place. Read the full report:

We have a winner on the quiz question and I have to admit I did try and throw you off. I said Mo Salah equalled a player’s record but it was players. Kurt, with the winning answer, says: “The only other players to equal Salah for most goal contributions in a Premier League season are Andrew Cole in 1993/94 with Newcastle United and Alan Shearer om 1994/95 with Blackburn Rovers.”

“Was it the Southampton or Ipswich keeper?” Will Cook jokes in response to the Salah record-equalling question. “Honk! Thanks as ever for you and your colleagues excellent work this season. Same again in 75 days or so?”

Very good Will, very good. But yes we will see you again for the league action. But the football season isn’t yet over, there is more European titles to be decided.

Mo Salah hasn’t had a bad season, has he? As well as winning the Premier League and collecting the Golden Boot he has also equalled the record for the most goal involvements across a 38-game season with 47. Can anyone name the other player to achieve the feat? Let me know via email – sarah.rendell.casual@guardian.co.uk

But speaking of the Golden Boot, winner Mo Salah has been speaking after the Reds lifted the Premier League trophy earlier today. He told Sky: “It’s incredible. Last time we did not have the chance to lift the [Premier League] trophy in front of the Kop, today we have the chance.

“It is an incredible feeling. For this club it is incredible. Winning the second one with the fans in Anfield, especially the Spurs game [when the title was sealed], you can see [what it means].

A lot of chat has been focused on the Golden Boot today with Mo Salah adding another goal to his tally for this season before lifting the trophy. But the Golden Glove was also decided and it was shared. Arsenal’s David Raya and Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels both won the accolade, both keeping 13 clean sheets this season. Selz told Sky: “It’s a big achievement so I’m really happy but not only for me but for the team. it means we had a great season, almost the whole season on a Champions League spot. Sadly we couldn’t finish it today but we need to be proud of the season we’ve had. We will play in Europe.

“When I came last year, I came in a difficult situation. This kind of achievement is always from the team. It’s the same if a striker scorers a lot of goals.”

Leicester City’s Ruud van Nistelrooy has had the rumour mill whirring with question marks over his future at the club. After the club’s 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, their final game in the Premier League for now with their relegation confirmed earlier this season, the manager said he hopes to speak to club bosses next week.

When asked if he wanted to stay, he told the BBC: “I would like to talk and that’s the first thing that needs to happen. It’s been silent and it’s something towards the end of the season and get things done with and then I expect to hear something.”

Thank you Rob, another impressive innings for the 2024/25 Premier League season. Your watch is over… until next Saturday. As Rob says, I’ll be bringing you more reaction from today’s games and taking you through Gary Lineker’s final Match of the Day. Let’s start with some Nottingham Forest quotes shall we…

Time for me to hand over to Sarah Rendell, who will continue our coverage of events at Anfield and Old Trafford before switching to BBC Studios for Gary Lineker’s final Match of the Day.

Thanks again for your company and emails throughout the season. See you in August! (Or next Saturday for the Champions League final build-up.)

There are so many arresting images on the pitch at Anfield. Trent Alexander-Arnold sitting alone, lost in thought; Virgil van Dijk parading the trophy with his spiritual ancestor, Alan Hansen. Jeez, imagine those two as a centre-back pairing!

Liverpool’s players and staff have lined up, arm in arm, to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone in front of the Kop. It’s quite a scene, unique to Anfield, and Arne Slot almost has a look of wonder of his face.

Trent Alexander-Arnold gets one of the loudest cheers as he goes up to collect his medal. He pats the badge, then kisses it after receiving his medal. Jurgen Klopp looks really emotional; I wonder how much today’s reception is down to him.

No time to dwell on that because the biggest cheer of all is imminent. Virgil van Dijk collects the Premier League trophy and lifts it skyward. Liverpool are the champions of England again!

Liverpool’s players are back on the field, ready to get their hands on 25.4kg of job satisfaction: the Premier League trophy. They started superbly, went up a gear around Christmas and won the title at a canter.

Christian Eriksen has confirmed that he’s leaving Man Utd this summer. “I’m still fit to play, so we’ll see where.”

Emery waits by the tunnel for the referee, then begins a walk-and-talk into the bowels of Old Trafford. Actually it’s more of a walk-and-stalk by the looks of things.

90+5 min Villa have had a couple of near misses in injury time. Newcastle’s defeat to Everton at St James’ Park means a draw would have been good enough for Villa, who would have taken the lead after 73 minutes but for a refereeing howler.

Given his understandable mood on the touchline, there are no guarantees that Unai Emery’s post-match interview will begin with a cheery “Good evening”.

90+4 min: Man Utd 2-0 Aston Villa Given their shambles of a season, you’d think a genuinely superb Manchester United performance would steal the headlines. Not today!

“In any other commercial arena, if a governing body or regulator, made such an egregious error as the Morgan disallowed goal, that cost them millions in revenue, a company would have plenty of recourse to legal action,” says Hugh Molloy. “Watch this space.”

I’d rather not. Nothing against Villa, who have clearly been wronged, but I just like watching football.

GOAL! Tottenham 1-4 Brighton (Gomez 90+3) Hic!

That Eriksen goal settles the Champions League race barring a spectacular twist at the City Ground. England will be represented next season by Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle.

GOALS GALORE!

• Liverpool 1-1 Crystal Palace (Salah 85)

• Ipswich 1-3 West Ham (Kudus 87)

• Southampton 1-2 Arsenal (Odegaard 89)

• Bournemouth 2-0 Leicester (Semenyo 88)

• Spurs 1-3 Brighton (O’Riley 88 pen)

85 min: Penalty to Man Utd Maatsen stands on Amad’s ankle right on the edge of the area. He didn’t mean it but it’s probably a foul.

Unai Emery’s noggin has gone. Long gone. He’s marching round mixing extravagant, sarcastic applause with furious arm-waving.

The Champions League race as it stands

(Man City are over the hill and far away)

83 min: Man Utd 1-0 Aston Villa The game isn’t up for Villa. With Newcastle losing, a single goal puts them back in the top five. But they are down to 10 men and could easily be 2-0 down: the substitute Christian Eriksen, playing his last game for United, has sizzled both the crossbar and the post from distance in the space of a couple of minutes.

“Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Thanks to you, and all the MBM and Clickwatch team, for another great season. It’s been a pleasure to be part of it. Dundee United Rangers won the Scttish Women’s Cup Final today, beating Glasgow City 3-0. Roll on the Conference League qualifiers...”

Clickwatch: that’s a keeper. A clockwatch with extra bait.

80 min: Man Utd 1-0 Aston Villa Morgan Rogers’ disallowed goal was a howler from the referee, no question, but human beings make mistakes under pressure. I know I have. Thousands of them! Millions!

The bigger problem here is the VAR protocol and the lack of commonsense. It’s not totally straightforward because sometimes players stop when the whistle is blown, but in this case it had no impact whatsoever on the goal.

If it stays like this Villa will go mad, and they have every right to go mad.

The latest scores

• Bournemouth 1-0 Leicester

• Fulham 0-2 Man City

• Ipswich 1-2 West Ham

• Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace

• Man Utd 1-0 Aston Villa
  Emi Martinez sent off

• Newcastle 0-1 Everton

• Nottm Forest 0-1 Chelsea

• Southampton 1-1 Arsenal

• Tottenham 1-2 Brighton

• Wolves 1-1 Brentford

70 min: Newcastle 0-1 Everton Chris Paraskevas, our Antipodean Newcastle fan, usually sends long, thoughtful emails. This is all he’s got right now.

......?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

64 min: Fulham 0-1 Manchester City The internet tells me this is only the third game in English top-flight history with no English players in either starting XI. If this comes up in Prime Minister’s Questions, I’m off to Dangar Island.

GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Brighton (Hinshelwood 64)

Jack Hinshelwood strikes again! This one sounds like a fine goal, backheeled past Vicario. “What a finish!” says Kris Boyd on Sky Sports.

60 min: Man Utd 0-0 Aston Villa Hojlund has a shot saved by Villa’s sub keeper Robin Olsen. Villa have been hammered – but one measly goal, for them or Everton, would lift them into the top five. With that in mind, Youri Tielemans and Jacob Ramsey are about to come on.

“Given it is the last Clockwatch of the season,” begins Andy Flintoff, “will there be a montage of the best MBM and Clockwatch bits interspersed with the names of all the people who have helped (or not) over the past nine months?”

We can do that, yeah why not. There’s a 74.27 per cent chance my brain will explode before I reach September, but I’m on it.

No, no I’m not. But in the absence of an MBM montage, here’s an all-time classic. Every word of American (sic) commentary came from Scott Murray’s MBM.

The latest scores

Right now, St James’ Park and Old Trafford are where it’s at.

• Bournemouth 0-0 Leicester

• Fulham 0-1 Man City

• Ipswich 1-2 West Ham

• Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace

• Man Utd 0-0 Aston Villa
  Emi Martinez sent off

• Newcastle 0-0 Everton

• Nottm Forest 0-1 Chelsea

• Southampton 1-1 Arsenal

• Tottenham 1-1 Brighton

• Wolves 0-1 Brentford

GOALS! Soton 1-1 Arsenal (Stewart 56); Ipswich 1-2 West Ham (Bowen 55)

A fine header from Southampton’s Ross Stewart means David Raya and Matz Sels will share the Golden Glove – or, as it’s known colloquially, the Banksy™.

And Jarrod Bowen, Fantasy Footballer par excellence, has restored West Ham’s lead. Is it me or is everything s Bowen still a bit underrated?

Disallowed goal! Man Utd 0-0 Aston Villa

Rasmus Hojlund can’t catch a break; he’s just had a close-range ruled out for a marginal offside. Meanwhile…

GOALS! Tottenham 1-1 Brighton (Hinshelwood 52); Ipswich 1-1 West Ham (Broadhead 52)

Jack Hinshelwood’s second goal in a week puts Brighton back in eighth place… yeah.

46 min: Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace Trent Alexander-Arnold has replaced Conor Bradley at half-time. I’ve only just switched over but the reception sounds a lot more positive than against Arsenal.

“Perhaps, Rob,” begins Paul Griffin, “Liverpool need to try to emulate Tottenham’s pattern of relentless, fuss-free back-to-back game-winning.”

This is our last Clockwatch of the Premier League season, so on behalf of everyone at Guardian Sport I’d like to give heartfelt thanks for your company and emails throughout the season. We couldn’t do it without you!

Actually, we could do it without you. We don’t even pay you for heaven’s sake! But it’d be nowhere near as much fun.

Half time: Southampton 0-1 Arsenal

“A chance for the Arsenal fans at Southampton to wave goodbye to those departing; fondly in the case of some – take a bow goal-scorer Kieran Tierney – and very fondly indeed for some others, but for quite different reasons,” says Charles Antaki. “It’s sad that Raheem Sterling’s career should fizzle and fade out so dismally, but good luck to him if he manages to get a gig somewhere to ease the transition into retirement.”

He’s only 30, fairly young by modern standards, but he was a regular at 18 so he has a lot of miles on the clock.

It’s a football fing

“Thanks to your Black Grape reference, I went down a bit of a Shaun ‘greatest poet since Yeats’ Ryder rabbit hole and found out the Happy Mondays had recorded a song for the 2007 football movie Goal!” writes Kári Tulinius. “It is called Playground Superstar and it sounds about as wholesome as you expect from the Mondays.”

They also released England’s Irie ahead of Euro 96. It’s as great as you’d hope (or, in the interests of balance, as bad as you’d expect if you are one of the unfortunates who doesn’t like Shaun Ryder.)

Half-time reading

Football isn’t a matter of life and death…

Bryan Mbeumo’s goal was his 20th of the Premier League season, which puts him fourth on the Golden Boot list. (We really should call it the race for the Greavsie.)

45 min: Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace “Surely they could have filled Anfield with sand for this one?” says Niall Mullen. “Especially as Liverpool’s back 4 appear to be playing in flip-flops.”

I’ve enjoyed how honest Arne Slot has been about the meaninglessness of the last few results. Most managers talk the usual nonsense about giving it 100 per cent, next season starts here and all that. Slot has basically been a human cigar since Liverpool won the league.

45+3 min Hojlund went round Martinez, who could and probably should have let him go. Instead he bodychecked him in the most brazen manner. It was so obvious that he might as well have screamed “Ave it!” as he sent Hojlund into space.

It was surely the wrong decision; Hojlund might not have scored, and even if he had Villa would surely prefer to be 1-0 down with 11 men than 0-0 with 10.

GOAL! Ipswich 0-1 West Ham (Ward-Prowse 43) Jarrod Bowen pounces all over a mistake in the Ipswich defence and sets up James Ward-Prowse to score. Bowen is ruthlessly efficient in the final third.

GOAL! Southampton 0-1 Arsenal (Tierney 43)

A really nice moment for one of the good guys – Kieran Tierney has put Arsenal ahead in his final game for the club, finishing crisply from Ben White’s cross.

40 min: Bournemouth 0-0 Leicester Evanilson has missed a really good chance to put Bournemouth ahead. Bournemouth can’t qualify for Europe but they’d still love to finish in the top half; right now, with Crystal Palace ahead at Anfield, they’re 11th.

37 min: Man Utd 0-0 Aston Villa It’s one-way traffic at Old Trafford, where the home side have had eight attempts at goal, five on target, to Villa’s none.

Can Manchester United score? They occasionally score.

33 min: Newcastle 0-0 Everton Anthony Gordon dives to win a free-kick and gets a pious, hard-faced telling-off from the aggrieved Everton defender, Ashley Young.

I think football may just have jumped the shark.

31 min: Nottm Forest 0-0 Chelsea There’s a long way to go, literally an hour, but as things stand a goal for Nottingham Forest would put them into the Champions League places. You can follow that game with Scott Murray.

30 min: Bournemouth 0-0 Leicester Oliver Skipp thought he’d given Leicester the lead; VAR had other ideas and the goal was ruled out for offside.

28 min: Man Utd 0-0 Aston Villa Diogo Dalot has just smacked the post after another thrilling bit of wingplay from Harrincha. Man Utd will hope this is a trailer for next season because they’re playing superbly.

“Hi Rob,” says Ollie. “Is anyone here old enough to remember the last match Liverpool won?”

25 min: Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace

“Nice as it is for Liverpool to give Palace a guard of honour,” begins Tim Woods, “I’m disappointed they didn’t just get out a picnic hamper and take it in turns to challenge Eze to a leisurely game of chess. It wouldn’t have been a huge stretch, given how they’ve taken already-on-the-beaching to new levels these past weeks.”

Premier League latest scores

• Bournemouth 0-0 Leicester

• Fulham 0-1 Man City

• Ipswich 0-0 West Ham

• Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace

• Man Utd 0-0 Aston Villa

• Newcastle 0-0 Everton

• Nottm Forest 0-0 Chelsea

• Southampton 0-0 Arsenal

• Tottenham 1-0 Brighton

• Wolves 0-1 Brentford

The Champions League race, as it stands

GOAL! Wolves 0-1 Brentford (Mbeumo 20) Bryan Mbeumo combines with you-know-who to give Brentford the lead. He and Yoane Wissa really should come as a pair if they leave Brentford.

As things stand, Brentford are in eighth place and could yet qualify for the Conference League.

“Man Utd are absolutely battering Villa,” says Rick Harris. “Mason Mount is suddenly playing like the player he was at Chelsea and has had three chances already with Martinez lucky that the third hit Hojlund as the keeper was wrong-footed.

“Where has this United side been all season?”

Not sure. The Kerguelen Islands?

GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Brighton (Solanke 17 pen) Spurs take the lead against the run of play. Mathys Tel is fouled in the penalty area, Dominic Solanke does the needful from the spot.

“I’d be lying if I said I’d shared Steph Jones’ optimism about Liverpool’s season in August (or any time up until the final whistle against Tottenham, if I’m honest), but I have to agree that it’s been great fun,” says Matt Dony. “In the league, so few bad results (until it didn’t matter). Some great performances, some steady performances, and some performances that we could charitably call ‘efficient’, but always a sense that the players were genuinely giving their all, working together, trying to win games AND entertain. In a few hours, I’ll start worrying about next season. But right now, let’s enjoy whatever happens. All together, now; #AR-NE SLOT, Da da, da, dada…#”

As somebody who thought he was the world’s most pessimistic football fan until he met you, I admire your self-awareness.

13 min: Man Utd 0-0 Aston Villa United have started with surprising brilliance – “the best I’ve seen them play this season” according to Clinton Morrison on Sky – but have missed some decent chances to take the lead.

13 min: Ipswich 0-0 West Ham “I’m acting on a film set outside Istanbul and it’s drizzling,” says Rob Lewis. “I’m playing an American millionaire whose wife is having an affair with his daughter’s fiance. Yes, this is Turkish drama. It means I’m going to miss about my only West Ham game this season. But we Irons have seen little drama and a lot of dross in 2024-25, so farewell to not very much.”

7 min: Tottenham 0-0 Brighton This has just been described as a “massive game” on a popular TV channel. I think we all need a summer break to reset and recover from the damaging effects of incessant hype. The 2025-26 Premier League season doesn’t start until mid-August. Thank goodness there’s no foo- oh.

5 min: Liverpool 0-0 Crystal Palace “Both sides’ opening moves and touches look slightly champagne-soaked,” says Peter Oh.

Nothing to report so far. No goals, anyway. I’d be lying if I said I’m scrutinising all 10 games.

Peep peep! This is the beginning of the end, beautiful friends.

“Hi Rob,” begins Alessia Vialli. “My tribute to Kevin De Bruyne is to understand what makes him unique. I went to a conference where a manager stood up to explain about scanning. He explained that De Bruyne that is off the charts in terms of how often he scans. He basically does it every time another player touches the ball. No other player does/did that in world football that they’ve tested.

“Yes it is also his passing that makes him world class but that doesn’t happen without the scanning.”

Liverpool are giving the Crystal Palace players a guard of honour, and why not. The match is almost an inconvenience – everyone at Anfield just wants to celebrate a glorious season.

Jurgen Klopp is back at Anfield today, his first visit since he left the club a year ago. The atmosphere, as you can imagine, is decibellous in the extreme. No, that isn’t actually a word.

For the last time this season, LOOK THE FECK OUT

Might Jordan Pickford prove a one-man human barrier blocking Newcastle’s route to the Champions League? Much as he loves life at Everton, the England goalkeeper will always adore Sunderland, the club he supported as a boy and where he began his career. Newcastle fans routinely barrack Sunderland old boys but their dislike of Pickford not only elevates such rivalry to a new level, but often seems to bring the best out in a keeper boasting high-calibre footwork his Newcastle counterpart Nick Pope must envy. Should Pickford’s saves send Eddie Howe’s side to the Europa League next season, he will revel in being the toast of Wearside. If Everton’s outfielders may not be quite as motivated, David Moyes has fashioned an obdurate side and Howe will be hoping that Alexander Isak overcomes groin trouble in time to start. If so, it could be a case of Sweden striker v England goalkeeper.

Newcastle v Everton

”Adding to the complications and permutations tonight is the fact that I have the entire United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea sitting in front of me on my desk,” writes our Australian Newcastle tragic (and film-maker) Chris Paraskevas.

“That’s 320 articles (plus a whole bunch of annexes which contain their own articles) and a bunch of research papers by people who delight in terms like ‘effective control’. The assignment was due at 11 so I’m already incurring P̶S̶R̶ ̶P̶o̶i̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶D̶e̶d̶u̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ a penalty on this one.

“I suppose this is a positive way to end the season: even if we don’t qualify for the Champions League, after tonight I’ll know extensively about my rights and obligations if I ever make it to the Port of Tyne by dinghy. Nice to see Wor Buoy Isak back.”

Premier League clubs Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton will play two matches against Charlton in 2025-26. Sure, that’s one of the more contrived links of the season but it allows us to post John Brewin’s report from the League One playoff final at Wembley: Charlton 1-0 Leyton Orient.

Twenty clubs, twenty fans, twenty verdicts. I had no idea Mystic Meg was a Kopite.

Liverpool

It’s been a blast from start to finish. The loss to Forest at home in our fourth game was the smallest of dips and early enough not to matter. We were top by the start of November and stayed there, an incredible achievement and a “think again” for every pundit and talking head who predicted we’d do well to finish in the top four. Winning with four games still to go has turned the last few weeks of the season into a party, with the visit of FA Cup winners Palace still to come. Was it expected? By some of us, yes. 10/10

Jonathan Wilson considers the 2024-25 Premier League season

This is where the positive impact of PSR can be seen. Manchester United cannot spend their way out of trouble. If Chelsea lose, they will find ambitions restricted. Forest, meanwhile, could suddenly be elevated, probably not to be regular Champions League qualifiers, but at least to be fairly secure in mid-table, adding further heft to the Premier League’s middle class.

The last day of the season is usually emotional and this year is no different. Dozens of players and managers will leave their clubs after today. Some we know, some we don’t. None have enriched English football like Kevin De Bruyne.

Daniel Levy did mention Ange Postecoglou in his Tottenham programme notes ahead of today’s Brighton game, which is more than he did at the end of March when he gave a statement to accompany the club’s financial report. The chairman thanked Postecoglou and his players for delivering Europa League glory. But there was nothing more, no clues as to what he intends to do with the manager now. At best, it feels as though Levy has moved to buy himself a bit of time.

Will Still, 32, has been confirmed as the new Southampton. Michael Buffer must be very confused.

Tottenham v Brighton team news

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3) Vicario; Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Udogie;
Sarr, Bentancur, Gray; Johnson, Solanke, Tel.
Subs: Kinsky, Bissouma, Richarlison, Spence, Odobert, Davies, Moore, Ajayi,
Olusesi.

Brighton (possible 4-2-3-1) Verbruggen; Wieffer, van Hecke, Webster, Igor; Hinshelwood, Baleba; Gruda, Ayari, Adingra; Minteh. Subs: Rushworth,
Dunk, Milner, Cashin, Mitoma, Gomez, O’Riley, Veltman, Howell.

Referee Rob Jones (Northumberland)

Bournemouth v Leicester team news

Bournemouth (4-2-3-1) Arrizabalaga; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Adams, Brooks; Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo; Evanilson.
Subs: Dennis, Huijsen, Scott, Soler, Jebbison, Araujo, Hill, Silcott-Duberry, Winterburn.

Leicester (4-2-3-1) Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Faes, Kristiansen; Skipp, Soumare; McAteer, Ayew, Thomas; Daka.
Subs: Iversen, Okoli, Ricardo Pereira, Golding, Buonanotte, Aluko, Evans, Monga, Braybrooke.

Referee Lewis Smith (Lancashire)

Ipswich v West Ham team news

Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Palmer; Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Cajuste, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Broadhead; Hirst.
Subs: Walton, Woolfenden, Jack Taylor, Burgess, Delap, Szmodics, Luongo,
Clarke, Boniface.

West Ham (3-4-1-2) Fabianski; Todibo, Kilman, Mavropanos; Wan-Bissaka, Ward-Prowse, Alvarez, Scarles; Soucek; Bowen, Fullkrug.
Subs: Areola, Cresswell, Coufal, Lucas Paqueta, Kudus, Luis Guilherme, Ings, Rodriguez, Irving.

Referee Tim Robinson (West Sussex)

Southampton v Arsenal team news

Southampton (4-2-3-1) Ramsdale; Sugawara, Wood-Gordon, Taylor, Welington; Downes, Ugochukwu; Robinson, Fernandes, Sulemana; Stewart.
Subs: Moore, Sanda, Onuachu, Archer, Bree, Smallbone, Aribo, Manning, McCarthy.

Arsenal (4-3-3) Raya; Partey, White, Kiwior, Tierney; Nwaneri, Rice, Zinchenko; Sterling, Merino, Martinelli.
Subs: Lewis-Skelly, Kabia, Henry-Francis, Havertz, Jorginho, Trossard, Odegaard, Saka, Neto.

Referee Darren Bond (Lancashire)

Wolves v Brentford team news

Wolves (3-5-2) Jose Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti Gomes; Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes, Munetsi, Andre Trindade, Ait Nouri; Cunha, Goncalo Guedes.
Subs: King, Bueno, Larsen, Hwang, Rodrigo Gomes, Sarabia, Bellegarde, Pedro Lima, Mane.

Brentford (4-2-3-1) Flekken; Kayode, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Norgaard, Yarmolyuk; Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade; Wissa.
Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Thiago, Ajer, Konak, Nunes Gomes.

Referee Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)

It’s great when you’re eighth... yeah

There may yet be a Conference League place for the team that finishes eighth. And that team will be Brighton, just as long as they get at least a draw away to a team who have justifiably spent the last few days imbibing pints of 17 Year Itch. Should Spurs beat Brighton, Brentford will go above them if they win at Wolves.

For the team in eighth to qualify, two things need to happen.

1. Chelsea win the Conference League and

2. Chelsea finish seventh in the Premier League (which isn’t beyond the realms) or Chelsea finish sixth and Newcastle seventh. The latter is mathematically possible but let’s not go there again.