Burnley relegated from Premier League after defeat at Spurs

Luton are also virtually down as a 3-1 defeat at West Ham left them three points adrift of safety and with a goal difference 13 worse than that of Nottingham Forest with just one game remaining. There was no twist in the title race at Craven Cottage as defender Josko Gvardiol continued his hot streak in front of goal.

Spurs kept their chances of Champions League football next season alive by coming from behind to send Burnley to the Championship. Jacob Brun Larsen had fired the Clarets into a shock lead after Sander Berge's pass cut the Tottenham defence wide open.

Spurs had lost their last four matches, but they turned the game around to move within four points of fourth-placed Aston Villa. Pedro Porro blasted an equaliser high past Arijanet Muric.

Micky Van de Ven then curled in the winner to at least guarantee Spurs will be in Europe next season. Vincent Kompany's side needed a victory in north London to have any chance of taking their survival bid to the last day of the season.

Five points adrift of fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest with one game left, Burnley join already-relegated Sheffield United in returning to the Championship after last season's promotion.

Kompany consoled his heart-broken players on the pitch after the final whistle as the grim reality of relegation washed over them. Burnley had been heading back towards the second tier for months before finally showing some fight in recent weeks to stay in the hunt to beat the drop.

Former Manchester City defender Kompany was hailed for the stylish way Burnley swaggered to the Championship title last season. But the Premier League proved far tougher for Kompany, who is in his second season in charge of the Turf Moor club.

It took Burnley seven games to secure their first league win of the campaign, setting the tone for a difficult season that included heavy defeats against Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea.  The Clarets spent six successive seasons in the top tier from 2016 to 2022 under Sean Dyche.

Now Kompany will have to start from scratch in the Championship if he is to eventually reestablish Burnley as Premier League regulars.

Luton will also be back in the Championship next season after blowing a 1-0 lead and losing to West Ham in David Moyes' final home game in charge of the Hammers.

Sambi Lokonga's early header gave the visitors hope of a great escape. But second-half strikes from James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek and George Earthy all but ended Luton's Premier League stay after a remarkable rise back through the leagues to get back to the top flight for the first time in 32 years.

 

May 11, 2024

With Luton set to join Burnley and Sheffield United in going down, all three promoted clubs will be relegated to expose to growing gulf between the top two divisions. Forest can confirm Luton's relegation by avoiding defeat at home to Chelsea later on Saturday.