Happy enough Premier League finale for capital's five top-flight teams
London clubs were undefeated on the final day of this extraordinary, pandemic-prolonged season – but the failure of one of the capital’s five teams to win decided the relegation fight.
West Ham, who secured their own survival only in midweek, found it hard to raise their game for a final flurry against Aston Villa and their 1-1 draw at the London Stadium meant the Midlanders stay up.
An 85th minute equaliser, credited to Andriy Yarmolenko, cancelled out a Jack Grealish goal a minute earlier and made it a nervy finish for Villa, but they held on.
Arsenal condemned Watford to the drop with a 3-2 win at Emirates Stadium – the Hornets showing real fight at 3-0 down after half an hour but unable to complete the comeback they needed to stay afloat.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converted a very early penalty and a second goal for the Gabon striker after a goal from Kieran Tierney proved too much for Watford to claw back.
Troy Deeney’s penalty at the end of the first-half - awarded after David Luiz gave away his fifth penalty of the season –raised hopes and Danny Welbeck scored against his old club after the break, but it was not enough.
They go down alongside Norwich and Bournemouth – whose 3-1 win at Everton could not save them.
With Chelsea securing Champions League football thanks to a 2-0 win over Wolves – courtesy of first-half injury time goals from Mason Mount and Olivier Giroud – Tottenham's Europa League qualification was confirmed in the London derby with Crystal Palace, which ended 1-1.
Harry Kane’s 13th minute strike was cancelled out by Jeffrey Schlupp in the 53rd minute as the Eagles finally ended a run of seven straight defeats.
In the final table, Chelsea finish fourth, level on 66 points with Man united but behind on goal difference. Spurs end up sixth on 59, and Arsenal eighth on 56, with Palace 14th on 43. West Ham finish 16th - five points above the relegation zone.