How the relegation battle played out as Grealish seals Aston Villa's safety

 

After Norwich's relegation was confirmed a couple of weeks ago, it went down to the final day to determine who would join the Canaries in the Championship as Aston Villa, Watford and Bournemouth battled to keep their place in the Premier League...

 

16:00 - Kick Off

 

16:05 - Watford fall behind through a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal. The Hornets can still stay up if they lose at the Emirates, but they'll need Aston Villa to slip up at West Ham and Bournemouth to not win at Everton, however their quest to stay up becomes that bit harder after the Gabon international finds the net from the spot. 

 

16:13 - At Goodison Park, Bournemouth are ahead through Josh King. The Norwegian puts the Cherries in front from the spot. As such, Bournemouth are now level on points with Watford have matched the Aston Villa's goal difference. 

 

16:25 - Arsenal double their advantage against Watford through Kieran Tierney. As things stand, the Hornets are 19th and have a worse goal difference than Bournemouth and Aston Villa. 

 

16:33 - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has his second and Arsenal's third in what is turning out to be a miserable afternoon for Watford as the Hornets stare relegation in the face. 

 

16:41 - Moise Kean draws Everton level on home turf in a very important goal in the battle to beat the drop. Bournemouth know they need a win here to stay up. 

 

16:43 - In the second penalty of the day at the Emirates... it falls to Watford, with Troy Deeney bringing the Hornets back into this one. 3-1 down going in at the break, Deeney provides Watford with a lifeline. 

 

16:45 - On Merseyside, however, Bournemouth are back ahead through... Dominic Solanke or Jefferson Lerma. The Cherries won't mind as they score a vital goal in the battle to beat the drop. 

 

Half time: 

 

Arsenal 3-1 Watford 

Everton 1-2  Bournemouth 

West Ham 0-0 Aston Villa 

 

 

17:29 - Well, well, well. Just as it seemed Watford were dead and buried, former Arsenal man Danny Welbeck makes it 3-2 at the Emirates. With a little over 20 minutes to play, the Hornets aren't going down without a fight. 

 

17:40 - Bournemouth are doing all they can to keep their Premier League place as Junior Stanislas doubles their advantage at Everton... but as things stand, they aren't safe as they sit just one point behind Aston Villa. 

 

17:44 - Make that three points behind Aston Villa as Jack Grealish puts the Villans ahead with a little over five minutes to play. Is that the goal that guarantees their Premier League safety? 

 

17:46 - Well, Aston Villa's lead didn't last long at the London Stadium as Andriy Yarmolenko bags a quick reply for the home side. Back to one point separating Villa and the relegation zone. 

 

17:55 - Bournemouth with 3-1 at Everton, a result every fan would have taken before kick off, but was it enough to beat the drop? 

 

17:56 - It wasn't as Aston Villa secure the required point to finish one point and one place above the relegation zone. 

 

17:58 - It's Watford who join Bournemouth and Norwich in the Championship next season as they fall to a 3-2 loss at Arsenal. 

 

Full time:

 

Arsenal 3-2 Watford

Everton 1-3 Bournemouth

West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa

 

Aston Villa stay up as Bournemouth and Watford are relegated

How the relegation battle played out as Grealish seals Aston Villa's safety