Looking for Soccer News?

Jordan Henderson savoured the "amazing" experience of lifting the Premier League trophy on the Kop after Liverpool beat Chelsea 5-3 in an Anfield thriller.

The Reds finally got their hands on the silverware on Wednesday, almost a month after ending their 30-year wait to be crowned champions of England.

There were no fans inside the stadium to watch Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish present captain Henderson with the trophy, but that certainly did not spoil the party.

Midfielder Henderson, who is sidelined with a knee injury, said it was extra special to dethrone Manchester City after coming so close last year.

"Walking up there was amazing. The lads deserved their moment. Thankfully, the families were up there watching, that was a big thing for us. It's been an amazing season, to crown it off like that was special," the England international told Sky Sports.

"The start was really good and from there we just grew and grew as the season went on. We were stronger, more confident, more ruthless, really.

"We found a way to win on so many occasions and that was down to mentality. The lads have been great all season and deserve what they are getting now."

He added: "To get 97 points last year and not win was hard to take. We reacted a few weeks later, won the Champions League and then started the season a few weeks later with unfinished business.

"It's been an amazing season and I am so thankful to be part of this club and team that has won the Premier League after 30 years.

"Winning the Premier League has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. That's why you join Liverpool, you want to win trophies, the expectations are so high.

"When you come as a young player it was so difficult, but it has been a process, a journey that doesn't happen overnight. It's been five years since the gaffer came in and every single player has been a part of that journey."

Liverpool travel to Newcastle United for their final game of the season on Sunday knowing a win will take them to 99 points.

Joe Aribo found the back of the net as Rangers claimed a 4-0 win over Motherwell on Wednesday.

The Gers had come into this match with a 100% record in their friendly games, keeping clean sheets in all.

They first saw off French giants Lyon before edging past Patrick Vieira’s Nice by the same scoreline.

Wednesday’s match at the Ibrox saw Rangers take a 3-0 lead thanks to Ryan Kent, Ianis Hagi - who scored a brace in the victory over Nice, and then Aribo on the stroke of half-time.

Ricki Lamie then went on to put the ball into his own net in the 68th minute to complete the scoring.

Rangers are participating in friendly games in a bid to get players fit after the 2019-20 Scottish Premiership was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Celtic were declared champions for the ninth consecutive season, finishing 13 points clear of Rangers. Both sides faced off in the Scottish League Cup final and it was the men in green and white that came out victorious 1-0.

A new Premiership season commences on August 1 with Rangers tackling Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Aribo joined Rangers from Charlton Athletic in last summer and was an instant hit for Steven Gerrard’s team, making a total of 48 appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing eight goals.

Three of them came in Premiership wins against Livingston, Hibernian and a 2-2 draw at St. Johnstone.

Aribo also scored three times during Europa League qualifying in victories against St. Joseph’s, FC Progres Niederkorn and FC Midtjylland.

Rangers made it into the group phase and finished second in Group G, one point behind FC Porto and ahead of Young Boys and Feyenoord. They beat Braga 4-2 on aggregate in the Round of 32, but have a molehill to climb in the Round of 16 with a 3-1 first leg home defeat by Bayer Leverkusen.

Aribo switched international allegiance from England to Nigeria and made his Super Eagles bow in a friendly with Ukraine in September 2019, scoring on the occasion, before netting his second in the next encounter this time a 1-1 draw with five-time world champions Brazil.

The 24-year-old’s energetic displays in the middle of the park have made him become a fast fan favourite in the country after just four caps and is largely seen as an upgrade to former captain John obi Mikel.

Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas has stated the club are not interested in M’baye Niang, insisted he is not among their transfer targets.

The 25-year old has been talked about for some time now about a possible move to the Stade Velodrome. There have however not been any concrete discussions about such a deal materialising.

Villas-Boas however did acknowledge there had been previous interest in Niang, with ex-Marseille sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta having contact with his agent.

“I don’t know why the Niang name has come out,” Villas-Boas told La Provence.

“We contacted his agent in February because Andoni [Zubizarreta] had a good relationship with him. We made our interest known about a transfer at the end of the year.

“His profile is interesting, but on the one hand we don’t have the money required and on the other hand, we did not put his name on the list of players to buy.

“It started to gather momentum and I do not know why, to the point where the player was in contact with certain members of our squad.

“I let the player’s entourage know that we are not in for him, we have not made an offer. We have neither the means nor the interest in bringing him in.

“I wish him the best. It is not because he does not have quality, but because we don’t have the capacity and we are looking for a different profile.”

Rennes previously stated there was interest for Niang no official bid has been made for him of which Marseille are among.

“We received a lot of expression of interest, but no offers,” Rennes chairman Nicolas Holveck said.

“No agreement as I have heard on some platforms, with Marseille in particular. We didn't even get a phone call from Marseille. M'baye is here today. He has expressed his wish to develop under different skies, but not as vehemently as the press reported it.”

Niang scored 15 goals in all competitions with Rennes finishing third in Ligue 1 after 28 matchdays and making it into the third qualifying round of the Champions League.

A new Ligue 1 season will begin on August 23 with Julien Stephan’s men travelling to a Lille side which finished just a point adrift of the final Champions League berth.

KF Tirana coach Ndubuisi Egbo has described becoming the first-ever African coach to win a title in Europe as “unexplainable”.

The former Nigeria international made the historic feat after the Albanian capital club defeated Flamurtari 2-0 last Saturday to go seven points clear of second-placed Kukesi with two rounds left to play.

Egbo’s accomplishment sent Nigerians and Africans into joyous mood with congratulatory messages flowing from different corners.

Tirana’s league triumph was their first in 11 years and their 25th overall as Albania’s most successful club. They also have a cup final against Teua Durres on August 1 and have also booked a berth in the next season’s Champions League from the first qualifying round.

"It's unexplainable," Egbo told ESPN.

"I am still trying to let it sink in because I didn't know how huge the success of what God used us to do was until I started hearing I'm the first African coach to achieve this feat. Many people from Nigeria, Egypt -- where I played before -- and other places have been reaching out.”

Tirana faced the agony of relegation during the 2016-17 season after finishing ninth in the 10-team Albanian top-flight. They gained promotion back in 2018-19 and Egbo admits it had not been an easy ride for the team he played with during his playing career.

"They were completely down and knocked out, and you can't imagine the psychological work that we did just to get them back," Egbo continued.

"I played for this team, and in two out of the three years we won the league, the cup and Super Cup; we needed to bring that winning mentality back, and that is what we did.

"You need to put fear in opponents, and when you get into a game, you have to enter like a king into the arena. It's your arena, and no one else should command it apart from you.

"[This is the] winning mentality every team should have, and this is the mentality and culture of this team, KF Tirana. This is a team that when they go away, they go to get a win and not a draw because draw away is like a loss."

Egbo has been with Tirana since 2014 and has taken on the managerial role on an interim basis on multiple occasions, saying he turned down offers to take on the job permanently as he believed he was not qualified enough.

Despite turning the fortunes of the club around, the former goalkeeper narrates racial discrimination shown towards him in some quarters at the club. Egbo’s name is ringing at a time when calls are being made for more inclusion of black managers in European leagues.

"They attacked me many times, saying things like 'he doesn't have experience,' 'he is just a goalkeeper coach,' even though I took the UEFA Pro Licence [the highest coaching certification] before some of them that are analysing me," Egbo said.

"They have other local coaches that are coaching in the league, but they don't attack them the way they attack foreign coaches.

"They have an Italian coach in one other team and same thing is done to him, but because he is European, his attacks aren't as much as mine. Because I'm a Black man, the attack is more because they can't accept it.

"These are the things that make it very difficult to be able to work. You need patience, you need endurance, you need the grace and will of God to succeed."

Egbo also cited former Super Eagles coach Christian Chukwu and assistant Joe Erico as having a big influence on his managerial career.

"When I took over this time, I felt like I had got the experience passing through many coaches, learning from all the coaches that I have worked with in the club, coupled with everything I have learnt from my career and all the coaches I worked with -- especially back home," he said.

"Coaches like Christian Chukwu and Joe Erico, one of the best coaches I have gone through in my career, who taught me more than just about football. And his lessons got me to where I am today.

"Also, his playing pattern. They used to say back then that if you don't come to the stadium on time, you won't see our first goal. That is the way I have my team playing here. We attack as a team and defend as a team."

Egbo is keen to take Tirana into the Champions League group phase, something no Albanian team has been able to achieve. He is also hopeful the mark he has made will give room for more African coaches to have more opportunities.

"First of all, our objective is to reach the group stage, and from there, we would set another objective for ourselves," Egbo said.

"Because no Albanian team has been able to do it. So we are expecting that we can go into the group stage. That would be a huge achievement for an Albanian team.

"I hope this achievement isn't only for me, but it will help other African coaches to be given opportunities to showcase what they can do and to be an encouragement to push them to do more for themselves."

Jurgen Klopp issued a warning to the rest of the Premier League that Liverpool "will not stop" despite ending the club's long wait to be crowned champions again.

The Reds lifted the trophy on Wednesday after a 5-3 win over Chelsea in their final home game of an unforgettable season, though no fans were present inside Anfield.

However, the players and staff were able to have their families in attendance to enjoy the occasion, with the ceremony taking place on a stage built on the famous Kop end.

Liverpool had never previously won the title in the Premier League era, their last triumph coming 30 years ago under Kenny Dalglish, who was involved in the presentation.

"We will not stop. We will not stop. We have challenges, internal challenges. We can improve, obviously," Klopp told Sky Sports.

"We have the players. Naby [Keita] played pretty much only the last part of the season. We pretty much have the chance to take another step. But we have to, because the others will not sleep.  

"[There are] no guarantees for anything, other than we will try."

Klopp steered Liverpool to Champions League glory last season, while they have also lifted the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup this term.

While not usually one for nostalgia, the German coach admitted he will have a photo with all four trophies so he can forever remember the achievement.

"It's unbelievable to be honest. We won four trophies – big ones – and I couldn't be more proud," he said.

"Normally I'm a person who doesn't need pictures with something. As long as I can remember it, it's worth it. But I will have a picture with all four trophies because it doesn't happen often."

The coronavirus pandemic not only delayed Liverpool clinching the league crown but also denied them from receiving the trophy in front of their supporters, though Klopp hopes the absent audience understands the role they have played in the successful campaign.

"That's how life is - you make the best of what you can get," the former Borussia Dortmund boss said. "Our families are allowed to be there, which is incredible

"Everything would be better with fans, but we've known for months that would not be possible. A few months ago, I wasn't even sure it was going to be possible to even play football.  

"I couldn't be happier, to be honest. It would be perfect if the stadium was full, I know, but we cannot change it. What we try to do to make clear for the people is that we do it for them."

Frank Lampard warned Liverpool not to get "too arrogant" after Chelsea's 5-3 Premier League loss at Anfield on Wednesday.

Liverpool lifted the Premier League trophy after the thrilling midweek victory, in which they led 3-0 and 4-1 before closing out their win.

Lampard was involved in an exchange with the Liverpool bench before Trent Alexander-Arnold curled in a free-kick and the Chelsea head coach criticised the hosts.

"For me it wasn't a foul from [Mateo] Kovacic [on Sadio Mane] and there were little things that weren't going," Lampard told Sky Sports.

"On the bench, I've got no problem with Jurgen Klopp, he's managed his team and it's fantastic.

"Some of the bench, it's a fine line between when you're winning and they've won the league, fair play to Liverpool Football Club, but also don't get too arrogant with it. In match play you get emotional and that was it."

Alexander-Arnold curled in a brilliant free-kick after Naby Keita's stunning opener, and Georginio Wijnaldum made it 3-0.

After Olivier Giroud gave Chelsea hope, Roberto Firmino restored Liverpool's three-goal lead, only for Tammy Abraham and Christian Pulisic to drag the visitors back into the contest.

But Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sealed Liverpool's win, although Chelsea remain a point clear of fifth-placed Leicester City with one game remaining.

"It was extraordinary. Even when you say they threatened to run away with it, I felt we were in it because I could feel the way we were playing," Lampard said.

"The first half, in terms of football, we were in it, it was a turnover and a great strike, a non-foul that goes in the top corner and then terrible from us in defending a corner.

"Other than that, we were okay, so the goal gave us hope, the lads showed great character, they're a fantastic team and we can't afford to make those mistakes.

"Some of the stuff I saw from our team today was resilient, was some quality and at 4-3 if we don't concede a fifth, I felt like we were coming, but not to be."

Chelsea are set to face Wolves in the final game of their Premier League season, knowing that a win or draw will see them seal a top-four spot.

Jurgen Klopp has told Liverpool fans to "prepare for a party" with the team when social distancing measures are lifted.

The Reds' 30-year wait for a Premier League title came to an end this season and the trophy was presented to the players after their 5-3 win over Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday.

There were no fans present to join in the celebrations due to restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19, but Klopp promised there will be a real party when it is safe.   

“If you cannot see that we do this for you then I cannot help you, really,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports.

“Five years ago I asked you to change from doubters to believers. I asked and you did it. You made us champions. Thank you very much.

“We should all celebrate. Drink what you want but you have you to prepare for a party when this bullsh*t virus is gone. Then we will have a party all together. Make sure you are ready then."

He added: “We are champions - it's the truth. We won four trophies, big ones. I couldn't be more proud. Usually I don't need pictures with something but I will have a picture with all four trophies - it doesn't happen too often.”

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson made a dream come true by lifting the Premier League trophy and praised the team for rising to the challenge.

“The start was really good and from there we just grew and grew as the season went on,” he said. 

“We got stronger, more confident, more ruthless, really. We found a way to win on so many occasions and that was down to mentality. The lads have been great all season and deserve what they are getting now.

“To get 97 points last year and not win was hard to take. We reacted a few weeks later, won the Champions League and then started the season a few weeks later with unfinished business. 

“It’s been an amazing season and I am so thankful to be part of this club and team that has won the Premier League after 30 years.

“Winning the Premier League has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. That’s why you join Liverpool, you want to win trophies, the expectations are so high. When you come as a young player it was so difficult, but it has been a process, a journey that doesn’t happen overnight. 

“It’s been five years since the gaffer came in and every single player has been a part of that journey.”

Semi Ajayi has helped West Bromwich Albion gain promotion to the Premier League despite playing out a 2-2 draw against QPR in their final Championship fixture of the season.

Ajayi produced a solid defensive performance while DR Congo-born Grady Diangana starred for the Baggies with a goal and an assist in the fixture.

Ryan Manning opened the scoring at the Hawthorns in the 34th minute but Diangana ensured both teams went into the break level, thanks to his 44th-minute goal.

Four minutes after the restart, the DR Congolese assisted Callum Robinson to put West Brom ahead but the lead was short-lived as Nigerian descent Eberechi Eze found the back of the net for QPR just after the hour-mark.

Ajayi played from start to finish for Bilic's men while Egypt's Ahmed Hegazi was an unused substitute.

The Nigeria international made himself a key player for the Baggies in his debut campaign, making 43 Championship appearances with five goals to his name.

Eze played the entire 90 minutes for the visitors, and he ended the season with 14 league goals and eight assists while Nigeria-born Bright Osayi-Samuel returned to Mark Warburton's starting XI after missing Saturday's seven-goal thriller against Millwall due to ongoing transfer negotiations with a Belgian club.

Osayi-Samuel played for 79 minutes as QPR ended their 2019-20 league season in the 14th spot with 58 points after 46 games.

West Brom, meanwhile, sealed the final automatic promotion slot with 83 points after their closest rivals Brentford were stunned at home by Barnsley.

They join Leeds United in securing Premier League football next season while Brentford, Fulham, Cardiff City and Swansea City will battle it out for the last promotion ticket via play-offs.

West Brom clinched the second automatic promotion place in the Championship on a dramatic final day of the season as Wigan Athletic's spirited survival bid failed.

After both West Brom and Brentford were beaten at the weekend, the Baggies only needed to match the third-placed side's result to seal a return to the Premier League after two seasons away in England's second tier.

A seemingly straightforward home fixture against QPR did not go entirely to plan for West Brom, but a 2-2 draw took them up as Brentford went down 2-1 to Barnsley on Wednesday.

That result saw Barnsley stay up, but Wigan could not join them as they drew 1-1 with Fulham – who could have been promoted with a win – and went down due to a looming 12-point deduction.

Charlton Athletic and Hull City were also demoted, while there was a similarly chaotic finish in the play-off race.

BAGGIES BEST BRENTFORD

Both West Brom and Brentford lost their nerve with two matches of the campaign remaining, but a return of just a single point from a pair of games proved enough for Slaven Bilic's team.

Following Friday's defeat to Huddersfield Town, West Brom were boosted by Brentford's own reverse at Stoke City yet could not beat QPR.

West Brom trailed to Ryan Manning's strike before turning the match on its head with goals either side of half-time through Grady Diangana and Callum Robinson, only for Eberechi Eze to equalise just past the hour-mark.

It mattered not, though, as Brentford failed to capitalise, instead losing again.

Josh Dasilva cancelled out Callum Styles' Barnsley opener, but as Brentford pushed for a precious winner, Clarke Oduor tapped in at the other end in the 91st minute.

BRAVE BARNSLEY, WIGAN WOE

There were contrasting scenes at full-time in the final regular league match at Griffin Park after Barnsley celebrated as Brentford collapsed.

The visitors were heading down until Oduor struck but stayed up at Charlton's expense, the Addicks going down 4-0 at champions Leeds United.

Hull propped up the table after a 3-0 defeat at Cardiff City, while Luton Town stayed up thanks to a rallying 3-2 success at home to Blackburn Rovers, aided by two own goals.

Wigan needed to win due to their deduction following administration, but one of the form teams in the division let a lead slip against Fulham, their total of 59 points bumped down to 47 to fall a painful point short.

SWANS SAVOUR GOAL SWING

With rivals Cardiff comfortable in claiming their play-off place, Swansea City needed to beat 10-man Reading while Nottingham Forest lost to Stoke City, along with a five-goal swing.

Improbably, the Swans stole sixth place from Forest after a remarkable finale.

The Welsh side won 4-1, netting their fourth in the 91st minute as Wayne Routledge headed in his second.

That scoreline left Forest – 3-1 down at home to Stoke at the time – needing to score, but instead they conceded, their promotion bid derailing in spectacular fashion as Nuno da Costa stabbed into his own net in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

The 4-1 defeat meant Forest – without a win since July 1 – finished seventh.

Elsewhere, there were wins for Derby County, Millwall and Middlesbrough, bringing the curtain down on another season in gripping fashion.

Romelu Lukaku's wastefulness proved costly as Fiorentina claimed a 0-0 draw at San Siro to leave toothless Inter's Serie A title hopes hanging by a thread.

Lukaku could have had a first-half hat-trick on Wednesday but a combination of poor finishing and inspired Viola goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano left Inter frustrated time and again.

The Belgium striker and Alexis Sanchez hit the woodwork as Antonio Conte's side missed the chance to move above Atalanta into second place with three games to play.

Inter dominated the majority of the match but could not find a way past Terracciano and it should be only a matter of time before Juve celebrate another Scudetto.

Terracciano produced a sharp double save to prevent Martin Caceres scoring an own goal and deny Lukaku in a bright start for Inter.

Terracciano again showed sharp reflexes to tip Nicolo Barella's rasping long-range drive wide for a corner before Lukaku rose unmarked to head Christian Eriksen's inviting cross against the far post from point-blank range with rain lashing down.

Lukaku spurned another great chance when he was left unmarked again, drilling straight at the busy Terracciano from six yards out after the Nerazzurri lost Stefan de Vrij to a sprained knee in a frustrating first half.

Antonio Candreva showed Lukaku how it is done when he volleyed home, but the flag was correctly up for offside and Sanchez's strike was tipped onto the post by Terracciano as the opening goal remained elusive.

Lautaro Martinez came on with just over 20 minutes remaining, but only the alertness of Samir Handanovic to keep out a close-range effort from Pol Lirola stopped Fiorentina snatching all three points.

What does it mean? Inter set to fall short

Inter only have themselves to blame for dropping points for the second successive game, having rescued a 2-2 draw courtesy of a late Lukaku penalty at Roma last time out.

Realistically they are highly unlikely to catch Juve, as they trail the leaders by seven points and Maurizio Sarri's men have a game in hand.

The Bianconeri will be the Serie A champions for a ninth straight season if they defeat Udinese on Thursday.

Terracciano to the rescue

While it was not an evening Inter will want to remember, Terracciano added some highlights to his showreel. The fired-up Fiorentina goalkeeper was commanding throughout, showcasing his shot-stopping ability and excellent handling with eight saves to stretch his team's unbeaten run to six games.

Lukaku lacking composure

Lukaku has scored 27 goals in all competitions in his first season at Inter, but he was anything but clinical after coming back into the starting line-up. The former Manchester United striker snatched at first-half opportunities and ought to have had the game wrapped up by the interval.

Key Opta Facts

- Inter have drawn a league match against Fiorentina for the first time since November 1996 (2-2).
- Fiorentina have picked up 12 points in their past six Serie A games; one fewer than in their previous 11.
- Inter have hit the post seven times in their past nine league games, as many as in their previous 23.

What's next?

Inter travel to relegation-threatened Genoa on Saturday, with the Viola travelling to the capital to do battle with Roma.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thinks Paul Pogba should have ‘taken it in the mush’ after the Frenchman handled the ball in the area to give West Ham a penalty at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.

Michail Antonio put the hosts ahead from the spot after Pogba opted to use his hands to cover his face and block Declan Rice’s shot. Gary Neville, on commentary duties for Sky, criticised the midfielder for his actions and Solskjaer said after the game he should have taken it to the face.

He said: “It was a natural reaction, he held his hand up knowing he should have taken it in the mush instead.”

Mason Greenwood’s second-half equaliser means Man Utd now go into the final game of the season against Leicester on Sunday knowing a point will be enough to secure them Champions League football next season.

But, even that could be a tough ask after another tired performance from Solskjaer’s side.

“Going into half time we knew that’s not the result we wanted and a draw or 1-0 win or 2-0 was the same outcome for us it would mean same starting point in Sunday," he said. 

"We can’t expect to turn teams over and score three or five which is what we would have to have done to have a different scenario for Sunday.”

Solskjaer added. “We have a chance go there and if we can beat them big we will be delighted we have caught up with goal difference and we now need a point.

Fantastic opportunity, we know we will play against a good team who are dangerous in different aspects and can do different things tactically. But we will enjoy the extra 24 hrs break we have this week compared to last.”

And after another goal, Greenwood is in line for another start at the King Power after impressing his manager.

“He’s bailed us out a few times and He’s done it again top lass ever since we gave him an opportunity,” Solskjaer said.

“The last game of last season was his first start and he’s grown and grown in confine and belief he trusts that his qualities and attributes can work at the highest level and we expect him to hit the target.

"Chance first half very good strike unfortunate block the kid is going from strength to strength.”

Swansea City have made it into the Championship promotion play-offs after they saw off Reading 4-1 at the Madejski Stadium with Yakou Meite getting a straight red card and Andre Ayew providing an assist.

The South Wales outfit bagged a 1-0 win over Bristol City at the weekend which gave them hopes of making the playoffs should they beat Reading while their closest challengers in rivals Cardiff City and Nottingham Forest lose either of their respective matches against Hull City and Stoke City.

It clearly went according to script with Forest losing 4-1 at the bet365 Stadium, conceding late via a Nuno Da Costa own goal which means Swansea finished level on 70 points but with a better goal difference.

Ayew prior to the match said the team would not be giving up without a fight despite the difficult situation they found themselves in hoping their rivals lost their matches.

Liverpool loanee Rhian Brewster gave them the lead in the 17th minute for his 10th Championship goal since arriving in January.

Reading were then reduced to 10 men after Meite - who netted in a 4-3 defeat at Blackburn Rovers last time out, got a straight red card for violent conduct in the 40th minute.

Mark Bowen’s side still managed to respond with George Puscas scoring from the penalty spot two minutes to the break.

It was all Swansea in the second half with former Tottenham Hotspur winger Wayne Routledge scoring a brace while Liam Cullen also added his name on the scoresheet to complete the demolition.

Ayew headed the ball in the path of the latter to finish off a left-footed shot that found its way into the top-right corner of the net.

It was the Ghana captain’s seventh assist in the Championship this season and added to his 15 goals makes him Swansea’s highest goal contributor. He scored two goals since the restart in a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday and a 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest, Nigerian winger Sammy Ameobi scoring a brace for the Reds.

Swansea end the season with 18 wins from 46 games, drawing 16 and losing 12. They scored a total of 62 goals and conceded 53.

Steve Cooper’s men will face Brentford at home in the first leg of the play-off semis on Sunday before travelling to Griffin Park for the return leg three days after.

Fulham faces Cardiff City in the other semi.

Leon Balogun’s Wigan Athletic have been relegated from the Championship after settling for a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Wednesday.

They were 13th in the league table before the final game of the season but the Latics were deducted 12 points by the EFL for entering administration which will move them down to the bottom three.

Balogun was in action for 90 minutes at the DW Stadium but his defensive contributions were not enough for the hosts as they registered their third draw in their last five league outings.

Kieffer Moore got Wigan off to a flying start with his opener in the 32nd minute but his opener was cancelled out by DR Congo's Neeskens Kebano who equalised for Fulham four minutes into the second half.

The strike was Keebano's third goal of the season, four days after he opened his account with a brace against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Balogun made his 11th appearance in the second division on Wednesday and he partnered Ivory Coast's Cedric Kipre in the heart of Wigan's defence.

Egypt's Sam Morsy was also in action for the hosts but he was shown a yellow card in opening 20 minutes of the encounter.

The result had no implication on Fulham's position in the Championship table as they finished fourth with 81 points after 45 matches and they qualify for the play-offs.

After the deduction of the 12 points, Wigan will end the 2019-20 campaign with 47 points and they will drop to 23rd in the standings.

The demotion might come as a blow for Balogun who recently joined the Latics on a permanent deal until the end of the season after his initial loan from Brighton and Hove Albion expired in June.

Kenyan wonderkid Clarke Oduor came off the bench to net a 91st-minute winner for Barnsley as they defeated Said Benrahma’s Brentford 2-1 at Griffin Park to avoid relegation to the EFL League One.

The 21-year-old scored his first senior goal at the death to ensure the Yorkshiremen will enjoy Championship football again next term.

Brentford headed into the match eyeing automatic promotion, and this appeared within their grasp as rivals West Bromwich Albion toiled against Queens Park Rangers at The Hawthorns, in a match that ultimately ended 2-2.

A win would have been enough to have sent the Bees into the Premier League at Albion’s expense, but having lost against Stoke City at the weekend, they were stunned by Oduor and Barnsley at the death.

Angola’s Josh Dasilva gave Brentford a fighting chance with a 73rd-minute equaliser to cancel out Callum Styles’ opener for Barnsley, but Oduor, who had been introduced as an 86th-minute substitute, arrived at the back post to meet Patrick Schmidt’s cross in second-half stoppage time.

The goal prompted delirious celebrations from the travelling Barnsley team—all of whom piled on top of Oduor in delight after his maiden strike for the club—while Brentford slumped to the turf in dismay and must now face the playoffs.

Benrahma, linked with a move to Chelsea, Arsenal and Leicester City in recent weeks, was lively in his left-wing role, but Thomas Frank’s side lacked the fluidity and the zip they showed in their eye-catching eight-game winning run, and will regret failing to take a handle on the game.

This was Oduor’s 16th Championship outing of the season, with the left-sider starting 12 matches and coming off the bench as a substitute in a further four matches.

He was born in Siaya County, Kenya, and moved to England as a youngster before beginning his career with Leeds United after being promoted from their academy, signing a professional contract in early 2007.

He signed permanently for their Yorkshire rivals Barnsley last year, penning a contract until 2023 with Tykes.

While the Yorkshire side evaded relegation, Wednesday’s final day represented the end of the road for Charlton Athletic, Wigan Athletic and Hull City, all of whom dropped into the third tier of English football.

Harry Maguire says Paul Pogba apologised to his Manchester United team-mates after giving away a penalty in Wednesday's 1-1 draw against West Ham.

The Hammers took the lead at Old Trafford when Pogba blocked a shot with his hand, allowing Michail Antonio to convert from the spot.

United pulled level early in the second half when Mason Greenwood fired past Lukasz Fabianski, but were unable to take control of the Premier League encounter.

Although Maguire feels the penalty was harsh on Pogba and the Red Devils, he says the France international has taken responsibility for the mistake.

"You could say it was a natural reaction from Paul. Should he do it? He probably should take one in the face, but he has apologised, he held his hands up and knew that he shouldn’t do that," Maguire told Sky Sports.

"It was soft because it’s probably not ending up in a goal, they’ve been given a penalty and got an amazing opportunity to take the lead."

He added: "We came here wanting three points so we’re disappointed. When we play at Old Trafford we want to win every game.

"We started the game really well, on the front foot, we dominated the first 30 minutes. We should really try and score but we always need the ball to bounce for us or be more clinical in front of goal and we conceded a soft goal and made it hard for ourselves.

"It was a good reaction at the start of the second half, [but] we huffed and puffed and we weren’t good enough. We gave the ball away far too much and maybe ran out of steam a bit.

"The momentum of the game just kept stopping, sub after sub, drinks break, VAR, we couldn’t get any flow to the second half, I’m sure their players would say the same. It just felt like we played for three minutes and then stopped for a minute. We can’t make excuses.

"The schedule has been ridiculous. I think we’ve played four games in nine days or something, but it’s no excuse. We’re fully prepared. We started with a high intensity. We haven’t been starting games well, we’ve been finishing them a lot better.

"I wouldn’t say we’ve run out of steam. We’re already well prepared and got a huge game on Sunday and we’re looking forward to it."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team are third in the table heading into Sunday's season finale against Leicester, who are just a point behind.

With a place in next season's Champions League at stake, Maguire says his side will be ready to face the Foxes.

"It’s a big game. They’ve had a great season and got themselves in a great position," he said.

"A few months ago you probably wouldn’t have seen us catching them but we’ve had a great run ourselves. It’s disappointing tonight and against Southampton. It was disappointing not to win either of those games, but we’ve got ourselves in a great position.

"Six months ago you would have snatched someone’s hand off to go to Leicester and have an amazing opportunity to get Champions League football, which we set out to do. We’re ready, there’s no excuse for us to be tired. It’s a big game, if you can’t get up for that game then you’re in the wrong sport."

Monaco winger Henry Onyekuru is targeting a return to the Premier League after his unsuccessful stint at Everton.

Onyekuru joined Everton from Belgian outfit Eupen in 2017, but he was unable to secure a work permit in England which forced him to move to Anderlecht on loan in his first year and later to Galatasaray the following season.

After failing to secure a spot at Everton, the 23-year-old moved to Monaco on a five-year deal last summer where he struggled to play four league games before returning to Turkish giants Galatasaray on a short-term loan in January.

Ahead of his Monaco return, Onyekuru is hoping to rediscover his form in the Ligue 1 club with the dream of securing a Premier League move.

"We have our plans but then life brings its own plans, but I am still working on it, and hopefully I will be back soon, maybe not with Everton but surely in the Premier League," Onyekuru told BBC Sport.

"I have been with players like Keita Balde from my days at the Aspire Academy, Cesc Fabregas is a top guy, who welcomed me when I arrived at the club, it's like going back home.

"Monaco are a big club they know how to work with their players when it comes to transfers, just look at Anthony Martial.

"I hope to make a good season or two and hopefully the future will be bright."

The Super Eagles winger recently ended his second temporary stint at Galatasaray where he returned with a goal after 10 Super Lig matches in the second half of the 2019-20 season.

Onyekuru has been a regular fixture in Gernot Rohr's Super Eagles set-up since his debut outing against Togo in an international friendly in June 2017.

A knee injury ruled him out of the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia but he was part of Nigeria's 23-man squad that won bronze at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.