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May 22, 2017

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UCL heartbreak for Gunners

ARSENE Wenger’s torrid year reached a calamitous climax as Arsenal failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 20 years after Manchester City and Liverpool wrapped up the remaining top four places on the final day of the English League season.

Wenger’s side won 3-1 against Everton, but Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough and Manchester City’s 5-0 demolition of Watford pushed Arsenal out of Europe’s elite.

After reaching the UCL for the last 19 seasons, Arsenal will spend next term trekking around the unglamourous outposts of the Europa League.

That indignity will cost Arsenal an estimated 50 million pounds (US$65 million) in revenue and increase the pressure on Gunners boss Wenger, who has endured a miserable season filled with fan protests and calls for his resignation.

The Frenchman, who has yet to reveal if he will sign a new contract to extend his 21-year reign, could still finish the season with silverware as Arsenal face Chelsea in the FA Cup final next Saturday.

Hector Bellerin put Arsenal ahead in the 8th minute, but when Laurent Koscielny was sent off six minutes later for a reckless challenge on Enner Valencia, Wenger must have feared the worst.

Alexis Sanchez increased Arsenal’s advantage in the 27th, but by the time Everton’s Romelu Lukaku reduced the deficit with a 58th-minute penalty, it was already clear results elsewhere had conspired against Wenger.

Aaron Ramsey got Arsenal’s third, but his team was condemned to finishing fifth because Liverpool crushed relegated Middlesbrough to reach the UCL for the first time since 2014-15.

Georginio Wijnaldum put Liverpool ahead in first half stoppage-time, Philippe Coutinho struck in the 51st and Adam Lallana kept the party mood going with the third five minutes later.

Liverpool finishes fourth and will enter the UCL playoff round next season as they look to make the group stages.

At Vicarage Road, City wrapped up third place and automatic entry into the UCL group stages, with a Sergio Aguero double taking his tally to 33 goals for the season.

Harry Kane finished as the EPL’s leading scorer for the second successive year as the Tottenham Hotspur striker’s hat-trick took him to 29 goals and inspired a 7-1 win at Hull.




 

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