Arsenal FC supporters watch their team secure second spot in Premiership ahead of rivals Spurs. Image:@Arsenal. Click through to Arsenal Twitter feed.
Last day of English Premier League – crucial for north London fans
Today was the last day of England’s Premier League 2015/16.
Many of the usually nail-biting conclusions to the season had already been decided, mathematically, last week.
But for north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal, today was all to play for in terms of who would finish second and third.
With Leicester securely crowned champions and Aston Villa, Norwich and Newcastle all destined for the Championship, the big story involved the north London pair – Tottenham and Arsenal – and the annual phenomenon known as St Totteringham’s Day – the day in the season when mathematically, Tottenham can no longer finish above Arsenal in the league.
Tottenham started the day second, two points clear of Arsenal and with a vastly superior goal difference, so a single point against relegated Newcastle was enough to secure Spurs the runners-up spot.
Arsenal – who played another of the relegated teams, Aston Villa – had their eye on events at St James’ Park, but were also peering nervously over their shoulder, watching Manchester City who could have pipped them to third if Villa actually won a Premier league fixture.
But luckily for the Gunners, this was not to be.
At half time Arsenal were leading by a goal to nil and Tottenham were already two goals down at St James’ Park;
By the end of the games, Arsenal had raised their lead over Aston Villa by three more goals, making it 4-0 and Tottenham were thrashed 5-1 by Newcastle.
So, down to the final day, the second place spot and the bragging rights belong firmly to Arsenal.
.@_OlivierGiroud_ hat-trick and own goal help @Arsenal to finish second. #AFCvAVFC report: arsn.al/cxDAVn https://t.co/n4YTNU0VAg
—
Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 15, 2016It may be some consolation to Tottenham Hotspur that their striker, Harry Kane ended the season as the winner of the league’s Golden Boot award.
He’s scored 49 league goals for Tottenham since 2009 and is the first Englishman to finish as top scorer since Kevin Phillips, who then played for Birmingham City in 2000.
Over at the Emirates Stadium, elated at their victory, Arsenal players received a standing ovation from the fans.
Their joy was was tinged with sadness, though, as team captain and player for over 5 years, Mikel Arteta left the pitch never to return as an Arsenal player.
.@m8arteta speaks from the heart after his final @Arsenal match. It's an emotional watch: arsn.al/B0Tx2N
amp.twimg.com/v/bce8b62c-33e…
—
Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 15, 2016At the end of the day, as they say, it was a nail-biting end to the season for north London, as Arsenal finish second and Spurs finish third with a terrible end to the otherwise brilliant campaign for Mauricio Pochettino’s men.
And it’s Happy ‘St Totteringham’s Day’ once more for Arsenal.
Manchester United’s home game with Bournemouth was called off because Old Trafford had to be evacuated after a ‘training device’ left by a private firm triggered a security alert.
'Training device' led to Manchester United-Bournemouth abandonment at Old Trafford u.afp.com/ZLaV
—
AFP news agency (@AFP) May 15, 2016Greater Manchester Police said they’d discovered an ‘incredibly lifelike explosive device.’
The dummy ‘bomb’ had been left in toilets in the Stretford End of Old Trafford during an exercise on Wednesday.
Suspect package behind Old Trafford evacuation "training device" left by "private company": dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/artic… https://t.co/lv19yTHSM4
—
Press Association (@PA) May 15, 2016The Premier League said the fixture has been rescheduled for Tuesday, with an 8:00pm local kick-off time.
FORMULA 1: Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona
Max Emilian Verstappen has won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix in his debut with the Red Bull racing team.
In doing so, he has made history in becoming the youngest ever F1 winner, at just 18 years old.
Verstappen showed maturity and skill and managed to fend off challenges from Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who came second.
Sebastian Vettel, who also drives in Team Ferrari, crossed the line in third to complete the podium.
The young Dutchman’s victory was seriously aided as the tone of the race was set by a huge, all-Mercedes collision.
Lewis Hamilton lost control of his car and crashed into team-mate come arch-rival, Nico Rosberg at turn three, removing them both from the Grand Prix in one fell swoop.
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton crash out of the #SpanishGP on the first lap: bbc.in/1ZTi23U https://t.co/SSXRrVqVG4
—
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 15, 2016Post-race and after an almost hour-long stewards’ inquiry about the collision, it was agreed that no action would be taken and it would be chalked down as a ‘racing incident’.
But Hamilton is reported to believe Rosberg was at fault.
#AskCrofty Lewis confirms Nico was in the wrong engine mode at the start the stewards taken further action & decide it was a racing incident
—
Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 15, 2016In a Sky Sports interview, Rosberg was frustrated with the decision:
The stewards’ decision is the stewards’ decision and we just leave it at that. That is the verdict. My mode was definitely in the incorrect mode, I was down on power, we still need to go through why that was the case.
And it appears that his kinship with Hamilton is still on shaky ground; When asked how his relationship was with Lewis Hamilton tonight, he simply replied:
Same as usual.
TENNIS: Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic in the Italian Open final
British Numero Uno, Andy Murray has managed to defeat Novak Djokovic at Rome’s Foro Italico final.
On his 29th birthday, he has won his first Italian Open title with a 6-3 6-3 victory over the top seed.
Murray broke serve once in the first set and twice in the second, making his championship complete in one hour and 35 minutes.
And in the women’s final, hours earlier, Serena Williams defeated Madison Keys to win her first WTA title in nine months.
Andy Murray now returns to second in the world rankings ahead of the French Open, which begins on 22nd May 2016.
London Multimedia News 