Liverpool took a huge step towards a top-four finish on an action-packed Wednesday in the Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp s men beat Burnley 3-0 and, with every team in the division now having played 37 games, they head into the final weekend in fourth – ahead of FA Cup winners Leicester City on goal difference.
There were also away wins for Arsenal and West Ham as two former England managers bade farewell, while the current Three Lions captain saw Tottenham s season take another turn for the worst.
Joe Willock also claimed a piece of history for himself and here we look at that and some of the other best facts as the last midweek round of a condensed campaign came to a close.
21y 272d Joe Willock has now scored in six consecutive Premier League appearances, becoming the youngest player in the competition s history to do so at the age of 21 years and 272 days. Unleashed.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Burnley 0-3 Liverpool: Klopp s men go fourth and prosper
Liverpool needed goalkeeper Alisson to head home an improbable last-gasp winner at West Brom last weekend, although this latest victory was more comfortable and arrived via conventional means.
Roberto Firmino became the second player to score in three consecutive Premier League games at Turf Moor after Anthony Martial. Following a difficult season, the Brazil forward s past three league appearances have yielded as many goals (three) as the 19 before.
Three days after Alisson, Nat Phillips also headed his first goal for Liverpool, while Andy Robertson claimed his second assist of the game when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wrapped up the points two minutes from time.
Scotland left-back Robertson has 35 assists since the start of the 2017-18 season. Only Kevin De Bruyne (49) has more in that period.
4 Liverpool will end the day in the Premier League top four for the first time since mid-February, at the expense of Leicester, who find themselves outside the UEFA Champions League qualification places for the first time since early December. Mathematics.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Crystal Palace 1-3 Arsenal: Gunners late show ruins Roy s farewell
Roy Hodgson was given a guard of honour and a rapturous reception for his final home game in charge of Palace and Christian Benteke continued his recent hot streak to keep hopes of a memorable victory alive.
The Belgium striker cancelled out Nicolas Pepe s opener after the hour, meaning he has scored in four consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time since April 2013.
Benteke is also on to double figures for the first time since he netted 15 times in 2016-17, although stoppage-time goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Pepe stole the points.
The strike from the 19-year-old Martinelli means the Gunners are now 60 matches unbeaten (W50 D10) in Premier League games where a teenager has scored.
60 Arsenal have never lost a Premier League game in which a teenager has scored in, with tonight (Gabriel Martinelli scoring) being the 60th such match for the Gunners in the competition, winning 50 and drawing 10. Impressive.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
West Brom 1-3 West Ham: Moyes sends Allardyce through exit door
Arsenal will not finish in the top six, though, as West Ham s brilliant season continued with a 3-1 win over relegated West Brom – after which Sam Allardyce announced he will leave the Hawthorns.
West Ham s 31 points away from home are their most in a top-flight season since they compiled the same amount in 1985-86, even if victory did not necessarily look likely when Declan Rice recorded the earliest penalty miss in Premier League history after two minutes and four seconds.
Matheus Pereira put the Baggies ahead. His 17 goal involvements (11 goals, six assists) are the most in a single campaign since Romelu Lukaku in 2012-13 (21).
Tomas Soucek s 10th goals of the season levelled matters and Angelo Ogbonna headed in from an Aaron Cresswell corner – the full-back s eighth assist of the season – before Michail Antonio made sure David Moyes enjoyed his eighth consecutive win over the departing Allardyce.
Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa: Spurs slide again
Harry Kane was warmly applauded by the Spurs faithful despite reports of his desire to leave, something a sixth home loss – their most since 2014-15 – did plenty to explain.
All four of Steve Bergwijn s Tottenham goals have arrived as opening goals on home turf, but Sergio Reguilon s own goal brought Villa level.
It was the 1,000th own goal in Premier League history, 41 of which Spurs have been responsible for.
A familiar face proved to be Villa s matchwinner. Ollie Watkins 14th goal of the season means he has the most by an Englishman in a Premier League debut year since Charlie Austin for QPR in 2014-15 – something that is unlikely to have escaped Gareth Southgate s attention.
1000 Sergio Reguilón s own-goal was the 1000th scored in Premier League history, 10,483 days after Mark Crossley netted the very first back in August 1992 for Nottingham Forest. Poetic.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Newcastle United 1-0 Sheffield United: Six of the best for Willock
Willock headed the only goal in first-half stoppage time for Newcastle, becoming the youngest player in Premier League history to score in six consecutive games at 21 years and 272 days.
The Arsenal loanee is the third player to complete the feat for Newcastle in the division after Papiss Cisse in 2012 and Alan Shearer in 1996.
It was not for the wont of trying on the part of Allan Saint-Maximin that Steve Bruce s men were unable to add to their advantage. The winger completed 15 dribbles, the joint-most by a player in the top five European leagues this season alongside Lionel Messi against Celta Vigo.
Sheffield United will hope to avoid an unwanted record of their own when they host Burnley on Sunday. This was their 29th defeat of the season, matching the hauls suffered by Derby County (2007-08), Sunderland (2005-06) and Ipswich Town (1994-95). No side has ever lost 30 games in a Premier League campaign.
15 completed 15 dribbles against Sheffield United before being subbed-off, the joint-most of any player in a single game within Europe s top five leagues this season, along with Lionel Messi s 15 against Celta de Vigo. Glue.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Everton 1-0 Wolves: Richarlison lifts Goodison Park blues
Richarlison s winner ended a poor home season on a high for Everton.
Their 22 points amassed at Goodison Park in 2020-21 is their lowest in any league campaign in their history when converting to three points for a win.
Gylfi Sigurdsson was a familiar provider from the corner. Since his debut in the competition in January 2012, only Chris Brunt (25) and Christian Eriksen (24) have managed more set-piece assists.
Everton s 14 headed goals are the most of any Premier League side this term.
