London, May 20 (AP): Prospective new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly saw third place effectively secured with a 1-1 draw with Leicester in the Premier League on Friday(IST).
Marcos Alonso’s fine volley from Reece James’ diagonal cross recovered the point for Chelsea in the 34th minute after the wingback’s failure to track back had allowed James Maddison to fire Leicester in front from 18 yards (meters).
Christian Pulisic scuffed a tap-in wide that could have won the game for Chelsea.
Thomas Tuchel’s team was already sure of clinching one of the four Champions League places but the west London club will finish third due to having a far better goal difference than Tottenham heading into Sunday’s final round.
Outgoing owner Roman Abramovich has agreed to a 2.5 billion-pound ($3 billion) sale of Chelsea to a consortium headed by Boehly, the Los Angeles Dodgers part owner, but the British government is yet to approve the buyout structure.
Abramovich is not allowed to profit from the proceeds of the sale since the Russian oligarch was sanctioned and his assets were frozen for his links to President Vladimir Putin after the invasion of Ukraine.
The license allowing Chelsea to continue operating as a business runs through May 31 and has to be updated by the government to approve the buyout.
When Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed the ball into the net, Everton fans were ready to start celebrating their team’s Premier League status being preserved.
A combination of astonishment and relief sent supporters flooding onto the Goodison Park field on Friday(IST). From two goals down to Crystal Palace, Everton was leading 3-2. But there were still at least five minutes remaining.
The field had to be cleared before the fans could spill back on at the final whistle, sure the Merseyside club’s stay in the top division will extend to 69 years.
The outpouring of joy saw the grass covered in blue-shirted fans carrying smoke grenades as the players remained pitchside behind security. In the mayhem, Palace manager Patrick Vieira looked to be goaded by an Everton fan before he kicked out.
While Everton is safe, it will be only Burnley and Leeds trying to avoid being the third and final team relegated in the final round of the season on Sunday.