West Bromwich Albion have been relegated from the Premier League for the fifth time after a 1-3 defeat at Arsenal that keeps alive the Gunners’ slim hopes of qualifying for Europe.
Sam Allardyce’s side were already virtually down but their return to the Championship is now confirmed, with the Baggies sitting 10 points from safety with three games remaining.
Nicolas Pepe made West Brom’s task even more difficult six minutes later when he cut in from the right and curled into the top corner to double Arsenal’s lead.
Matheus Pereira gave the visitors hope, running from his own half to score a superb individual goal with 23 minutes remaining.
But it was not enough to stop West Brom from suffering a joint-record fifth Premier League relegation, with Willian adding a late third for Arsenal from a free-kick.
Victory means the Gunners, who were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday, do at least still have a mathematical chance of playing European football next term.
For Allardyce, defeat at the Emirates confirms his first relegation from the Premier League as a manager, although the experienced 66-year-old had all but accepted their fate before the match.
The division’s great escape artist replaced Slaven Bilic in December when the Baggies were 19th on the table and accepted the task of trying to guide them to survival.
Allardyce has previously kept Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and Crystal Palace in the English top-flight after taking control in similar circumstances, but the rescue mission at the Hawthorns proved too big with West Brom managing just four wins in the 22 league games he has overseen.
It means West Brom return to the Championship at the first time of asking and join Norwich City as the only sides to be relegated from the Premier League on five occasions.
BBC
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