City sink Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as Aston Villa is relegated

Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick at the Stamford Bridge in one of the fixtures of the English Premiership yesterday, left Chelsea’s ambitious hope of a qualification for next season’s Europa League disjointed.

Two goals in the first half, 33th and 54th minute and one in the second half via a penalty kick scored in the 81th minute after Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was shown red, sent City’s fans wide in jubilation.

Earlier, Wayne Rooney was back in the United starting line-up for the first time since February 13 following a knee injury, but it was new Old Trafford hero Marcus Rashford who sealed Villa’s fate.

Teenager Rashford turned in Antonio Valencia’s 32nd-minute cutback for his seventh goal in 12 games.

Sunderland won the big battle at the bottom 3-0 to close the gap on Norwich to one point and hand themselves hope of beating the drop.

Defeat for the Black Cats would have left them seven points adrift of Norwich and safety, with boss Sam Allardyce facing relegation from the Premier League for the first time in his career.

But the visitors were by far the better side to emphatically record only a second win in 12 matches.

Sunderland’s breakthrough arrived four minutes before half-time when Andre Wisdom fell Fabio Borini in the area and the Italian got up to score from the penalty spot.

Jermain Defoe added a second eight minutes after the re-start, finishing Borini’s cross at the far post for his 16th goal of the season, before substitute Duncan Watmore wrapped up victory in stoppage time.
Newcastle beat Swansea 3-0 to secure their first win under new boss Rafael Benitez at the fifth attempt.

Jamaal Lascelles broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time with only his second Newcastle goal, heading home Andros Townsend’s corner.

Moussa Sissoko eased Newcastle’s nerves eight minutes from time and Townsend added a third in the final seconds for Newcastle to move within three points of Norwich with a game in hand.