Watford’s captain Troy Deeney and Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe took responsibility for the pain of relegation from the English Premier League, while Dean Smith, manager of Aston Villa, is planning a party after avoiding the fall this morning (AEDT).
Deeney’s penalty was not enough to prevent Watford losing 2-3 to Arsenal when the Hornets decided to fire three managers in a Premier League season, including Nigel Pearson, who had just two games left.
“This is a reflection of the year,” Deeney told Sky Sports. “I’m going to get involved on social media, but the harsh reality is that people will lose their jobs because we weren’t good enough.
“The whole thing from top to bottom will carry out an assessment and re-evaluate it. It’s not just us.
“We cannot say that we did it right because we failed. The bigger one is for the fans and the people in the clubs because they will be here longer than the players. “
Deeney has broken through the pain barrier in the past few weeks, but hinted that his 10 years on Vicarage Road could also come to an end.
“I’m going to have knee surgery next week. The clubs can go in different directions and the players can, ”he added.
“If this is my last game, I’m glad I ran out on my sign. I am a simple man. Did I do everything I could? Yes. Was it good enough No. “
Bournemouth won 3-1 in Everton, but the damage was done when the Cherries’ five-year stay in the top division ended.
Howe insisted that the responsibility for relegation from Bournemouth lies more with him than with his below average players.
“It hurts. I’m trying to keep it together. I’m really sad about the fans of this club,” he said.
“There are small margins, there were many moments during the season. As a manager, I make hundreds of decisions and have not been good enough this season.
“I’m not going to sit here and criticize the players in any way, I have to support and support them. First I have to look at myself and I will. “
Bournemouth and Watford descend along with Norwich, who finished last with just 21 points.
Many fans quickly cited a controversial moment earlier in the season as the main reason Bournemouth ended up in the top three. Last month Aston Villa secured a 0-0 draw against Sheffield United when United was stripped of a goal.
Had Villa, who ended a point above Bournemouth, lost this game, Bournemouth might have avoided relegation due to the goal difference.
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Villa did just enough to prevent an immediate return to the championship when they drew 1-1 at West Ham in a dramatic finale.
Jack Grealish gave Smith’s team the lead six minutes before the end, which could be a farewell gift from the captain of the villa, which has been linked to a move to Manchester United and Manchester City.
Just a minute later, Andriy Yarmolenko’s deflected attempt made Villa end nervously.
As a lifelong villa fan, Smith lost his father, who was formerly a steward at Villa Park, during the three-month interruption of the Premier League due to the pandemic of coronavirus.
“I’m a villa fan. It is a proud moment and feels better than last season, ”said Smith.
“It was a big change that we had to make in the football club. We had to build a new team, a new squad.
“We made optimal use of the pandemic. I lost my father during that time and there were many disappointments, but we knew we had to work hard.
“I’ve lost my voice. I expect Jack Grealish to get drunk with me tonight. “
At the other end of the table, Manchester United and Chelsea sealed the Champions League spots with victories in their last games to ensure they made it into the top four.
Chelsea won 2-0 against Norwich and finished fourth with 66 points, while United also ended with 66 points thanks to a 2-0 win over Leicester.
This result brought Leicester’s dream of the Champions League to a standstill when the Foxes finished fifth with 62 points, three points ahead of the next best Tottenham.
– – AFP
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