West Ham relegated despite 3-0 win over Leeds as Spurs beat Everton | OneFootball

Ollie Whitmore, Chief football news reporter

West Ham were relegated from the Premier League despite earning a 3-0 win over Leeds, as Tottenham beat Everton to end the Hammers’ 14 years in the top flight.

Taty Castellanos headed home from Jarrod Bowen’s corner after the hour mark in a nervy encounter, having failed to convert chances either side of half time, but it was redundant as long as Spurs preserved their priceless lead over the Toffees.

Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson struck late in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as the Hammers suffered a first relegation since 2011 while Spurs avoided a first season outside the top division in 49 years.

As it happened

West Ham’s nervy opening saw Brendon Aaronson afforded far too much space 30 yards out before Thomas Soucek intervened, before an unmarked Dominic Calvert-Lewin failed to steer James Justin’s wayward shot towards goal seven minutes in.

But the Hammers soon settled and were looking the more likely to score what would be a priceless goal, as Karl Darlow cheaply gave the ball away kicking it against his standing leg and had to palm aside Matheus Fernandes’ effort from distance.

Calvert-Lewin would have a second chance to put Leeds in front on 35 minutes only to drive it into a defender from inside the penalty area, as the hosts’ nerves resurfaced at the London Stadium.

News was soon spreading around the ground that Joao Palinha had put rivals Tottenham in front against Everton, rendering whatever the Hammers could conjure up after the break irrelevant in the relegation picture.

Callum Wilson was introduced at half-time by Nuno Espirito Santo to try and increase his team’s firepower up front, desperate for a goal that would at the time only haul them to the brink of safety with their local rivals ahead in their match.

And the Englishman was involved right from the off, teeing up Taty Castellanos as the home faithful held its breath, only for the Argentine to lose his feet right before taking aim at full stretch and the shot rolled into the arms of Darlow.

Castellanos was gifted another chance by Ao Tanaka getting in the way of Pascal Struijk’s pass back to his goalkeeper, but fired over from a tight angle on the right as time began to run out for the Hammers to grab a goal.

And it would come with just over 20 minutes remaining when West Ham’s number 11 rose highest to head Jarrod Bowen’s corner past Darlow and into the net, to give themselves the best chance of staying up and handing over to Spurs.

Darlow denied Wilson the third for the Hammers as Leeds cheaply gave the ball away and looked as though they had surrendered the match with two minutes left of added time, as the result ended their long stay in the top flight.

West Ham analysis: slow start to season hurts Hammers as proud run at an end

Prior to the final day, West Ham were the proud holders of the longest stint in the Premier League for a team promoted via the Championship playoffs.

And they did their part in trying to extend their 14-year stay in England’s top division, doing well to survive a nervy first half and head into the break level with Leeds.

The pressure was all on them with Daniel Farke’s men already safe, and Taty Castellanos held his own nerve to finally convert after failing to do so on two prior occasions.

But his and Bowen’s strikes weren’t enough for the Hammers, as Spurs were in control of their own destiny and had a priceless lead courtesy of loan signing Joao Palhinha’s goal at a ground that has seen as few as two victories over the course of the season.

West Ham were exactly where they’ve now ended the season at the halfway stage, collecting just three wins and 14 points from 19 matches while Spurs, who ended as their main rivals in the fight to beat the drop, were 12th under Thomas Frank.

Particularly damaging was a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest, also at the London Stadium, to start the new year, a result that began the Trees’ gradual rise away from the bottom three.

Bowen drilled home the winner in typical Bowen fashion, released by an incisive through ball by Matheus Fernandes and keeping his composure to the right of goal as he broke into the penalty area – both of whom now more likely than ever to leave the club in the summer.

While many Hammers fans will look to VAR ruling out what would’ve been the winner against champions Arsenal for a foul on David Raya, it was the slow start that ultimately decided their fate of second tier football next season.