Newcastle and M'boro in relegation agony

A cruel own goal by Damien Duff condemned Newcastle United to relegation from the Premier League after they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa yesterday.

Middlesbrough also went down and Newcastle, needing to better Hull City's result against Manchester United, produced a lacklustre second-half performance against Villa despite the fact that an equaliser would have saved them.

Hull lost 1-0 at home to champions United, for whom Darron Gibson scored a stunning goal, but stayed up with a meagre 35 points after winning just one of their last 22 league games.

Hull manager Phil Brown took the microphone after the final whistle and sang to the delirious Hull fans who can look forward to a second season in the top flight.

Middlesbrough's slim hopes of avoiding the drop were extinguished by a 2-1 defeat at West Ham United and Sunderland's 3-2 home loss to Chelsea did not prove costly.

Hull finished one clear of the drop zone with 35 points from 38 games, above Newcastle on 34 and Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion on 32.

Liverpool set a new Premier League points record for a team finishing runners-up, capping their impressive challenge to Manchester United with a 3-1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.

They finished with 86 points, four behind United who clinched the title last week and sent out a virtual second-string side against Hull as they prepare for Wednesday's Champions League final against Barcelona in Rome.

Fulham claimed the final European qualifying spot, finishing seventh despite losing 2-0 at home to Everton who came fifth.

Newcastle's 16-year stint in the top flight ended with barely a whimper at Villa Park.

The goal that sent them down summed up events at St James's Park this season during which four different managers have been in charge.

Gareth Barry's shot was going harmlessly wide until it cannoned off Duff and flew into the bottom corner of Steve Harper's net.

Obafemi Martins came closest to equalising for Newcastle just before half-time but they offered little after the break and were lucky not to lose by a bigger margin.

Sbragia stands down

Ricky Sbragia stood down as Sunderland manager yesterday after his side narrowly escaped relegation on the final day of the Premier League season.

Former Manchester United reserve team coach Sbragia, who took over after Roy Keane resigned in December, confirmed his decision to Sky Sports following the 3-2 defeat at home to Chelsea.

"I felt the time has come for them to have a bigger name," Sbragia told Radio Five Live.

"I could have been selfish and stayed in the job but I have a lot of belief in Sunderland. I've been here for the last 13 or 14 years and felt it was the right thing to do. I had a brief to keep the club up and I have done that.

"The club can move on and be a threat, but I think they need a bigger name."

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn said Sbragia would be offered another role at the club.