NEW DELHI: Despite a 2-1 victory over West Ham United, Leicester City suffered relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season. The outcome was determined by Everton's 1-0 win over Bournemouth at home.
Leicester City, who had earned promotion to the top flight in 2014 and famously won the Premier League title in 2016 against all odds, finished the season in 18th position with 34 points. They fell two points short of Everton's total and joined Southampton and Leeds United in relegation.
Barnes fired the Foxes in front in the 34th minute after a superb exchange of passes with Kelechi Iheanacho, slotting the ball past Lukasz Fabianski to lift Leicester above Everton on goal difference.
West Ham looked very much like a side that has one eye on their Europa Conference League final with Fiorentina on June 7, but they still threatened on the break, leaving Leicester's fans on the edge of their seats.
Central defender Wout Faes netted their second in the 62nd minute, connecting with Youri Tielemans to head home past Fabianski, but by then the crowd was aware that Everton had taken the lead and the celebrations were subdued.
Jamie Vardy, the goal-scoring hero of the 2016 title run, came off the bench in the 77th minute but with Leicester's fate not in their own hands there was little the talismanic striker could do to help.
Pablo Fornals pulled a goal back for West Ham two minutes later and spirits were briefly lifted when news of a Bournemouth goal started to spread around the ground, but they proved to be unfounded and the stadium quickly fell silent again.
The players gathered around mobile phones to watch the final few minutes of stoppage time from Goodison Park, but Bournemouth could not score the goal that they needed and relegation was confirmed at the final whistle there.
The final whistle was met with a mix of applause and tears from the Leicester fans, as they came to terms with their team's relegation from the Premier League.
(With Reuters inputs)
