Liverpool head into final EPL day in fourth

(AP):

There was no need for a goalscoring goalkeeper this time. Liverpool's latest win in the English Premier League - 3-0 at Burnley yesterday - was far more routine than the one secured by goalkeeper Alisson's sensational stoppage-time header at the weekend.

It was no less vital, though.

Liverpool will head into Sunday's final round back in the top four, if only on goal difference, as last season's runaway champions look to clinch qualification for the UEFA Champions League - a possibility that looked so unlikely a month ago.

With two qualifying spots up for grabs to join Manchester City and Manchester United, Chelsea are in third place on 67 points, one more than both Liverpool and fifth-place Leicester.

Liverpool have a superior goal difference to Leicester of three, so any kind of victory over Crystal Palace should be enough for Jurgen Klopp's team to finish in the top four. Leicester close the season at home to Tottenham and will need to pile up the goals if Chelsea and Liverpool win.

Chelsea are away to Aston Villa.

Since a 1-1 home draw with Newcastle on April 24 that left Klopp fearing the worst, Liverpool have won four straight games - against Southampton, Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion and now Burnley - to reel in Leicester.

Three days after Alisson's winner at West Brom, it was another Brazil international - Roberto Firmino - who put Liverpool ahead at Turf Moor by converting a cross from Andrew Robertson in the 43rd minute.

Nat Phillips, the reserve centre back filling in so admirably amid a glut of injuries in that position, scored the second goal with a header from Sadio Mane's cross in the 52nd. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain added a third in the 88th.

The other thing to be decided on the final day of the season will be which teams qualify for UEFA's minor European competitions, the Europa League and the newly created Europa Conference League.

West Ham are in a good position to finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League after beating West Brom 3-1.

Seventh-place Tottenham lost 2-1 to Aston Villa, in what could be Harry Kane's final home game for the club, and are now tied on points with Everton, who beat Wolverhampton 1-0 at home.

Arsenal are a point further back in ninth after a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Newcastle won 1-0 at home to Sheffield United in the other game yesterday.