Premier League Sunday: Blackpool, Birmingham City Down On Last Day Of Season

So, at the end of one of the more exciting series of Premier League games in recent memory, we have our winners and losers. Manchester United, of course, won the league, but today's not about them - it's about the semi-miraculous escapes of Wolverhampton and Wigan Athletic, who both somehow avoided relegation on the final day of the season. Blackpool and Birmingham, meanwhile, are faced with the extremely unfortunate prospect of a drop into the Championship - but there may be a silver lining for each.

Anyway, let's start with Blackpool vs. Manchester United, which ended up finishing 4-2 to United. The Tangerines were faced with the daunting task of having to go to Old Trafford and get a result if they wanted to escape relegation, and nearly got a vital early goal when Keith Southern managed to miss from fairly close range under no pressure. United scored through Park Ji-Sung, but charlie Adam's equaliser made things interesting, and soon after the break Blackpool were ahead through Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

It wasn't to last. Anderson scored the leveller minutes later, and then an Ian Evatt own goal followed by a Michael Owen strike (that big goal he's been promising all season) condemned Ian Holloway's men to 19th place and relegation. However, a surprising twist means that they may well have qualified for the Europa League based on fair play. Their closest rivals, Fulham, picked up two yellow cards and a red, which means that Blackpool appear to have the best disciplinary record in the Premier League. If so, they have a European adventure to look forward to next year.

Next up was Tottenham Hotspur vs. Birmingham City. The game started out with Tottenham dominant but unable to score, but substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko broke the deadlock after halftime with a long-range curling shot past Ben Foster. It looked as though that would be enough to send Birmingham down, but there was a further twist - Craig Gardner sent a beautiful volley in to equalise and haul the visitors out of the relegation zone, but then Wolverhampton scored to put them back into 18th on goal difference, and a second Pavlyuchenko goal in injury time sealed their fate. Still, like Blackpool, they have the Europa League to look forward to (and a Carling Cup won).

Wigan vs. Stoke at the Britannia started out fairly slow, a rightfully disallowed Stoke goal being the only action of note int he first half. In the second, things got more interesting, with both teams having clear-cut penalties ignored and Asmir Begovic forced into some fine saves after pressure from Roberto Martinez's men. Finally, the pressure told, and Hugo Rodellega's headed effort in the 78th minute ensured that Wigan would remain a Premier League team for another season.

Wolverhampton vs. Blackburn was our final relegation fight, and it ended up being a cracker - Blackburn blew their hosts away with a flurry of first half goals to seal their own safety before Wolverhampton clawed two back to secure 17th on goal differential above Birmingham. Those goals proved not to matter after a late Spurs winner, but before Stephen Hunt scored in the 87th minute, Wolves were headed for the drop. It was quite the escape.

Brett Omerod has just missed a decent opportunity to pull a goal back for Blackpool at Old Trafford, but it would probably have been too little too late anyway. Still 4-2 against Manchester United and the loveable seasiders are almost certainly going down. Can't say they're not having a real go of it though.

Birmingham City, meanwhile, have had the thrill of going level with Tottenham somewhat tempered by the fact that results elsewhere now see them in 18th, which is leaving the fans somewhat unhappy. 1-1 at White Hart Lane, with Birmingham now needing a win if scores elsewhere don't change.

Wigan Athletic remain 1-0 up over Stoke, a result which would guarantee their survival and add yet another year to their series of miraculous escapes from the clutches of relegation. They seem to be pretty comfortable too.

Wolverhampton are still losing against Blackburn, but they are no longer in the relegation zone. Stephen Hunt's gorgeous goal from a Stephen Fletcher flick eluded Paul Robinson and sends Wolves ahead of Birmingham in the table by the fainted of margins - they're even on goal differential and points but ahead on goals scored.

Oh good grief. Blackpool are behind at Manchester United after a ludicrous own goal by centre half Ian Evatt that 's probably best described as 'hilarious' if you're the type of person who thinks Blackpool going down would be funny, which is nobody. Michael Owen then scored his 'big goal' of the season to seal the deal. 4-2 at Old Trafford and Blackpool, depressingly, are down.

Birmingham have equalised against Tottenham Hotspur now, which hauls them out of the relegation zone and into 17th place. Craig Gardner is the man of the minute, thumping a beautiful shot from 25 yards out past Carlo Cudicini and into the back of the net. Stunning effort, that.

Wigan are 1-0 up against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium after a crazy series of events which included a fantastic save by Asmir Begovic to deny Tom Cleverly, a clear Stoke penalty which wasn't given, and finally a Hugo Rodallega header that made its way home to give the Latics a priceless lead.

Wolves have a goal back against Blackburn, which doesn't actually matter with Birmingham equalising against Tottenham. They're still set to go down in 18th as things stand, but it's 3-1 at the Molineux.

Hold your horses, Blackpool fans. Anderson has just drawn the champions level at Old Trafford with a peach of a finish, making it 2-2 and... still leaving Blackpool out of the relegation zone on goal differential. That's very very tight, though. Sir Alex Ferguson has replaced the influential Park Ji-Sung with Michael Owen for some reason, so I'm smelling the FA charge of fielding a weakened team already. Matt Gilks has just come up with a big save to deny Dimitar Berbatov, too.

Nothing is going on at White Hart Lane, where Tottenham lead Birmingham City 1-0. Birmingham aren't very good at this 'attacking' business, are they? They're still set for the drop.

Wigan, who are also on the verge of relegation, have just been denied a perfectly clear penalty at the Britannia Stadium, where Charles N'Zogbia was pulled back by Jermaine Pennant. A goal would see the Latics at 42 points and clear of danger - how costly could that be?

And nothing is going on in Wolverhampton vs. Blackburn, either, although the Blackburn fans must be loving things. So, we're at the point where a goal in any of these games could see everything shaken up. Everyone having fun?

We're underway again in our four big matches, and just like in the first half Blackpool came very close to scoring immediately after the whistle. Charlie Adam has a free kick in more or less the same place as he scored the equaliser, but this time it's well saved by Edwin van der Sar. Dimitar Berbatov nearly made them pay - again - with a header, but this time Blackpool ride out the danger and strike through Gary-Taylor Fletcher, who finished off a move in an incredibly congested box with a delicious backheel from a possibly offside position. 2-1 Blackpool at Old Trafford now, and they're very very close to a dream escape.

Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, have just gone 1-0 up against Birmingham City, which sends the visitors into 19th place on 39 points. Roman Pavlyuchenko was the man to get the Londoners on the scoresheet, smashing in a brilliant long range shot which Ben Foster was powerless to keep out. Now Birmingham have to attack, and things are going to get very interesting.

Nothing is happening between Stoke and Wigan Athletic. At 0-0 Wigan are still in the drop zone, albeit in 18th place and tied on goal differential with 17th-place Wolves.

And finally, it's still 3-0 at the Molineux, where one more Blackburn goal (or a Wigan goal at Stoke) would see Wolverhampton call into the drop zone. No signs of life from Mick McCarthy's men just yet...

Interesting news from Old Trafford - just minutes after he could have conceded a penalty for what looked like a foul against Park Ji-Sung in the Blackpool penalty area, captain Charlie Adam has equalised for the Tangerines with an excellent free kick. Perfect timing for the goal, and they're now just about out of the relegation zone. 1-1, halftime.

Birmingham City are still holding out at White Hart Lane, although it's anyone's guess as to how long they can actually keep Tottenham Hotspur off the scoresheet. Darren Ferguson should have been off for a nasty two-footed tackle on Younes Kaboul, and Peter Crouch has been forced off with an injury, but other than that there's not much going on - it's 0-0 at half time, which suits Birmingham just fine.

There's also not much going on in the Britannia Stadium, which isn't such good news for Wigan Athletic. 0-0 there at the interval.

Blackburn have managed to go further ahead against Wolverhampton, Brett Emerton sending in an absolute peach of a volley past Wayne Hennessy to virtually guarantee the vistors' safety before Junior Hoillet made it certain two minutes later. Wolves, meanwhile, have fallen into the relegation zone based on those goals and Charlie Adam's strike at Old Trafford. It's 3-0 now - one can only imagine that the away fans are going absolutely mental.

Yep, that's a really weak team Manchester United have put out against Blackburn. Weak enough for them to be 1-0 ahead at Old Trafford, thanks to Park Ji-Sung clipping part Matt Gilks after a neat flick on from Dimitar Berbatov. That could well be the goal that sees Blackpool relegated, for which many will never forgive Park.

Double trouble for Tottenham Hotspur against Birmingham - Peter Crouch goes up for a cross and does marvelously to get the ball to Jermain Defoe, who somehow doesn't come anywhere near scoring despite being given a header four yards from goal and Ben Foster in real trouble. He then got a smash to the face for his troubles and stayed down for some time, although he looks like he'll remain in the match. Still 0-0.

Not much going on in Stoke City vs. Wigan after that early Stoke goal-that-wasn't. As things stand elsewhere, Wigan will go down if this one finishes in a draw. 0-0 at the Britannia.

Blackburn, however, look as though they'll escape, and comfortably, after going 1-0 up against Wolverhampton at the Molineux. Michel Salgado had a long range pop on goal, and although it wasn't a particularly good shot Jason Roberts was alert enough to turn the ball into Wayne Hennesey's bottom corner from six yards. Wolves still survive as things stand.

With four games really mattering today, we're going to be keeping everyone up to date on all of them. Let's start with Manchester United vs. Blackpool, where Keith Southern somehow contrived to miss entirely from a Charlie Adam cutback while all of ten yards from the goal. Could be very costly for the seasiders...

In Tottenham Hotspur vs. Birmingham City, the hosts are unsurprisingly dominating the match, with Ben Foster far busier than Huerelho Gomes. Spurs still haven't made any real breakthrough, but the way things are going makes it seem only a matter of time.

Stoke City are playing Wigan at the Britannia Stadium, and the hosts have just seen a goal disallowed after Jonathan Walters fired home a Kenwyne Jones header from a clearly offside position - but it looked like there would have been a goal even without Walters touching it. That would have been a hammer blow for Wigan, who at currently in 19th place on 39 points.

There's been nothing really noteworthy at the Molineux, where Blackburn look slightly better than Wolverhampton in the early going. No shots, no chances, just teams feeling each other out and waiting to find out how games are going elsewhere.

Blackpool have ninety minutes in which to save their season. They'll have to go to Manchester United and come away with at least a point to have much hope at all of staying up, and despite Sir Alex Ferguson playing a relatively weak team he's still put out a side that should beat Ian Holloway's men comfortably. It'd take a minor miracle for them to become only the second team to get a result at Old Trafford, but West Bromwich Albion did it, so it's not entirely impossible.

Manchester United (4-5-1): Edwin van der Sar; Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Johnny Evans, Rafael da Silva; Nani, Anderson, Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher, Park Ji-Sung; Dimitar Berbatov.

Substitutes: AndersLindegaard, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Chris Smalling, Antonio Valencia, Darron Gibson.

Blackpool (4-3-3): Matt Gilks, Stephen Crainey, Alex Baptiste, Ian Evatt, Neil Eardley; Keith Southern, David Vaughan, Charlie Adam; Gary Taylor-Fletcher, D.J. Campbell, Jason Puncheon.

Substitutes: Matt Phillips, Luke Varney, Richard Kingson, James Beattie, Eliot Grandin, Craig Cathcard, Brent Omerod