Fillips and flops of the season

IN the end, it simply wasn't to be for long-suffering Liverpool fans. Starved of an English league championship for 24 years, their agonising wait for that precious English Premier League (EPL) title will extend to a quarter-century after Manchester City pipped the Reds to the finish line last Sunday.

The battle at the top was particularly memorable for the fact that 20-time winner Manchester United found themselves out of the equation early on for the first time in over two decades, leaving the door wide open for one of the most enthralling races in recent memory.

Down at the other end of the table, the trio of Fulham, Cardiff City and Norwich City waved goodbye to their top-flight status. They will be replaced by Leicester City, Burnley and either Queens Park Rangers or Derby County (who face each other for the third and final spot on May 24) next season.