Sky Sports takes a look at some of the talking points from the final day of the Premier League season
Sunday 19 May 2013 22:54, UK
Sky Sports takes a look at some of the talking points from the final day of the Premier League season.
For individual match reports, statistics, player ratings and key moments from each game, click on the headers below. Chelsea 2 Everton 1 Adam Bate Perhaps it was fitting that Fernando Torres should be the man who scored the winner in Rafael Benitez's final game in charge. The Spanish striker has ended the season on a high having scored in the Europa League final and has gone some way to turning opinion of him around at Stamford Bridge. But even the much-maligned Torres did not have to endure the sort of scepticism and downright contempt with which Benitez was greeted on his arrival at the club in November. But he bows out with a trophy to his name and a third-place Premier League finish that ensures there will once again be UEFA Champions League football at Chelsea next season. It wasn't always pretty on Sunday as Everton dominated the game before the break but - just as in Amsterdam in midweek - it is the character and resolve of this Blues side that shines through. They always seem to get the job done in the end. On the other hand, this must have felt like a familiar tale for David Moyes in his last game in charge of Everton as he prepares to leave for Manchester United after his 11-year stay on Merseyside. Once again, the Toffees were unable to manage an away win against a top side despite their best efforts. That task is unlikely to get any easier without Moyes on the touchline but the Scot will know his record in the big games must improve if he is to survive quite as long at Old Trafford. Liverpool 1 QPR 0 Pete O'Rourke The game was all about Jamie Carragher and his performance showed just how tough a job Liverpool will have to replace him. Carragher, captaining the side on his final appearance for the club, helped them keep a clean sheet as they overcame QPR 1-0 at Anfield. The 35-year-old found himself on the bench at the start of the season under Brendan Rodgers, but he showed his fighting spirit to reclaim his spot in the side midway through the season. Rodgers will find it hard to discover someone to replace Carragher on and off the pitch at Anfield and his absence could be missed more than people think next season. However, there was a glimpse into the future as 17-year-old Jordon Ibe made an enterprising debut for Liverpool by showing he could be a star at Anfield in years to come. Ibe is the seventh Academy player to make his debut this season for Liverpool and Rodgers will need the youngsters to continue to progress if he is to get the Reds back to where they feel they deserve to be. Man City 2 Norwich 3 Chris Harvey Manchester City ended their season as Premier League champions with a whimper, lacking the appetite for the fight to put on a decent show for their loyal fans. Should Manuel Pellegrini take charge at the Etihad Stadium as expected, he faces a big task to reinvigorate a squad which has underperformed of late. His predecessor Roberto Mancini decided Joleon Lescott was generally surplus to requirements and - on the evidence of this performance - he is likely to be shown the door at City this summer along with Kolo Toure. Micah Richards will also have to put on a far better show in pre-season if he is to extend his career at City and put pressure on Matija Nastasic and Vincent Kompany. Pivotal players including Yaya Toure will also have to show a great deal more heart if City are to wrestle the Premier League crown back from the hands of their neighbours. For Norwich, there are reasons to be cheerful. The club's policy of trawling the lower leagues for recruits has been vindicated with the Canaries finishing in 11th spot as a result of the 3-2 win at the Etihad. Robert Snodgrass has blossomed through his first season in the top flight while Jonny Howson is beginning to repay the faith shown by former boss Paul Lambert when he brought him to Carrow Road from Leeds United. His two goals in the last fortnight have been stunners and bode well for the next campaign. Newcastle 0 Arsenal 1 Ben Coley For Arsenal, this game was all about one thing: the result. Laurent Koscielny's scrambled goal perfectly epitomised that - Arsenal didn't need to be at their fluent best, nor did they need to score a goal of brilliance; they just needed to get a result somehow. And without Koscielny, they probably would've failed to meet that requirement. The French centre-half - much-maligned after a Capital One Cup final defeat to Birmingham at the end of his first season at the club - put in a performance that an Arsenal shorn of their talisman Jack Wilshere required. When Koscielny wasn't winning headers, he was blocking shots. When he wasn't blocking shots, he was galloping forwards to relieve pressure on those alongside him. And when he had a chance to put his side in front, he took it with the poise and instinct of a man who spends more time in the final third than he does coping with the likes of Papiss Cisse. Newcastle, to their credit, gave Arsenal nothing for free. Their chief creators may not have been at their best and Cisse may have lacked in support, but they strained every sinew to deny Arsenal the stroll in the park that Spurs fans had feared. Without question, Alan Pardew has a squad capable of leaving this season's struggles behind him come August. The question now is whether his opposite number Arsene Wenger will strengthen his so that next season's celebrations are backed up by the trophy he and his supporters so desperately require. Southampton 1 Stoke 1 Steve Pass There was to be no fairytale ending for Michael Owen as the former England striker made his final appearance for Stoke. Owen came on as a 74th minute substitute to a great reception from both sets of fans and had a half chance which he could not convert. But Rickie Lambert and Peter Crouch did find the net - their 15th and seventh league goals of the season respectively - and showed their importance to both clubs. At the other end, Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic underlined why he is being linked with a move to a bigger club, pulling off a string of top class saves to keep the Saints at bay. Both sides were already safe going into this game and Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino and Stoke counterpart Tony Pulis will be looking to push on next term and avoid their clubs' flirtation with relegation this season.