LONDON (AP) — Fulham became the third and final team to be relegated from the English Premier League, with a 2-0 loss to Burnley sealing the London club’s return to the second-tier Championship on Monday.
Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion, the league’s bottom two teams, were already down.
Burnley was one of four clubs — along with Brighton, Newcastle and Southampton — above the relegation zone still mathematically not safe heading into the match at Craven Cottage.
First-half goals from Ashley Westwood and Chris Wood finally killed off any hopes of what would have ranked as among the greatest of escapes by Fulham, which is owned by Shahid Khan — whose portfolio of sports teams also includes the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fulham was 10 points from safety with three matches remaining.
The team managed by former England midfielder Scott Parker has been near the bottom of the league all season, with its porousness at the back initially the biggest flaw.
Parker was able to shore up the defense by the middle of the season — helped by the impressive displays of loan signings Joachim Andersen, a center back from Lyon, and Alphonse Areola, a goalkeeper from Paris Saint-Germain — but that came at the expense of its attacking fluency.
Fulham has just 25 goals in 35 games, only better than last-placed Sheffield United.
Fulham and West Brom had only one season back in the top flight.