Great escape for Fulham

Fulham have defied the odds to retain their Premier League status thanks to a 1-0 final day victory at Portsmouth.

Fans danced with delight after Danny Murphy's header 14 minutes from time secured their status and condemned both Birmingham City and Reading to relegation - despite each winning.

Midfielder Murphy was left virtually unchallenged to nod in a Jimmy Bullard free-kick at Fratton Park which left FA Cup Finalists Portsmouth nursing their fourth consecutive defeat before next week's Wembley final against Cardiff.

Fulham's astonishing turnaround in form - which included victories against Manchester City, Birmingham and now Portsmouth - coincided with a slump in the form of their rivals.

Reading finished the season third from bottom on 36 points - the same as Fulham - but with an inferior goal difference - despite recording a 4-0 win at already relegated Derby County.

Birmingham beat Blackburn Rovers 4-1 but ended on 35 points, one off the bottom.

Everton secured a place in the Uefa Cup win a 3-1 win at Goodison Park against Newcastle.

In the day's other games, Liverpool won away at Tottenham 2-0, Arsenal won 1-0 at Sunderland and West Ham drew 2-2 with Aston Villa at Upton Park.

Middlesbrough beat Manchester City 8-1 in what is likely to be Sven Goran Eriksson's last game as boss at Eastlands.

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