Arsenal made virtually sure of finishing runners up in the Premier League by beating Liverpool 3-1 on Sunday, which guaranteed Everton fourth spot and a place in next season's Champions League.
Two goals in four minutes by Robert Pires and Jose Antonio Reyes put the Gunners in control at Highbury. Although Steven Gerrard replied in a strong Liverpool fightback in the second half, Francesc Fabregas added Arsenal's third in the third minute of injury time.
The victory over Champions League finalist Liverpool means that Arsene Wenger's team is six points clear of third-place Manchester United with two games to go, but it has a far better goal difference than the Reds.
Chelsea clinched its first title in 50 years a week ago, receiving the trophy on Saturday after beating Charlton 1-0.
The loss for fifth-place Liverpool means that Rafa Benitez' team can't catch neighbor Everton for fourth.
David Moyes' Toffees, which finished just outside the relegation zone last season, now look forward to a place in European soccer's most prestigious competition. They last played in the competition in 1971.
The Gunners took a 25th-minute lead when they were awarded a free kick 22m out after Dietmar Hamann brought down Patrick Vieira. Pires curled his shot well out of reach of goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who didn't even move.
Four minutes later, Reyes scored his ninth goal of the season. The Liverpool defense failed to close the Spaniard down as he raced onto a pass by Fabregas, and he held off two challenges before shooting home with his left foot.
Liverpool hit back six minutes into the second half, when Reyes needlessly nudged Xabi Alonso just outside the Arsenal area and Gerrard's firmly struck low shot took a deflection off Fabregas and flew past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
It was only the second goal Arsenal had conceded in 11 league and cup games.
Liverpool continued to dominate the second half, but 18-year-old Fabregas took a short pass from Dennis Bergkamp to go clear and add the third.
Wigan Athletic gained promotion to the top division in English soccer for the first time in its history by beating Reading 3-1 on Sunday.
Wigan, which joins Sunderland in the Premier League, knocked third-place Ipswich into the playoffs with Preston, Derby and West Ham. Ipswich drew 1-1 with Brighton in the final round of games in the Football League Championship.
Lee McCulloch, Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington sparked celebrations at Wigan's JJB Stadium, the ground it shares with Wigan rugby league club. Steve Sidwell scored a late consolation for Reading, which finished seventh and just missed out on the playoffs.
Wigan manager Paul Jewell, who led Bradford City to the Premier League in 1999, got close to getting Wigan promoted last season. The club was in the playoff places but tumbled out after failing to win its last four games.
This time, Wigan had been in the top two for most of the season.
"We've finished where we deserved to finish," Jewell said. "I would love to have won [the championship] but good luck to Sunderland. They must be the best team because that's what the league [table] says. We're second best and we're both in the Premiership, and I'm just delighted we're not going into those playoffs."
Ipswich faces sixth-place West Ham in a two-leg series in the playoffs, and fourth-place Derby takes on Preston, which finished fifth.
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