Chelsea seal Champions League berth after comfortable win against Wolves on Premier League final day

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George Flood26 July 2020

Chelsea have qualified for next season's Champions League following a straightforward win over Wolves on the final day of the 2019/20 Premier League season.

The Blues - who had Willy Caballero in goal with usual first-choice option Kepa Arrizabalaga dropped to the bench amid serious doubts over his future - headed into their final League clash of the campaign at Stamford Bridge needing just a point to secure a top-four finish.

They began the match in understandably tense fashion, only for two goals in first-half stoppage time to settle any lingering nerves.

First man of the match Mason Mount stepped up to whip a glorious right-footed free-kick beyond Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio and into the bottom corner after a debatable foul on Marcos Alonso, before the young midfielder combined with the returning Christian Pulisic to provide for Olivier Giroud, who outfoxed Conor Coady to net from close range just moments before the break.

With Mount and Mateo Kovacic particularly impressive in midfield, Chelsea then had little trouble in seeing out the victory that seals their spot in Europe's elite club competition once more in 2020/21, with Wolves struggling after long and gruelling season that began exactly a year ago on Saturday.

Chelsea's win coupled with Manchester United beating Leicester 2-1 at the King Power Stadium means the Blues finish level on points with United, with the latter taking third spot courtesy of a superior goal difference.

Frank Lampard's men finish fourth, with Leicester missing out on Champions League football altogether.

Defeat for Wolves plus a draw for Tottenham at Crystal Palace means Nuno Espirito Santo's men end the year in seventh, but they can still qualify for the Europa League again if Chelsea beat Arsenal in next weekend's FA Cup Final at Wembley.

Sunday's result marks a pleasing ending to Lampard's first top-flight season in the Chelsea managerial hotseat.

After signing a three-year deal to replace Maurizio Sarri last summer following just one season in charge at Championship Doutfit Derby County, Champions League qualification was high on the list of targets for the Stamford Bridge legend, who wore the captain's armband when Chelsea famously sealed their only triumph to date in Europe's elite club competition against Bayern Munich back in 2012.

Lampard's maiden campaign has featured plenty of inconsistency with double-digit league defeats and no shortage of suspect defending, particularly from set-pieces, but they had consistently occupied a top-four spot since October, despite going two successive transfer windows without making any new signings.

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