Relegated Leicester City threatened briefly to blemish Arsenal's defeats column, having the temerity to take the lead against the champions at Highbury, before normal service was resumed. A 2-1 home victory means that Arsene Wenger's side have become the first top flight side to go a full season unbeaten since the Invincibles of Preston North End in 1889.

Aston Villa's European ambitions thwarted by a two-nil reversal against Manchester United who finished the game with just nine men. Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistlerooy put the visitors two-up inside the first ten minutes and Villa never seriously threatened to overturn the deficit, even when United had two players dismissed. Controversial referee Rob Styles dished out his 11th and 12th red cards of the season as first Darren Fletcher and then Ronaldo picked up their second yellows of the afternoon in the final quarter of the game.

Villa would still have taken the final Uefa Cup spot had Liverpool done them a favour and beaten Newcastle. A Shola Ameobi strike after 25 minutes set Newcastle on the right path before Michael Owen latched on to a fantastic pass from captain Steven Gerrard to level the scores with 20 minutes remaining. But it was not enough for Aston Villa who finish sixth - no mean achievement considering they were in the bottom three in November.

Manchester City's Paulo Wanchope scored twice and Nicolas Anelka once in the opening period before Kevin Campbell pulled one back on the hour mark for Everton. But City ensured that their home fans had something to celebrate after a difficult season in their new home with stoppage time strikes from Antoine Sibierski and Shaun Wright-Phillips completing the rout.

With Harry Redknapp and Milan Mandaric seemingly having kissed and made up, Portsmouth were free to end their first season back in the top flight in style. A hat-trick in the first half hour from Nigerian Aiyegbeni Yakubu - including a penalty that he himself had won when fouled by Danny Mills - put the game out of Middlesbrough's reach despite Boudewijn Zenden's solitary reply. Teddy Sheringham marked his final game for the club with a goal after coming off the bench before Yakubu bagged his forth and Pompey's fifth in stoppage time.

Sheringham's former England team-mate Paul Ince signed off in less auspicious, but probably more fitting, cirumstances. A running battle with Tottenham's Jamie Redknapp earned the combative midfielder a second yellow card as Wolves were consigned to bottom place. Robbie Keane scored against his former club after half-an-hour and Jermaine Defoe, latching on to a woeful backpass from Carl Court, wrapped up the points midway through the second period.

In what is expected to be Caludio Ranieri's final game in charge at Chelsea, Jesper Gronkjaer scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Leeds United. Leeds finish level on points with both Wolves and Leicester City but one off the bottom by virtue of having scored more than Dave Jones' team.

Birmingham completed their best Premiership finish. A late Stern John goal was needed for the Blues to take a point against Blackburn at Ewood Park. Andy Cole's 11th goal of the season had given the home side the lead after 24 minutes.

Goals from Jason Euell and Carlton Cole either side of half-time provided Charlton with a final day victory in front of their own fans. David Prutton bagged what was only to be a consolation for Southampton in the 2-1 defeat.

Bolton finished the season in eight spot despite going down 2-0 to Fulham at the Reebok Stadium. American striker Brian McBride did the damage with a second-half brace meaning that Chris Coleman's first season results in a top ten finish and not the relegation dog fight that many observers had predicted.