By 
ZIMBABWEAN midfielder, Marvelous Nakamba saved his best for last as he walked away with the Man of the Match accolade when his English Premier League team Aston Villa ended the season on a high note with a 2-1 triumph over Chelsea at Villa Park on Sunday.Meanwhile a double from Senegalese Sadio Mane guided Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to a 2-0 victory in the Premier League on Sunday, sealing a Champions League spot for next season.
Nakamba started the match in what was his 50th appearance for Villa and played the entire 90 minutes. The Warriors star was booked for time wasting in the 74th minute but his display on the day was good enough for him to walk away with the Man of the Match award.
His exploits were witnessed by 10 000 fans at Villa Park on the final day of the 2020/21 season.
“Very proud to make my 50th appearance for this great club. Excellent result today to end the season on a high. Thanks to our amazing fans for their continuous support,’’ tweeted Nakamba after the match.
BirminghamLive gave Nakamba a superb rating of nine out of 10 for his brilliant exploits against Chelsea.
“In for his 50th appearance at Villa since his summer arrival in 2019, with Nakamba in alongside John McGinn for the second-successive match. The Zimbabwean put in a brilliant and brave block to thwart Mount early on and remained disciplined throughout. Nakamba put in a string of body-on-the-line challenges and last-ditch tackles as he kept Chelsea’s talented midfield and attack at bay. Loved his work today in midfield and boy did he cover some ground. Superb. Star man. 9*,” wrote BirminghamLive about the Zimbabwean.
Villa ended the season in 11th place, a massive improvement to their display in the 2019/20 period when they survived relegation on the last day of the action.
On the other end, Mane struck twice as Liverpool secured Champions League qualification with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday ensuring a third-placed finish for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
A fifth straight win completed an impressive end to what had been a disappointing and injury-plagued Premier League campaign for last season’s champion.
With 10,000 home fans present, Liverpool made a nervy start and Palace’s Andros Townsend missed a great chance when he intercepted a poor pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold but with only Alisson Becker to beat, he fired wide of the post.
Liverpool grew into the game though and Rhys Williams should have opened the scoring but, unmarked at a corner, his header flew high over the bar.
Mohamed Salah had an opening but shot straight at keeper Vicente Guaita before Mane broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, firing home from close range after Palace was unable to clear an Andy Robertson corner.
Mane made sure of the win and a top-four spot when he drilled in a left-footed shot in the 74th minute after being set up by Salah.
A run of six defeats in seven games in February and March had threatened to leave Liverpool without a place in Europe’s elite competition.
Yet Klopp’s side ended the season unbeaten in its final 10 matches, winning eight of them. It finished in third place on 69 points, 17 points behind champion Manchester City.
The game was the final match in charge of Palace for its manager Roy Hodgson, the former England boss who had a brief spell with Liverpool. He is leaving the role at the age of 73.
There were also farewells on the Liverpool side with midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum given a strong send off from the crowd and his team mates. The Dutchman’s contract at the club runs out in July and no new deal has been signed.
Liverpool’s retiring kitman Graham Carter was also given a guard of honour after the final whistle and was paraded around the field by Klopp.
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