The agony and the ecstasy

Birmingham and Blackpool suffered the agony of relegation

Madness. Complete and utter madness. There is no other way to describe it.

We all knew 'Survival Sunday' would provide thrills, spills and a river-load of tears.

But no-one could have predicted just how many twists and turns there would be as Blackpool and Birmingham eventually perished.

In years gone by, both teams would have been comfortably safe on 39 points, so both can count themselves extremely unlucky to be relegated.

The Premier League may have lost some of its quality in recent years but it remains the best league in the world through sheer drama, excitement and now unpredictability.

While Blackburn, Wigan and Wolves will be delighted to have survived, the real winner on this day of tension was football.

Even script-writers couldn't have thought up a story like this, with Wigan and Wolves both looking doomed at times before pulling off miraculous escapes.

Wolves appeared all but safe going into the day after two-straight wins, but were 3-0 down at half-time at home to Blackburn and at that point were going down.

David Hoilett's goal put Blackburn 3-0 up at Molineux

No-one associated with Wolves had seen that coming, but that is what nerves can do to teams.

They were seemingly tossing away their Premier League status with a whimper after becoming complacent at the position they had found themselves in.

As it eventually turned out, Wolves wouldn't have gone down no matter how many goals they lost by, but for a long period they looked like goners.

Blackpool put in an admirable performance away at Manchester United and at various points in the afternoon it looked like they would survive.

Charlie Adam's fantastic free-kick put Blackpool on target to stay up

Keith Southern missed a gilt-edged chance early on before Park Ji-Sung opened the scoring for United, only for captain fantastic Charlie Adam to arrow home a beautiful free-kick at the Stretford End to send the Seasiders in level at half-time.

With Wigan and Birmingham's tough away games against Stoke and Tottenham respectively still goalless at the break, at that point it looked like it would be Wigan and Wolves going down. What a difference a half of football was about to make.

Within 45 minutes, supporters of Wolves, Wigan, Blackpool and Birmingham travelled to the depths of despair and back again, only for some cruel late strikes to eventually rob the 'two Bs' of their Premier League lives.

Blackpool supporters were in dreamland early in the second half as, after hearing news Roman Pavlyuchenko had scored at White Hart Lane to put Birmingham behind, Gary Taylor-Fletcher scored what looked like a priceless goal to give the Tangerines an improbable 2-1 lead at Old Trafford.

Even Anderson's equaliser on 62 minutes didn't appear to hurt them too badly as they were still on target to stay up, but in fact this set in place a series of events which condemned Blackpool to the Championship.

Ian Evatt's own goal set the seal on Blackpool's relegation

United were well on top at this stage and looked likely to score from every attack, and the telling blow came on 74 minutes when Ian Evatt converted Chris Smalling's cross into his own net. Barring a miracle, a defeat at Old Trafford would send Blackpool down.

The Seasiders characteristically kept attacking but Michael Owen's 81st-minute goal sealed Blackpool's fate. As for the other relegation spot, there was still much drama to be played out.

It looked like it would be Birmingham joining Blackpool in the Championship at this stage with them being 1-0 down at Tottenham, but Wolves knew they were not safe yet as any goal from the Blues would be likely to send them down.

Jamie O'Hara's goal for Wolves 17 minutes from time at Molineux brought them back to within two of Blackburn but they were still vulnerable to any goal from White Hart Lane.

Hugo Rodallega's late header secured Wigan's survival

Wigan had done a fine job to nullify Stoke's threat at the Britannia Stadium and got their reward on 78 minutes when Hugo Rodallega nodded home to send the travelling Latics fans potty. They knew that, with three sides above them losing, they were well and truly safe.

It was now a straight shoot-out between Wolves and Birmingham and the drama, unthinkably, was still not over.

Craig Gardner's equaliser sparked scenes of joy for Birmingham

Birmingham's inspiration Craig Gardner unleashed a stunning left-foot strike into the bottom corner at White Hart Lane to spark scenes of wild jubilation among players, fans and staff alike. This looked set to keep the Blues up on goal difference.

With Birmingham fans eagerly listening to the Wolves game, praying the scoreline stayed the same, disaster struck for them.

Stephen Hunt's goal three minutes from the end was set to keep Wolves up on goal difference

Stephen Hunt's stunning strike three minutes from time at Molineux meant Wolves were staying up on goal difference if the scores remained as they were.

This was the cruellest of blows for Carling Cup winners Birmingham, whose emotions had gone from delirium to despair in the space of just eight minutes.

Knowing they needed to win the game to stay up, Alex McLeish sent defenders Roger Johnson and Curtis Davies up front and, wide open at the back, Pavlyuchenko added his second to confirm Birmingham's drop.

Birmingham's players knew they were relegated after Pavlyuchenko's 93rd-minute strike

The tension and drama of the day was almost too much for neutrals to bear, so it is hard to imagine what fans, players and staff of the teams involved must have gone through during the day.

As has already been mentioned, Blackpool and Birmingham went down on 39 points, a tally that would have been enough to see them survive for 11 of the last 12 seasons.

Blackpool have done themselves proud this season by sticking to their attacking principles.

It may not have been enough to save them in the end, but hopefully teams coming up will realise that attacking is the way to go in the Premier League. A balance needs to be struck of course, but Blackpool have proved it is possible to achieve success by playing positively.

They should remember this season fondly as they have won many admirers up and down the country and have some wonderful memories to take away with them.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has a lot to be proud about after his first season as a Premier League manager

They did the double over Liverpool, also won away at Newcastle, Sunderland, Stoke and Wigan and produced great performances against some of the top teams.

A lot of refereeing decisions went against them during the campaign and they were unlucky in several games, so the Seasiders have nothing to reproach themselves about. They gave it their all and, despite pre-season predictions by many that they would struggle to reach double-figures in terms of points, only just missed out on a second season in the Premier League.

Ian Holloway has done an unbelievable job at Bloomfield Road and looks likely to stay, so it may not be too long before the Seasiders are back in the Premier League.

They will have to go into the new season without skipper Charlie Adam, though, who looks set for bigger and better things and has been linked with a summer move to Liverpool. It will be a major blow for Blackpool to lose him but if they can re-invest the money they gain from the transfer wisely they will have a real chance of bouncing straight back.

As for Birmingham, relegation will have come as a shock after their positive first season back in the top flight last season.

Boyhood Birmingham fan Craig Gardner was left devastated by his side's relegation

The fluctuation in their emotions during the game at White Hart Lane summed up their season, as they went from the joy of winning the Carling Cup to the misery of relegation.

It is hard to say whether they would swap their League Cup triumph for their Premier League status as the chance of winning a cup doesn't come around too often, but they will be devastated by their drop.

Their main problem has been the lack of a goalscorer, with Birmingham the only team in the Premier League this season to average less than a goal a game.

Their board have announced Alex McLeish will remain as manager despite the relegation and that is good news for them.

McLeish is a very good manager who has been unlucky at times this season and he deserves the chance to lead Birmingham back into the top flight, as he did two years ago.

If they can keep hold of players like Ben Foster and Craig Gardner, it is hard to bet against McLeish bringing Birmingham straight back up.

Blackburn were technically still in with a chance of going down going into 'Survival Sunday', but any relegation fears were wiped away in the first-half at Wolves.

They shouldn't have been anywhere near the bottom three but the strong end to the season they enjoyed should fill them with hope for next season.

Whether Steve Kean is the right man for the job remains to be seen but he looks set to be given a chance and this stability could hold the key for Rovers.

Their Indian owners, Venky's, are thought to have promised Kean a large transfer budget for the summer and the future could be bright at Ewood Park if they strengthen their squad with quality players.

Wolves did well to escape after looking doomed for much of 'Survival Sunday' but their real work was done in the two games leading up to it.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy couldn't hide his delight after the final whistle

They beat West Brom and Sunderland consecutively after occupying a place in the bottom three for much of the season and these were the results which saved them.

They enjoyed some great wins at Molineux, with victories over the top three of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City standing out, and also suffered bad luck at times where strong performances did not produce the points they warranted.

Mick McCarthy will now lead Wolves into their third-straight season in the Premier League and that gives them a real platform to build on.

It seems likely they will face another real battle to stay up next season but for now they should enjoy this success and look forward positively.

Finally, enormous praise should go to Wigan for pulling off their great escape.

2-0 down at home to West Ham last Sunday, there seemed no way back for them. They were destined for the Championship, something which had looked likely all season.

They somehow recovered to defeat a beleaguered Hammers side and followed that up with a superb win at Stoke.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez was hoisted into the air by his players after their great escape

Roberto Martinez has had his troubles this season but never complained once, proving himself to be one of the brightest young managers in the game by keeping his composure.

Their survival also ensures the fairytale story of Wigan Athletic goes on for at least another year.

Next season will be their seventh-straight campaign in the Premier League and for a club of Wigan's stature that is remarkable.

Their average attendance is less than 17,000 so they always have their work cut out to stay in the top flight, but time and again they have launched amazing recoveries to cling on to their Premier League status.

Dave Whelan, as chairman, has done an unbelievable job at Wigan and he deserves this.

Dave Whelan bought Wigan in 1995 when they were a fourth-tier club

He has worked tirelessly to keep his beloved club afloat and nothing gives him greater pleasure than seeing Wigan stay up, and the stability he provides for his managers is something most Premier League bosses can only dream of.

It seems inevitable some of Wigan's top performers will leave in the summer, with the likes of Charles N'Zogbia and Hugo Rodallega repeatedly linked with moves, but for the moment they should bask in the success of staying up.

It will be another uphill battle for them to survive next season but with Whelan and Martinez working in tandem, they will have more than a fighting chance.

Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn all beat the drop on 'Survival Sunday' and deservedly so.

But credit must go to relegated Blackpool and Birmingham, who both could easily have stayed up if things had worked out slightly differently.

It was a phenomenal day of football which encapsulated what this great sport is all about, with the drama surely unmatched in any other game.

A day like this may not be seen again for quite some time because this was something remarkable.

A Wolves fan shows his relief after his side's escape

Twisting and turning until the end, this is a Premier League relegation battle, indeed season, which will live long in the memory.

Blackpool and Birmingham will join West Ham in the Championship next season but have not been disgraced in any shape or form.

This was the most difficult season ever to stay up in the Premier League and two very decent sides have fell through the trapdoor.

The quality at the top of the league may not be as strong as it once was, but at the bottom it has never been better or tighter.

All three relegated clubs will have a great chance of bouncing back up next season, even West Ham with their fan-base and stature, so relegation shouldn't represent the end of the road.

Championship teams should watch out.

Judgement Day

Blackburn, Birmingham, Wolves, Blackpool and Wigan will fight for their lives on Sunday

If Harold Camping's prediction the world will come to an end today proves correct, we will never find out who survives on 'Survival Sunday', which will be a shame.

There has been so much hype and build-up to this day that for whoever goes down, it will feel like the end of the world.

Wigan, Blackpool, Birmingham, Wolves and Blackburn are all in peril and this openness promises to provide a great day of drama for the neutrals.

The beauty of the last weekend of this Premier League season is that seven of the ten games have something meaningful riding on them, meaning fans will not know where to look for the biggest stories as there will be so many.

Here are my previews and predictions for all ten of the games, which promise to be packed with nerves and excitement (providing the world hasn't ended by then).

Aston Villa v Liverpool (1600 Sunday)

David Ngog was among the scorers as Liverpool beat Villa 3-0 earlier this season

Aston Villa have had a wretched season but seem to have turned the corner now and are enjoying a strong end to the campaign.

They have lost just one of their last seven games to secure survival and last week's 2-1 win at Arsenal offers real hope for next season.

There is a lot of uncertainty over whether manager Gerard Houllier will return to boss the side next season after his health scare and this is something which should be sorted out quickly to ensure Villa start next season strongly.

They will need to keep hold of the likes of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing in the summer if they are to progress but if they can do that, and add a bit of depth to the squad, next season should be a lot better than this one has proved to be.

As for Liverpool, last Sunday's 2-0 home loss to Tottenham was no more than a minor blip for Kenny Dalglish's side.

Dalglish has had a terrific time since returning as manager in January and they still have a chance of wrestling fifth place away from Tottenham, which would be a great achievement.

There is so much hope for the future at Anfield with John Flanagan, Jack Robinson and Jonjo Shelvey among others possessing real potential, while Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez will lead the line for years to come and inspirational skipper Steven Gerrard will return for the start of next season. They are also likely to strengthen their squad in the summer so the future looks bright for Dalglish's Reds.

Despite Liverpool having the motivation of trying to finish fifth, there will be a real end-of-season feel to this fixture and that should provide an open game with the away side possibly coming out on top.

Prediction: 1-2

Bolton v Manchester City (1600 Sunday)

Carlos Tevez scored the only goal in the reverse fixture against Bolton

Bolton have suffered four successive defeats so Owen Coyle will be determined his side finish with a win.

They looked set to have such a great season but that has fallen apart since they were dismantled 5-0 by Stoke in the FA Cup semi-final.

They remain in 10th and deserve at least a top-half finish for their early-season work but only a win here will be good enough to achieve that.

Whatever happens here, Bolton have had a very good season but that risks being overshadowed if they finish with a fifth-straight loss.

Manchester City are now lying in third and that is a major bonus for Roberto Mancini's side.

They have also won the FA Cup so this season has been a major success for City and gives them a real platform to build on.

It would be great for them to win here and secure third, therefore avoiding having to play in the Champions League play-offs, and the way Bolton have been playing recently they should have no real problems at the Reebok Stadium.

With Carlos Tevez on form and City finishing the season on the crest of a wave, there should only be one winner here.

Prediction: 0-2

Everton v Chelsea (1600 Sunday)

Jermaine Beckford's header earned Everton a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge

Everton will be happy with how they have recovered from their early season troubles but David Moyes will be wondering if he has taken this side as far as he can.

Without significant investment, the excellent Moyes can do nothing to compete with free-spending clubs like Manchester City and Tottenham, so he must be considering his options.

Every season, Everton seem to finish higher than their squad would suggest so Moyes has done a terrific job at Goodison Park but may need a new challenge.

Toffees fans may argue that if they can start next season the way they usually end the season they could challenge for Champions League qualification but it would take a remarkable effort to achieve that.

This game looks set to be Carlo Ancelotti's last game in charge of Chelsea.

His side have been disappointing this season but they are set to finish second and they reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, so many would argue this campaign has not been as bad as many have made it out to be.

Next year could be the one for Chelsea to kick on with Fernando Torres in particular being tipped to return to form, so the future may not be all that bleak under Ancelotti, who won the double in his first season in charge.

There is nothing really riding on this game and Everton have performed well against the so-called 'bigger' clubs recently, so that could lead to a home win here.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Arsenal (1600 Sunday)

Two excellent Samir Nasri goals handed Arsenal a 2-1 win over Fulham in December

Fulham may have had a torrid time of it in their last home game against Liverpool, but they are finishing the season strongly and could clinch seventh place with a win here.

Around Christmas time, they looked in real danger of going down and Mark Hughes was said to be a game or two away from the sack, so he deserves credit for the way he has turned it around.

Bobby Zamora is now back from injury and the likes of Clint Dempsey are continuing to impress, so Fulham should be very pleased with how this season has turned out.

Arsenal, though, will be bitterly disappointed by their season.

They have fallen apart recently and won just two of their last ten league games, meaning they have slipped from title contention to fourth place in a matter of weeks.

Arsene Wenger needs to strengthen his squad significantly in the summer or he will face these same problems again and again.

There is a lot of hope for the future, with the likes of Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Kieran Gibbs, but this always seems to be the case and yet they still aren't delivering trophies.

If they don't win here they are sure to have to play in the play-offs of the Champions League which will be an added complication, and the way they are playing at the moment a win at Craven Cottage for them is extremely unlikely.

Prediction: 3-1

Manchester United v Blackpool (1600 Sunday)

Dimitar Berbatov scored twice as United came from 2-0 down to beat Blackpool earlier this season

Whatever Manchester United team Sir Alex Ferguson puts out here, you can be sure they will be up for the game and eager to protect their unbeaten home record.

United will lift the Premier League trophy after this game and will not want to do that on the back of a defeat as they did in 2007, and with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Anderson and Patrice Evra playing, it is hard to see Blackpool winning at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have looked unbeatable at home this season and their squad players proved they were more than good enough by thrashing Schalke in the Champions League semi-final second leg, so it could be a long afternoon for the Seasiders.

It would be a real shame if Ian Holloway's Blackpool were relegated as they have been a refreshing addition to the Premier League.

They have lit up the league at times and provided great entertainment with their attacking style, with the likes of Charlie Adam really making a name for themselves with fantastic seasons.

Their away record has been particularly impressive - they have won as many times on the road as champions United - and they have had plenty of bad luck this season so they deserve another year in the Premier League.

They know getting anything from this game will be an uphill task but if they can keep the score down, they will be in with a real chance of staying up on goal difference.

It is hard to see United losing at home here but Blackpool will give it a good go and should keep the score respectable.

Prediction: 1-0

Newcastle v West Brom (1600 Sunday)

Newcastle's 3-1 loss at the Hawthorns this season proved to be Chris Hughton's last game in charge

Both these sides can look back on very successful first seasons back in the Premier League and the winner of this game looks set to secure a top-half finish.

Both clubs sacked the managers which won them promotion in mid-season and both decisions looked harsh, but the respective boards will feel their decisions have been justified.

Alan Pardew replaced Chris Hughton at Newcastle in December with fans protesting against owner Mike Ashley's decision, but has coped with this well.

He lost star player Andy Carroll in January but his side has continued to pick up points and the £35million gained from the Carroll deal may prove invaluable in the summer.

New strikers are desperately needed at St James' Park as the likes of Shola Ameobi and Peter Lovenkrands are not good enough to lead a Premier League attack, but if Pardew spends his money wisely next season could be an exciting one for the Magpies.

Roy Hodgson has done a magnificent job since taking over from Roberto di Matteo in February and led the Baggies to their best season in the Premier League.

With his experience and players of the calibre of Peter Odemwingie and Chris Brunt at the Hawthorns, there is much to be hopeful about for West Brom fans.

Both these teams like to attack and that could provide an exciting game, with Newcastle perhaps edging it because of their home advantage.

Prediction: 3-2

Stoke v Wigan (1600 Sunday)

Tom Cleverley scored in the 2-2 draw between the sides in December

If Wigan win this game, they will finish the season just four points behind Stoke which says it all about how tight the Premier League has been this season.

Of course, the bigger motivation for the Latics here is to stay up, and they will be confident a point will be enough to save them.

There will be no better time for Wigan to visit the Britannia Stadium than this as Stoke are still reeling from their FA Cup final defeat and seem to have nothing left to give.

Tony Pulis will have his side up for this game as a win will secure a top-half finish, and they will certainly be no push-overs here.

The way Wigan celebrated their thrilling win over West Ham last week, you would think they had already secured survival but they still have a massive task ahead of them here.

Sitting 19th, they need to get something out of this game and hope other results go their way.

If Charles N'Zogbia continues his recent good form and his side can tighten up at the back, Wigan should have a real chance here.

Having said that, I'm still not convinced by them and, despite their recent good form, I think they will lose and suffer the agony of relegation here.

Prediction: 2-0

Tottenham v Birmingham (1600 Sunday)

Craig Gardner's late goal gave Birmingham a 1-1 draw against Tottenham earlier this season

Tottenham have regained fifth place from Liverpool and no matter what anybody says they will want to qualify for next season's Europa League.

Their major problem this season has been the amount of points they have dropped at home, with teams like Birmingham often picking up points at White Hart Lane.

They have won just two of their last eleven games but they still possess a formidable team, with the likes of Aaron Lennon and Luka Modric set to cause Birmingham no end of problems here.

Birmingham have lost four of their last five games to slip into the relegation mire and are now only out of the bottom three on goal difference.

All the joy of their Carling Cup triumph is now a distant memory and they are in severe danger of the drop now.

If Sebastian Larsson can perform in what is likely to be his last game for the Blues, they will have a chance but it is hard to see where their next point is coming from at the moment.

As with Blackpool, it may be a case of keeping the score down and hoping to stay up on goal difference, which is a dangerous ploy but may be necessary.

Tottenham will want to send their fans home happy and that could spell trouble for Birmingham, who will surely have to rely on other results going their way.

Prediction: 3-0

West Ham v Sunderland (1600 Sunday)

Jordan Henderson scored the only goal in the reverse fixture

2-0 up and cruising at Wigan last weekend, this should have been the game West Ham would need to win to survive in the Premier League.

As it is, this is now their funeral and the atmosphere will be one of hurt and anger.

Avram Grant has paid for his side's failure with his job but it is the club's owners and players who will face the fans' wrath here.

A team with the likes of Scott Parker, Carlton Cole and Matthew Upson in it should not have even been in a relegation battle, so Hammers fans will let their feelings be known here.

This is a game West Ham would rather not face as there is nothing they can possibly gain from it.

Sunderland cannot wait for the season to be over either.

They looked set to challenge for a European place earlier in the season but all that has fallen apart since January and Steve Bruce looks set to have a big summer ahead of him in the transfer market.

Despite all the issues surrounding this game, I can see the Hammers picking up three points which will act as small consolation for their relegation.

Prediction: 2-1

Wolves v Blackburn (1600 Sunday)

David Dunn was among the scorers in Blackburn's 3-0 win against Wolves in December

Depending on other results, this could be a relegation shoot-out but in reality neither of these sides should go down.

Wolves have picked up two straight wins at just the right time and Mick McCarthy's side deserve to stay up.

They have beaten some top sides this season and been unlucky in other games, so it is just a pity it has taken this long for them to get the luck.

Steven Fletcher has been the key player recently and should cause problems against Blackburn here.

Rovers are extremely unlikely to go down but have not been helped by negative press this week.

If they had waited until the end of the season to sack Sam Allardyce, they would not have been in any trouble and it seems inevitable Steve Kean will not be their manager next season.

The owners seem to have good resources and if they can spend them wisely in the summer, next season should be a lot more promising for them.

They have been playing well recently but so have Wolves so the home side should finish the season off with a win here.

Prediction: 3-0

If my predictions are to come true, it will be Wigan and Birmingham suffering the pain of relegation on Sunday night.

Blackpool would move out of the bottom three on goal difference despite losing at Manchester United, which would be some finish to the season.

It is so hard to predict that these tips will probably be well wide of the mark.

Whatever happens, it should be a day of nerve-shredding action right to the end.

This is a great end to the season for the neutrals but for those whose teams are involved it will be agony.

We may never get to see 'Survival Sunday' if certain Americans are to be believed, with the end of the world said to be nigh, but for five teams here all they will be worrying about is avoiding relegation.

For them, going down might just be the end of the world.

Flying Scotman hits the Jackpot to win Premier League

Gary Anderson was competing in the Premier League for the first time

Gary Anderson was crowned dart's Premier League champion last night after beating world champion Adrian Lewis and this should be the first of many major titles for him.

'The Flying Scotsman' has failed to live up to his talent on stage in the past but over the last few months he has began to prove what all the hype has been about.

Reaching the UK Open final at Bolton last year was a breakthrough for him, and since then he has finished runner-up in the World Championships and now won the Premier League, surely the only tournament behind the World Championships in stature.

At 40, it has taken him some time to finally come good but he is more than making up for lost time with extremely impressive displays.

Once his first dart lands in the treble 20, it's odds-on two more will follow and this natural talent is unmatched in the world game.

He still gets very nervous before taking to the stage, often drinking mug after mug of coffee to calm his nerves, but he needn't be so nervous as he is so talented he could beat most players with his eyes shut.

No-one scores as heavily as him, not even the great Phil Taylor, and on finals night at Wembley Arena he took his tally of 180s for the tournament to 79.

He often has troubles with his doubles and if he can rectify this he could become a multiple world champion.

Adrian Lewis, known as 'Jackpot', will be disappointed with his performance in the final though.

Adrian Lewis beat Gary Anderson in the World Championship final in January

He demolished 15-time world champion and former mentor Phil Taylor 8-3 earlier in the night in the semi-final and it appeared he used too much energy in that game and treated that as his final.

You cannot afford to do that against someone of Gary Anderson's quality.

Lewis may have beaten Anderson in the World Championship final in January but the Scotsman is not someone you can just turn up and expect to beat. You have to be on the top of your game to beat him.

Lewis' three-dart average against Taylor was over 104 but this plummeted to just 86 against Anderson, and such fluctuations in form are not acceptable at this level.

He is still learning and is only 26 so will have plenty of chances to win more majors in the future.

As for Taylor, his defeat to Lewis will have really hurt him.

Phil Taylor couldn't find his form as Lewis swept him aside

He mentored Lewis and acted as a father figure to him but in recent months he has seen his protege beginning to turn into the master.

'The Power' missed out on a place in the final of the World Championships after losing in the quarter-final to Mark Webster and he had to watch as Lewis picked up the title.

Lewis then thrashed Taylor 8-2 on the opening night of this year's Premier League and now he has handed out another beating.

Lewis will be Taylor's motivation now as he knows if he puts the work in he can return to his irrepressible best and beat Lewis.

Taylor is nowhere near finished yet so any player who thinks he is will be in for a nasty shock, probably at next month's UK Open at Bolton.

As for Anderson's semi-final, he launched a great comeback to deny five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld a first Premier League final.

Barneveld was in good form early on and raced into a three-leg lead, before Anderson pegged him back to triumph 8-6.

Raymond van Barneveld has never reached the Premier League final

Barney has not been in the right frame of mind for around three years now and he needs to sort his head out if he is again to be the force he once was.

He seems to have a real mental block, particularly with the Premier League, and just needs to enjoy himself more on stage and not think too much about defeats.

Watching Taylor against van Barneveld in the third-place play-off was surreal as you always expect these two to be playing in blockbusting finals.

Barneveld hasn't beaten Taylor on television for around three years so this was the perfect chance to register a win against him, but he just wasn't interested and lost 8-6.

Neither player played well but Taylor seemed to have the desire to win while Barney couldn't wait to get off the stage.

Fans would love to see Barney back at his best but unless he sorts out his mental issues, the swashbuckling Barney of old will never be seen again.

Taylor is sure to be back at his best in the near future but he shouldn't make excuses when he loses.

He claimed here that Lewis didn't beat him, he beat himself, and comments like that are unnecessary from someone who has won so often.

He also blamed a promotional visit to Austria for his defeat but he just needs to accept that he wasn't good enough on the night and move on.

He was well below the standards he usually reaches but credit must be given to Lewis as Taylor is never easy to beat as his 'second game', even his 'third game', is better than most peoples' first.

Lewis did not do himself justice in the final but credit must go to Anderson for winning his first major tournament with the PDC.

Now he has one, more will surely follow as it is often said the first one is the hardest to win.

Gary Anderson finished third in the regular league standings

It is an exciting era for darts now as there are a number of players capable of winning titles. Lewis, Taylor, Barneveld, Anderson, James Wade, Simon Whitlock and others are world class players and the years of Phil Taylor sweeping all aside seem to have gone.

But this night was all about Anderson.

He has been threatening this for some time but now he has finally delivered and is truly the man to beat.

This Flying Scotsman is ready to soar.

Survival Sunday promises great drama

(Left to right) Blackburn, Wolves, Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan will battle it out for survival

Apparently, there are 81 different scenarios for the five teams involved in 'Survival Sunday' in the Premier League.

One thing is for sure, fans of all clubs will have their nerves shredded right to the final whistle.

Two of the five must go and join West Ham in being relegated to the Championship, and with four of the five having tough-looking away games, it is tempting to say Wigan and Blackpool will go down as they are currently in the bottom three.

However, the complication here is that goal difference is all that keeps them in the bottom three currently, so the teams will have to be careful not to go gung ho if they fall behind as a narrow defeat may see them move out of the relegation zone.

It promises to be another day of drama, nerves and excitement, similar to that of 2004-05 when four teams battled it out for one survival place, which will be great for the neutrals but agony for fans of those teams involved.

The team with the toughest mission appears to be Blackpool.

Blackpool fans have lit up the Premier League this season

Going to Old Trafford to face Manchester United is never easy, no matter what anybody says about Sir Alex Ferguson resting players in advance of the Champions League final.

The Red Devils will be ready for a party as they will lift the Premier League trophy after the game and will not want anybody to rain on their parade.

They will not want a repeat of 2006-07 when West Ham won at Old Trafford on the final day to seal their survival.

On that occasion, Ferguson rested players for the FA Cup final and while he is sure to do so again ahead of next week's match at Wembley, he will make sure the motivation for those on the pitch is to secure a place on the bench, if not the starting line-up, against Barcelona.

Talk of punishing United for naming an under-strength team against Blackpool is plain daft.

Teams have to name a 25-man squad now for the Premier League so they should be allowed to utilise that however they wish.

Blackpool also got fined for something similar earlier this season and that was unfair too.

Wolves were fined for naming an under-strength side against United last season but that punishment was justified as the 25-man squad rule only came into effect this season.

Whatever side United put out, they should be more than capable of beating Blackpool. They proved this when they demolished Schalke in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.

They may have lost to West Ham in similar circumstances four years ago, but two years ago they went to Hull - who were involved in a relegation scrap - on the final day and rested players yet still won.

It is disrespectful to say United will not try in this game as anyone who knows Sir Alex Ferguson and the way he operates knows he never wants to even contemplate losing.

Despite United possessing a strong second-string though, Blackpool will feel they are in with a real chance.

They have been a joy to watch this season and a breath of fresh air for the Premier League, so they deserve another crack at it next season.

The performance of Charlie Adam will be crucial for them as everything they do well goes through him, and if he can fire at Old Trafford the Seasiders may pull off a miraculous escape.

Charlie Adam has been Blackpool's catalyst this season

Ian Holloway has done an unbelievable job at Bloomfield Road and if he can keep the Tangerines in the Premier League, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

They have been playing well recently and have deserved more points than they have got, so if they can carry that form into this game anything is possible.

United will not roll over but Blackpool will be right up for this game and could be in with a shout of picking up the point or three they need to stay up. Realistically, they need at least a draw and there is no tougher place to get it, but with a bit of determination and belief they could do it.

Wigan start Sunday behind Blackpool in 19th and they go to Stoke, who appear to have nothing left in the tank after their FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

Charles N'Zogbia's brace against West Ham kept Wigan in with a chance of survival

There will never be a better time to visit the Britannia Stadium and the Latics appear to have the easiest game of the three closest to peril so should be confident of staying up.

They have taken eight points from their last five games and that form should see them go to Stoke in good spirits.

Their 3-2 comeback win over West Ham last week gave them a lot of belief and if they can produce a similar performance going forward against Stoke, they should get something from the game.

Charles N'Zogbia has hit form at just the right time for them and if he can produce a good display, Stoke will be in for an afternoon of headaches.

Stoke's motivation is to finish in the top half and that would be the perfect end to what has been an excellent season for Tony Pulis' side, but Wigan's desire could be enough to see them get at least a point.

Their story is quite remarkable as this is their sixth-straight year in the Premier League and for a club of Wigan's stature that is some achievement.

With Martinez at the helm, they will have a chance of bouncing straight back next season but they will not be thinking of that yet as survival now appears to be within their grasp.

Survival is out of their hands but they know a point may be good enough to save them and if they can carry their good form into this game they will be in with a great chance of staying up.

Birmingham have slipped into relegation trouble recently and are the team in the worst form of anybody involved in Survival Sunday.

Without the excellent Ben Foster in goal, Birmingham may have already been relegated

They go to Tottenham and while Spurs have dropped points at home against sides similar to Birmingham this season, it is hard to see anything other than a home win here.

Of course, Alex McLeish will feel his side have a great chance of getting something at White Hart Lane but they appear to be on a slippery slope and it is hard to see where their next point will come from.

They may have to rely on other results to stay up as, despite starting the day out of the bottom three, they seem to have no belief.

Their triumph in the Carling Cup earlier this season now seems a distant memory but if they can rekindle some of that form it will not be too late to save them.

They have only taken one point from their last five games and there is no other way to describe that than relegation form.

They have saved their worst form of the season for the worst possible time and that could see them fall through the trapdoor on Sunday.

The Blues are only separated from the bottom three by goal difference so even a win may not be enough to save them, but realistically a point should be enough to secure survival.

Tottenham, although Harry Redknapp has stated he doesn't like it in the past, need a win to seal a place in next season's Europa League and that gives them something to play for, so McLeish knows his team will not be in for an easy ride.

They need to snap out of their bad form now before it is too late.

Wolves and Blackburn are the other teams involved and they face each other, with both just one point above the relegation zone.

Wolves know a two-goal defeat coupled with draws for two of Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan is likely to send them down so they need to continue their recent good form.

Steven Fletcher has scored four times in his last three games to ease Wolves' relegation worries

They have been in and around the bottom three all season but have won two successive games at just the right time to give themselves a real chance of safety.

However, they cannot afford to take their foot off the gas as they are still right in danger and may need something to avoid the drop.

Steven Fletcher has been the key player for them recently after a frustrating season, so if he can carry his form into this game Wolves should be safe.

Mick McCarthy will have been drumming into his players all week that if they win, they are safe, so they should be well-prepared and confident of a win.

Blackburn are ahead of Wolves on goal difference and that could be the key factor which keeps them up.

Wayne Rooney's penalty last weekend kept Blackburn in the dogfight

They have hit form recently and perhaps deserved to beat Manchester United last weekend, although they may have been distracted this week by some negative headlines.

First, it was announced that manager Steve Kean had been charged with drink-driving.

Then Kean had to miss training to attend his monthly board meeting with the club's owners in India.

Then the news came the FA were investigating irregular payments made during the signing of defender Gael Givet.

This negative publicity can not have been good for squad morale and has hit the club at the worst possible time, but even so Rovers should already have done enough to secure survival.

They can only realistically go down if all the sides below them pick up wins and that is extremely unlikely as all have very tough fixtures.

It is hard to see Steve Kean remaining as manager for next season though as he hasn't proved to be up to the job since taking over from Sam Allardyce in December.

The squad will also need major renovation as they have an aging squad with a few very inexperienced youngsters.

They should have enough to stay up but they shouldn't have been in this situation in the first place.

In all likelihood, this relegation battle is between Wigan, Blackpool and Birmingham.

Two of those three are very likely to go down and all face very difficult away games, so it could be a case of keeping the score respectable and hoping for the best.

A draw may be enough for any of them to stay up and Birmingham are in the worst form of the three so face a very nerve-wracking Sunday.

Which sets of fans will be waving goodbye to the Premier League this year?

An end to the season like this is very rare so neutrals should enjoy Survival Sunday and all its permutations.

Most of those neutrals will probably be hoping Ian Holloway's Blackpool stay up but they have the toughest job at Old Trafford.

Neutrals will be grateful their team is not involved in this day as it is horrific for fans of teams embroiled in a battle like this.

No doubt we will be inundated with the 'as it stands' table as the games are progressing but this is what makes football so great. It is exciting, nerve-wracking, unpredictable and dramatic so this day is one to be enjoyed by anyone not involved.

As for anyone whose team is in the centre of this, get ready to bite your fingernails down to the core.

Forget Grant, West Ham relegation is owners' fault

Avram Grant was undermined throughout his time as West Ham manager

When Avram Grant was unveiled as West Ham's new manager in June 2010, it was painfully clear to most he was not the right man for the job.

Sure enough, 11 months later West Ham are a Championship club and Grant finds himself out of a job.

Grant has took a great deal of criticism for the Hammers' plight, and some of it rightly so, but the true blame for their drop lies with David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady.

Left to right: Co-owner David Gold, Vice-Chairman Karren Brady and Co-owner David Sullivan

All three have helped undermine not only Grant but also the players throughout their tenure at the club and need to be held to account.

They have also made some shocking decisions during their 17 month reign at the club, not least of which the appointment of Grant as manager last summer.

He landed the role on the back of the jobs he had done at Chelsea and Portsmouth, although it is hard to determine just how well he did at both those clubs.

At Chelsea, he inherited a very talented squad left behind by Jose Mourinho. It would have been hard not to get that team into contention for titles.

He deserves credit for the way he steadied the ship after the departure of Mourinho but questions have long been asked about whether it was Grant or the players who were the driving force.

He led them to the Champions League final - and was just a John Terry penalty kick away from winning it - and took the Premier League title race to the final day, but the way he was sacked immediately after shows Chelsea were not convinced Grant was to thank for those successes.

As for his time at Portsmouth, he did very well to lead them to the FA Cup final - Grant has excelled in cup competitions wherever he has been - but couldn't save them from relegation.

Grant was relegated with Portsmouth but led them to the FA Cup final

Keeping Pompey up was an impossible task, with ten points deducted for going into administration and a squad which had been thrown together not even being paid, and so some of the talk now about 'back-to-back relegations' may be a little bit harsh.

Grant is loved at Portsmouth but it really is hard to assess how well he did there as he had an impossible job.

Many are now arguing Grant is better suited to a Director of Football role, but surely the signs for this were always there and so it is something of a mystery what convinced West Ham's owners he was the right man for the manager's job.

He failed miserably as a manager at Upton Park but he has acted with great dignity throughout and he should hold his head high for how he has conducted himself in the face of adversity.

Sullivan, Gold and Brady though need to have a long look in the mirror for how they have handled themselves during their whole time at the club.

When they breezed through the doors in January 2010 they were heralded as the club's saviours, the trio to lead them out of the disastrous Icelandic consortium era.

They may have done a decent job behind the scenes with the financial situation, but that will not appease Hammers fans right now.

All West Ham fans see when they look at these three are failure and instability.

They promised stability when they took over, but within weeks they were undermining popular manager Gianfranco Zola and publically criticising the players.

Key players like Scott Parker seemed to love working for Zola

Zola's side may have been perilously close to the drop zone last season but the fact is they didn't go down.

The job he did at Upton Park now looks decent after Grant's reign, and he deserved better treatment from the board.

Zola may not have been doing an earth-shattering job but the players loved him and were prepared to do anything for their manager.

All this was ignored by the owners, with constant public statements made about Zola being 'too nice' to manage in a relegation battle, and Zola deserved to be treated with respect.

The owners', particularly Sullivan's, constant public moans at the players have been severely damaging too.

David Sullivan has repeatedly criticised players in public since taking over at West Ham

The last thing players want to hear when they are in a relegation battle is their owner questioning their commitment and stating they will be sold in the summer.

If such statements need to be made, then it should be left up to the manager to make them.

Sullivan's comments only served to unsettle the players and knock them off their games even more.

Sullivan in particular needs to learn that while he is free to say whatever he likes, such statements do no good for the team. In a way, his statements only act as a piece of free publicity for himself.

After sacking Zola, Sullivan and Gold needed to get their next managerial choice right. And they chose Avram Grant.

Grant's reign was a disaster from start to finish but he was hardly helped by the board.

Once they had appointed him, they should have stuck by him throughout the season and backed him all the way, but again they undermined him and didn't allow him to do his job.

The saga in January of the board offering the job to Martin O'Neill was a shambles.

As soon as Grant knew his job had been offered to another manager, he was a dead man walking. That's hardly ideal for a manager trying to guide his team away from relegation trouble.

They should have sacked him there and then despite O'Neill turning them down, as Grant knew his board had no confidence in him and his job had become impossible.

Instead, they allowed the situation to drag on until it met a very messy end at the DW Stadium on Sunday.

The owners acted in a very shoddy manner throughout Grant's time at the club and the way they sacked him summed it up.

Karren Brady asked Wigan chairman Dave Whelan for the use of a room to sack Grant in

Grant had done a bad job at Upton Park but acted with dignity throughout and never once criticised the owners for their constant public ramblings.

They should have done the decent thing and waited until the next day to sack him at the training ground. He deserved to be shown more respect.

Why there was such a rush to do it in the minutes following relegation is a mystery.

Grant would have been hurting just as much as them, perhaps more so. Talk about kicking a man while he is down.

The sight of Karren Brady asking Wigan chairman Dave Whelan for a room to sack Grant in just seemed pathetic and unprofessional.

Herself and the owners were possibly more to blame for the relegation than Grant yet they won't pay the price with their jobs.

Grant needed to be sacked but they couldn't even do that in a proper and decent manner.

Two weeks ago the owners decided not to travel to West Ham's away game against Manchester City because, as Sullivan put it, they were sick of the club's poor away record.

Anything the Hammers picked up in that game could have been pivotal, so it hardly instils confidence in the players when the owners can't even be bothered to turn up for games and write off the team's chances.

There has just been a catalogue of own goals from the owners all season.

As if Grant wasn't undermined enough with the public pursuit of Martin O'Neill, the board then decided to scrap the transfer of Steve Sidwell behind his back.

Avram Grant believed he had done enough to secure the signing of Steve Sidwell in January

Grant felt Sidwell could have made the difference and thought he had signed him in January.

He only found out the club had backed out on the deal when he contacted Sidwell. That is no way to treat a manager.

A manager should be treated as the most important person in the club and Grant had only been appointed a matter of months earlier, so his judgement should have been backed by the owners.

As if this wasn't bad enough, Karren Brady then used her newspaper column to reveal the reasons the club backed out on the Sidwell deal.

Her newspaper column can be a great insight for the fans but she went much too far with some of the things she revealed.

David Gold was the only one of the three not to undermine Grant in public, but even he has hardly endeared himself to fans at times this season.

He sounds committed to doing the best he can for the club in interviews but then ruins it by getting his helicopter into camera shot every time.

David Gold with his much-seen helicopter

He seemingly can't do an interview without his helicopter being shown in it and this just serves to distance himself from fans even more.

Another gripe West Ham fans have with the owners is the decision to move into the Olympic Stadium.

Upton Park is a special and historic place and fans do not want to leave to go to the graveyard of a stadium with a running track.

If there really is no other option but to leave Upton Park, fans want to go to a place which can generate a similar atmosphere and somewhere they can really call their own.

Fans will be too far away from the pitch at the Olympic Stadium and that will help kill the atmosphere West Ham's excellent supporters create.

Gold, Brady and Sullivan have been passionate about moving to the Olympic Stadium since taking over

The Olympic Stadium will never truly be theirs as they will have to share it with other sports.

The stadium is a poisoned chalice so the best thing West Ham's owners could do to help get fans back on side would be to scrap plans to go there. If not, the stadium will become a noose around the club's neck.

Despite the doom and gloom relegation has created at West Ham, there are some things to offer hope to Hammers fans.

Sullivan, Gold and Brady have had a disastrous start to life at the club but if they learned anything from their time at Birmingham, it was how to get a team out of the Championship.

They helped Birmingham win promotion three times so they know what it will take to get West Ham back on its feet.

However, they need to get their next managerial choice right and stick by their man.

No more silly statements, no more undermining, West Ham need stability from the top.

As for the next manager, Chris Hughton and Roberto di Matteo should both be at the forefront of the owners' minds.

Chris Hughton's Newcastle romped to the Championship title last season

They both won promotion last season and looked set to keep their respective clubs in the Premier League before being harshly sacked.

Others like Neil Warnock and Ian Holloway also know how to get a team promoted and should be at the very least on the shortlist. The owners cannot afford another appointment like Avram Grant as it is well-documented if promotion is not achieved immediately after relegation, it gets harder year on year.

West Ham's situation seems very similar to Newcastle's in 2009, where uncommitted players were flushed out of the club and youngsters were allowed to shine. West Ham need to learn from that and follow a similar blueprint, another reason Hughton may be a steady and sensible choice to take over as manager.

The likes of Freddie Sears (left) and Jack Collison offer hope for the future

Young talents, like Jack Collison, Zavon Hines and Freddie Sears need to be given the chance to shine in the second tier in the same way Newcastle gave chances to the likes of Andy Carroll.

The likes of Carlton Cole and Matthew Upson need to be allowed to leave as West Ham need a team full of committed players next season. That is why it is a real shame the likes of Scott Parker and Mark Noble may leave.

Scott Parker always showed full commitment for West Ham but now looks set to leave

Parker has been an inspiration since joining in 2007 and won the Football Writers' Player of the Year despite the relegation but needs to leave if he has ambitions of earning a regular England place. He would love to stay but he just cannot afford a season in the Championship.

As for Noble, he is another who epitomises everything West Ham will need next season and he would be a good choice to captain the side.

He is sure to have interest from Premier League clubs though so it will be interesting to see what he decides to do this summer. If he stays, the team should be built around him.

Others like Demba Ba seem certain to leave, but West Ham fans will be glad to see the back of loan signings Robbie Keane and Wayne Bridge.

They have probably both been paid fortunes in wages to try and keep West Ham up but neither showed the talent or commitment the club needed.

There was more than enough talent in the squad to stay up but too many players underperformed throughout the season.

Robert Green had a decent season but slipped up when it mattered. Matthew Upson was poor and too susceptible to injuries. Carlton Cole showed not enough desire and wasn't up for the battle.

Thomas Hitzlsperger is a very good player and showed that in glimpses, but injury meant he couldn't make his debut until February.

Everything that could have went wrong did go wrong and this was summed up in the game which sent them down at Wigan.

Robert Green after his error allowed Charles N'Zogbia to score Wigan's winner in stoppage time

2-0 up and seemingly cruising, they contrived to throw the game away and lost 3-2. Mental frailties cost them, and the players seemed to already be thinking of a potential must-win game against Sunderland this weekend as the game which could keep them up.

They took their eye off the ball and now the Sunderland game is a meaningless, painful occasion the club would rather not face.

The owners and players will feel the full wrath of the fans and rightly so.

A fraction of what fans are feeling right now became clear at the club's end-of-season dinner on Monday, which was stupidly allowed to go ahead despite the relegation.

West Ham's supporters deserve so much better and hopefully, for their sake, the club's stay in the Championship will be a short one.

If the owners continue acting as they have done this season though, it will be extremely difficult for the new manager and players to focus on the job at hand.

West Ham is a great club and lots of managers would do anything to land the job, but others will have seen the actions of the owners and thought, "No thanks".

West Ham need a strong but steady manager to come in and steady the ship, which is close to capsizing.

Fans will never forget how the owners have acted this season but they, and the owners themselves, need to look forward now.

West Ham United cannot afford to become the next Leeds.