Sunderland's 10-year stay in the Premier League was ended as Josh King's late winner for Bournemouth confirmed their relegation.
King struck with two minutes remaining at the Stadium of Light to snatch a 1-0 win which finally ended the Black Cats’ hopes of a fifth successive great escape.
There was brief hope from elsewhere as Southampton were awarded a penalty against Hull but Eldin Jakupovic’s save earned the Tigers a goalless draw which leaves them 13 points clear of David Moyes’s side, who have only 12 to play for.
King had earlier been denied by the woodwork but Jermain Defoe uncharacteristically passed up a series of inviting opportunities for the home side and sections of the 38,394 crowd at the Stadium of Light once again called for Moyes's head on the final whistle.
On an afternoon when the Black Cats, who on Friday reported losses of £33million after tax for the year to July 31st, ran out knowing the price of failure only too well, they huffed and puffed during a nervy first half in which Bournemouth played the better football and came desperately close to taking the lead.
That said, they had chances and had leading scorer Defoe been able to call upon his early-season form — the last of his 14 goals came nine games ago – they might even have grabbed the lead.
The game descended into an ugly melee in the second half after Fabio Borini brought down Lewis Cook with a clumsy challenge, and the Italian and Harry Arter were both booked for their roles in it once order had been restored.
Boruc needed two attempts to field full-back Donald Love’s skidding low drive four minutes from time, but it was the visitors who snatched victory at the death.
Burnley broke their away-day duck and eased their relegation fears as goals from Ashley Barnes and Andre Gray secured a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace.
Barnes struck after just eight minutes and Tom Heaton kept Palace at bay before substitute Gray hit a late second to ensure the Clarets finally registered their first success on the road this season.
It was also Burnley’s first ever Premier League victory in London – at the 16th attempt – which lifted them above Palace and, crucially, eight points clear of the drop zone.
Unfortunately there was an unsavoury incident as Burnley celebrated their first goal, when defender James Tarkowski appeared to be struck by a lighter thrown from the home crowd.
But nothing was going to take the shine off Burnley’s win, which saw them take a huge step towards securing their place in the Premier League.
Palace should also be fine in truth, although manager Sam Allardyce knows the job is not done until they are mathematically safe and will not want to still be in the equation for much longer.
Jakupovic's late penalty save handed Hull another boost in their Premier League survival fight, in a gritty goalless draw at Southampton.
Just as a low-quality affair at St Mary's appeared to be petering out to a dull finish, Alfred N'Diaye hauled down Maya Yoshida in the box.
Tadic lined up the penalty, only for Jakupovic to guess right, and palm the ball to safety.
Portuguese boss Silva has now guided Hull to 21 points from his 15 league games at the helm, and that transformation could yet be enough to save his side from the drop.
Hull now host Moyes' Sunderland next weekend, where they will be desperate for a victory that could propel their safety charge still further.
Jamie Vardy continued his red-hot run in front of goal as Leicester eased their Premier League relegation fears with a 1-0 win at West Brom.
Vardy made no mistake two minutes before half-time as Leicester won away from home in the top-flight for only the second time this season.
His strike was his 17th of the season, his third in the last four games and his eighth in 12 matches under the control of manager Craig Shakespeare. It was also the third successive game that he had scored at The Hawthorns.
While Vardy has hit form at just the right time, Albion have hit a losing habit and a goal drought.
Tony Pulis’s team have lost their last four games – and failed to score in their last five. They have won only once in eight games as they limp towards the end of the season.
Stoke and West Ham shared the spoils in a goalless draw as Jack Butland kept his first clean sheet since his return – and in front of watching England manager Gareth Southgate.
The Potters reached the 40-point mark but they had no joy in an attacking sense as Saido Berahino was denied a first goal for the club by Winston Reid’s fine block and Adrian’s terrific save.
Southgate, who missed the Manchester derby on Thursday in favour of attending a rugby league game, witnessed Butland make just his second appearance since he fractured his ankle while on international duty last March.
Butland impressed with saves from Andre Ayew and Manuel Lanzini ahead of a possible England return in June.
The views of the two managers were epitomised by the substitutions they made in the 69th and 70th minute – Bilic taking off striker Ayew for midfielder Noble and Hughes introducing forward Crouch for midfielder Allen.
As it was, Crouch could not provide another match-winning contribution from the bench and it was Arnautovic who came closest to winning it when he reached Shaqiri’s cross only to see Adrian save and then scoop the ball wide to protect his clean sheet.
