Defeat to Burnley condemns Fulham to life in the Championship

Fulham became the third and final team to be relegated from the Premier League this season when they were beaten 2-0 by Burnley on Monday.

Scott Parker's side got that sinking feeling at Craven Cottage, where first-half goals from Ashley Westwood and the in-form Chris Wood — his 50th for the club — consigned them to an immediate return to the Championship.

It is the first time in Premier League history that all relegation slots have been confirmed with as many as three matches remaining.

A despondent Parker said: "I'm hurt, I'm gutted. This has been looming, we've flirted with it for a long time, there are no words that I can say other than I am gutted we have not been successful.

"Staying in this division was success for us. We knew it was always going to be a challenge but it is bitterly disappointing not to do that. 

"The performance levels have been there, the fine margins and gulf in class in this division are so small. We've been so close at times but yet so far. 

"Over the last five or six games, we've just fallen short. 

"My players have given absolutely everything this season and I have seen that again tonight. Endeavour, desire, effort, but we have fallen short on quality at times. 

"Over the coming weeks we need to have some discussions and work out what we need to do to move forward and try and get off this rollercoaster."

Fulham join rock-bottom Sheffield United and Sam Allardyce's West Brom, who were relegated by 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.

The Cottagers, who have won just five matches this term, are the 17th club to go straight back down having won the Championship play-offs the season before.

Burnley were able to celebrate retaining their top-flight status after marking Sean Dyche's 350th league game in charge of the club by securing three precious points.

Dyche said: "It was an awkward game for obvious reasons but we dealt with that. The second half was ugly, but you expect that, and we dealt with it very well. 

"To secure a sixth season in the Premier League with three games to spare having got just two points from our first seven games is a really big achievement. 

"These players deserve a lot of credit. This year has been my most challenging as a manager off the pitch with the long-winded sale of the club where not a lot of finance was put in, so a lot of credit goes to my players and staff. 

"You've got to work through all those challenges off the pitch to make sure the team is still motivated on it. We never lack motivation, to be fair."