Bolton on course for safety at half-time

Bolton were favourites to keep their head above the relegation waters after establishing a 2-0 lead over Middlesbrough at half-time on the final day of the Premiership season.

Needing to match West Ham’s result at Birmingham, the Trotters looked ready to do better than that when Per Frandsen gave them the lead 10 minutes into the game at the Reebok.

Jay-Jay Okocha, arguably Bolton’s most influential player in the relegation run-in, then curled in a stunning free-kick after 21 minutes to give Sam Allardyce’s side a significant cushion.

West Ham, who were being held 0-0 at Birmingham, looked to be heading down to the first division just as former manager Harry Redknapp and Portsmouth are travelling on the up escalator into the Premiership.

Everton, who needed to beat Manchester United to be sure of pipping Blackburn to a UEFA Cup place, took an early lead against the champions through Kevin Campbell.

But David Beckham’s 43rd minute equaliser left David Moyes’ side in need of another goal with Blackburn 2-0 ahead at Tottenham.

In Teddy Sheringham’s final game for Spurs, the opening strike went to another former Manchester United striker with Dwight Yorke giving the visitors the lead in the fifth minute.

The home side’s chances were further hampered when Gustavo Poyet was red-carded for a foul on Garry Flitcroft and Rovers added a second goal through Craig Hignett in first-half stoppage time.

Elsewhere in London, Chelsea had Liverpool against the ropes in the fight for the final Champions League place.

Sami Hyypia opened the scoring for Liverpool after 11 minutes but Marcel Desailly’s header put the home side – who were ahead of the Merseysiders on goal difference going into the game – back in the box seat.

And winger Jesper Gronkjaer steered home a fine individual effort to give Chelsea the lead in the 27th minute.

Manchester City were preparing to leave Maine Road for their flit across the city but Southampton’s Michael Svensson was the first to score among the packing cases, giving the FA Cup finalists a 34th-minute lead.

Sunderland, officially the worst Premiership team ever, lasted all of seven minutes before conceding a goal to Arsenal’s Thierry Henry, but managed to limit the Gunners to a 2-0 lead in the first half with Freddie Ljungberg adding a second in the 39th minute.

West Brom, also heading back to the Football League, were a goal behind to Newcastle and Jermaine Jenas.

In a meaningless capital scrap at the Valley, Charlton’s Dean Kiely was sent off after giving away a penalty with a foul on Louis Saha.

The Frenchman then converted the spot-kick to give Fulham the lead.

Leeds, who secured their Premiership safety with a 3-2 win at Highbury last weekend, took the lead against Aston Villa through an Ian Harte free-kick but were pegged back by Joey Gudjonsson’s equaliser.