• Premier League

Cardiff and Fulham relegated as Newcastle fans stage protest

Shola Ameobi scored the opening goal for Newcastle © Getty Images

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Cardiff City and Fulham have been relegated from the Premier League after Sunderland sealed the pair's fate by picking up all three points against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Sunderland - who were two points clear of 19th-placed Fulham and three ahead of bottom side Cardiff before kick-off - defeated United 1-0 to send Fulham and Cardiff down, who both suffered defeats on Saturday afternoon in their penultimate matches of the season to Stoke City and Newcastle United respectively.

Newcastle ended a run of six successive defeats by beating Cardiff 3-0, with the latter being relegated on their debut season in the Premier League.

Newcastle converted their early pressure into a goal as Shola Ameobi gave them the lead after 18 minutes from Moussa Sissoko's cross to the far post. It was Ameobi's second goal in as many games at St James' Park.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was back in the home dugout for the first time since February 23 after serving a seven-game ban for head-butting Hull City's David Meyler.

Newcastle fans stuck to their plan of walking out of the stadium in the 69th minute in protest of the club's management, with that particular moment of the game selected due to 1969 being the last time the side won a trophy.

Loic Remy sealed the points for Newcastle two minutes from time as Cardiff were punished for leaving gaps at the back as a result of pushing men forward in search of an equaliser. Steven Taylor scored Newcastle's third after converting from a yard out.

Peter Odemwingie scrambled the ball home for Stoke's first goal © PA Photos

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Fulham's 13-year stint in the Premier League has come to an end after they were beaten 4-1 by Stoke.

Peter Odemwingie put Stoke in front six minutes from the break after Stephen Ireland's shot had hit the crossbar.

Marko Arnautovic doubled Stoke's lead nine minutes into the second half with a stunning first-time finish from Odemwingie's pass as Fulham offered very little attacking threat. Oussama Assaidi struck the third for Stoke as they punished Fulham on the counter-attack in the 73rd minute.

Kieran Richardson scored a consolation for Fulham with a low volley on 80 minutes, but Stoke netted a fourth goal two minutes later through Jonathan Walters after the substitute broke the offside trap from Charlie Adam's pass.

Aston Villa defeated Hull City 3-1 at Villa Park with Andreas Weimann scoring twice before half-time to cap a fine performance from Paul Lambert's side.

Ashley Westwood finished from the edge of the box to put Villa in front after a minute, but Hull grabbed an equaliser on 28 minutes as Jordan Bowery put through his own net from Liam Rosenior's cross.

Rosenior was offside when he received the pass from Tom Huddlestone's free-kick, but Villa did not let their heads drop as Weimann put Villa back in front after Hull squandered several opportunities to clear their lines from a set-piece.

Weimann then scored his second in first-half stoppage time with a header after some good work from Bowery down the left flank.

Southampton defeated Swansea 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium after Rickie Lambert scored in the 93rd minute in bizarre circumstances.

The game appeared to be heading for a goalless draw after both sides failed to create clear-cut opportunities.

However, at the end Swansea's Ashley Williams lobbed his goalkeeper Michel Vorm, with Lambert deemed to have got the final touch as the ball bounced over the line.

Ashley Westwood put Aston Villa in front after a minute © PA Photos

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