Norwich City were officially relegated from the Premier League this afternoon following a 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal.
Mathematically, Norwich had not been relegated entering the match, but needed to win, hope that Stoke City beat West Bromwich Albion and see a 17-goal swing occur in their favour.
Neither side could find the back of the net in the first period, but a terrific volley from Aaron Ramsey after 53 minutes sent the Gunners into the lead.
Arsenal made sure of the points just past the hour mark when Carl Jenkinson converted from close range.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two Premier League rivals.
Match statistics
Norwich
Shots: 11
On target: 5
Possession: 37%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 6
Arsenal
Shots: 14
On target: 8
Possession: 63%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 5
Was the result fair?
In truth, even the most ardent Norwich supporter would find it difficult to make a case for their side this afternoon. For the majority of the 90 minutes, it was one-way traffic, with Arsenal simply too strong in all areas for the Canaries.
Norwich had their moments on the counter, especially in the first period, but found it extremely difficult to create clear chances. It was almost as if the match was over as a contest when Ramsey sent the Gunners into the lead.
It is Championship football for Norwich next season, but if they can keep the bulk of their squad together, they will be among the favourites to return to the Premier League for the 2015-16 campaign.
Norwich's performance
Although the Canaries had not been officially relegated entering the match, it was going to take a serious turn of events and the biggest turnaround in Premier League history for the home side to survive.
Neil Adams's side made a bright start to proceedings, with Nathan Redmond and Johan Elmander both causing problems to the Arsenal defence. Clear chances remained at a premium, however, with the visitors comfortable in dealing with the danger.
If simply a Norwich victory would have kept them in the league this season then it might have been a different match, but it was too much of an ask on the final weekend. Whether they can keep hold of the likes of Redmond and Robert Snodgrass will determine their chances of returning from England's second tier next season.
Arsenal's performance
This afternoon might have been Arsenal's final league game of the campaign, but their season is far from over with the FA Cup final to come against Hull City next weekend. With that in mind, Arsene Wenger named a strong XI and included a certain Jack Wilshere on the bench.
The England international returned to the fold in the second period, aiding the midfielder's hopes of being included next week and indeed gaining a spot in the England squad for the World Cup this summer. It was far from a vintage performance from the Gunners, who played much of the contest in second gear, but they still had too much for Norwich.
Ramsey showed Arsenal what they had been missing when he struck a beautiful volley into the top corner in the early stages of the second period, but it might have been more comfortable had the likes of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud taken clear chances in the first period. Overall, Wenger can be content with his side's performance at Carrow Road.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Carl Jenkinson: Jenkinson has not played too much football this season, but when selected, has been impressive for the Gunners. The right-back continued that form this afternoon with an energetic display for the away side.
The defender also scored his first league goal for Arsenal in the second period when he slotted into the bottom corner inside a crowded box. The lively Redmond struggled to get the best of Jenkinson in what was a mature and composed performance.
Biggest gaffe
If reports are to be believed, Norwich forward Ricky van Wolfswinkel, who has scored just once this season, left the stadium prior to kickoff when it was revealed that he was not in the squad for this afternoon's match. It has been a poor campaign for the striker and it is not the attitude that the Canaries will need in the Championship next season.
Referee performance
In truth, it was a straight-forward afternoon for referee Lee Mason. The official awarded just one yellow card at Carrow Road, with that booking handed to Norwich defender Elliott Bennett late on. It was not really a contest where either team were concerned with diving into challenges and as a result, Mason could allow the match to flow from end to end.
What next?
Norwich: Following their relegation to the Championship, the Canaries must now address the long-term future of interim manager Adams.
Arsenal: The Gunners face Hull City in the FA Cup final next weekend.
Matt Law
