LONDON, May 19: Arsenal qualified for the Champions League for the 16th straight season at the expense of their arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur with a 1-0 victory at Newcastle United on the last day of the Premier League season on Sunday while Alex Ferguson’s extraordinary career ended in remarkable fashion as Manchester United drew 5-5 at West Bromwich Albion.

Defender Laurent Koscielny’s 52nd-minute volley helped Arsenal secure fourth place with 73 points, one point ahead of fifth-placed Spurs who beat Sunderland 1-0 — courtesy of a late screamer from Gareth Bale — at White Hart Lane.

Koscielny’s goal meant more heartache for Spurs, who have developed an unfortunate habit of missing out on Champions League action on the last day of the season, and once again had to settle for the place in the Europa League that comes with finishing fifth.

Chelsea sealed third place on 75 points with a 2-1 win at home to Everton. With the title fight decided and three relegation spots settled, the remaining business was bidding farewell to several icons of English football.

Ferguson’s 1,500th and last result at United was a disappointment after his team surrendered a 5-2 lead to draw at The Hawthorns, while former England internationals Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen all played their final games before retiring.

Last year’s champions Manchester City finished 11 points behind United in second after a 3-2 defeat at home to Norwich City.

The burning issue of the day centred on who would grab the final top-four place.

Discounting the highly improbable mathematical possibilities, it boiled down to a battle between north London’s big foes Arsenal and Tottenham.

Arsene Wenger’s side had the advantage before kick-off, with a one-point lead and the knowledge that as long as they won at Newcastle, the Champions League place was theirs.

Arsenal bagged the priceless goal when French defender Koscielny swivelled to volley home from close-range after Lukas Podolski flicked on Theo Walcott’s free-kick.

“We are happy, it’s very important for the club to play Champions League next year,” Koscielny told Sky Sports. Bale guaranteed an extremely tense final few minutes in the race for fourth between the fierce north London rivals by smashing a trademark long-range effort high into the net in the 88th minute at White Hart Lane, meaning Arsenal needed to hold onto its lead at St James’ Park.

Walcott slid a shot against the post in injury time to keep Tottenham’s hopes alive, but Newcastle couldn’t find an equaliser.

“It was so tense,” Walcott said. “We had to dig deep and our defence was so solid. We did our job and we are so happy.”

Tottenham were third and seven points clear of Arsenal after winning the north London derby in March.

But not even Bale’s stream of match-winning goals in recent weeks could hold off Arsenal’s end-of-season resurgence, just like last season.

“We have missed out and it is another hard day to take,” Tottenham defender Michael Dawson said. “We can’t just look at today — we put ourselves in this position. We hoped Arsenal would slip up but they didn’t, unfortunately.”

At the Hawthorns, Ferguson’s commitment to attacking football was on display one last time, but the United boss will have been less impressed with his defenders.

Since taking charge of United for the first time in a 2-0 defeat at Oxford on November 8, 1986, Ferguson has amassed an incredible 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns.

This was his swansong, as well as the final game before retirement for United midfielder Scholes, who came on as a second-half substitute.

Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa got United’s first in the sixth minute and Albion defender Jonas Olsson scored a ninth-minute own goal.

Alexander Buttner smashed in United’s third in the 30th minute before James Morrison got one back for the hosts in the 40th minute.Romelu Lukaku scored for Albion in the 50th minute before Robin van Persie netted for United three minutes later and Hernandez bagged the fifth in the 63rd minute.

Yet Albion provided an incredible finale as Lukaku and Youssouf Mulumbu both scored in the space of 60 seconds in the 81st minute before on-loan Chelsea striker Lukaku completed his hat-trick to equalise in the 86th minute.

Ferguson will be succeeded at Old Trafford by Everton manager David Moyes, who saw his team beaten at Chelsea in his farewell after an 11-year reign.

Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata slotted home in the seventh minute. Steven Naismith equalised for Everton seven minutes later, but Fernando Torres struck the winner in the 76th minute.Chelsea’s interim manager Rafael Benitez, who masterminded the team’s Europa League final victory over Benfica in Amsterdam in midweek, was also saying goodbye, with Jose Mourinho reportedly lined up to return to west London once he quits Real Madrid.

Carragher captained Liverpool on his 737th and final appearance for the club, a 1-0 win over already-relegated Queens Park Rangers at Anfield and Owen rounded off his illustrious career by playing the final 16 minutes for Stoke in a 1-1 draw at Southampton.Kevin Nolan scored a hat trick in West Ham’s 4-2 win over Reading while FA Cup winners Wigan, already relegated, drew 2-2 with Aston Villa and Fulham won 3-0 at Swansea.

Results: Chelsea 2 Everton 1 Liverpool 1 Queens Park Rangers 0 Manchester City 2 Norwich City 3 Newcastle United 0 Arsenal 1 Southampton 1 Stoke City 1 Swansea City 0 Fulham 3 Tottenham Hotspur 1 Sunderland 0 West Bromwich Albion 5 Manchester United 5 West Ham United 4 Reading 2 Wigan Athletic 2 Aston Villa 2 —Agencies