LONDON () -Crystal Palace were relegated from the Womens’ Super League (WSL) following a 7-1 beating at the hands of West Ham United on Sunday.
With two games left to play, Palace dropped back down to the second tier after a single unhappy season in the top flight.
The Eagles are on nine points at the bottom of the 12-team table, seven behind Aston Villa, after the Hammers’ German forward Shekiera Martinez struck a first-half hat-trick and added another after the break to seal Palace’s fate.
“I was saying that over a year in football you get what you deserve, not always in a game, and we have to acknowledge we have not been good enough,” Palace boss Leif Gunnar Smerud said.
“We have to look at the facts, and they are that we have not been good enough, not today and not during the season. It’s not that difficult, you don’t have to be an expert to see that.”
With only one team dropping out of the top flight each season, the relegation of Smerud’s side means the rest of the division can breathe a sigh of relief for the remainder of the season, with 11th-placed Leicester City beaten 1-0 at home by Manchester City.
Leaders Chelsea, who top the standings on 51 points, and second-placed Arsenal are both in action in the Champions League semi-finals on Sunday, leaving City in fourth position on 39 points with a game more played.
Elsewhere, Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Tottenham Hotspur, while across Merseyside Everton conceded a goal in second-half stoppage time as they lost 3-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion.
