Even though the Premier League finale produced oscillating fortunes in the chase for the Champions League, a chaotic season ended fairly predictably on Sunday.

Liverpool and Chelsea squeezed out Leicester to secure top-four finishes that seemed out of reach at times in a pandemic-compressed season that stretched squads to the limit.

Jumping into third was a triumph reflecting Liverpool’s readjusted targets in a season of struggles and injuries after surrendering the trophy to Manchester City, while Manchester United was runner-up.“From nowhere to the Champions League in five weeks — that’s a massive achievement,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said after Sadio Mane’s goals clinched a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace. “I’m really happy for the Champions League they don’t have to play without us.”

That sentiment wasn’t evident a month ago when Liverpool and the rest of the eventual top-four finishers were part of a hastily abandoned bid to split from the UEFA competition to launch a breakaway Super League.