Football: Fulham and Cardiff relegated from EPL as Sunderland get shock win at Man U

Despondent Fulham fans after the match against Stoke City at the Britannia stadium in Stoke on May 3, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Despondent Fulham fans after the match against Stoke City at the Britannia stadium in Stoke on May 3, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Fulham players (from left-right) Steve Sidwell, Scott Parker and Darren Bent react during their English Premier League football match against Stoke City at the Britannia stadium in Stoke, May 3, 2014. Fulham and Cardiff City were relegated from the Premier League on Saturday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON (AFP) - Fulham and Cardiff City were relegated from the Premier League on Saturday after defeats in their penultimate games of the season left them unable to reach safety.

Fulham's 13-year run in the English top flight was ended by a 4-1 defeat at Stoke City, while Cardiff went straight back down to the Championship following a 3-0 loss at Newcastle United. Both sides' fates were sealed by fourth-bottom Sunderland's unexpected 1-0 win at Manchester United, which took Gus Poyet's side four points above Fulham and five points clear of bottom club Cardiff.

Fulham's players were in tears after the west London side's.

"This is one of the worst days I've ever had," manager Felix Magath told reporters. "We had no chances from the beginning, we weren't in the game. The team felt too much pressure, we couldn't run, we couldn't pass, we couldn't play.

"Afterwards, nobody said a word. Everyone was down, there were some tears."

His disappointment was matched by Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"The realisation that we're down is one of the most bitter disappointments of both mine and many of the players' careers."

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