LONDON, 2 May 2004 — Leicester City were condemned to relegation after one season in the Premier League yesterday despite a 2-2 draw at Charlton Athletic following Manchester City’s 1-0 home win over Newcastle United.

With two games remaining they cannot catch fourth-bottom Manchester City, who took three priceless points against injury-hit Newcastle thanks to a Paulo Wanchope header.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will need a mathematical wonder if they are not to join Leicester in an immediate return to the first division despite coming from behind to beat Everton 2-1.

Leeds United, who visit Bolton Wanderers today, look favorites to join them in going down but still have an outside chance of staying up.

At the top, Chelsea consolidated their grip on second place with a 4-0 home win over Southampton. With two games remaining they are four points ahead of Manchester United, who lost 1-0 at Blackburn Rovers with a weakened team.

Arsenal, crowned champions almost a week ago, remained on course to go through the league season unbeaten after a 0-0 home draw with Birmingham City.

Tottenham and Everton are not absolutely safe on 39 points but Portsmouth, with 41, almost certainly are after they made it five wins and two draws from their last seven games with a 1-1 home draw against Fulham.

Rangers Warm Up for Celtic

With 4-0 Rout of Motherwell

In Glasgow, Rangers warmed up for next week’s final Glasgow derby of the season against Scottish champions Celtic by scoring three times in eight minutes in a 4-0 thumping of Motherwell yesterday.

Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta netted a free kick a minute before halftime for the opener at Ibrox before his side added another three in a rousing start to the second period.

In yesterday’s other games, Hearts won 2-0 at Dundee United, Hibernian overcame Dundee 1-0 and Kilmarnock recorded a second straight home win with a 4-2 victory against Livingston. Relegated Partick Thistle enjoyed only their fifth win of a gloomy season, 2-0 at home against Aberdeen.

Bremen Hit Hamburg for Six

as Bayern Title Decider Looms

In Berlin, Werder Bremen retained their six-point advantage at the Bundesliga summit with a resounding 6-0 win over SV Hamburg yesterday and can dethrone Bayern Munich as champions in next Saturday’s showdown in Bavaria.

Werder effectively need one point against Bayern to seal the title as they have a far superior goal difference — 12 goals better than Bayern — with just three games remaining.

Bayern have not waved the white flag but needed all their resilience to defeat Cologne 2-1 and cling to Bremen’s coat tails.

Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who announced his decision to quit in 2005, embodied Bayern’s never-say-die spirit.

Cologne became the first team to be relegated from the Bundesliga following the defeat with their tally of 20 points from 31 games condemning them to the drop.

After failing to score in their last two matches Bremen took their frustrations out on SV Hamburg at the Weserstadion.

Hamburg manager Klaus Toppmoller claimed Bremen’s 21-match unbeaten run would be halted by his charges but was forced to eat his words.

With 16 minutes gone Bosnian striker Sergei Barbarez somehow managed to head a corner into his own net when there appeared no danger. Five minutes later another error caused Hamburg’s downfall with goalkeeper Tom Starke allowing Frenchman Valerien Ismael’s free-kick to rocket right into the middle of the goal.