The 61-year-old Scot, who had returned for a second stint as manager at Anfield in January last year, paid the price for a dismal season which saw Liverpool finish 37 points behind champions Manchester City.

The Merseyside club’s American owners the Fenway Sports Group had given Dalglish more than £100 million (159 million dollars) to spend in the transfer market since he took over from the sacked Roy Hodgson in 2011.

“Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club announce that Kenny Dalglish is to leave his post today as manager after having his contract terminated,” a joint statement said.

“After a careful and deliberative review of the season the club came to the decision that a change was appropriate.

“It is not a decision that was reached lightly or hastily.

“The search for a new manager will begin immediately.”

Dalglish, a revered figure amongst Liverpool’s supporters following an association with the club that straddles five decades as player, manager and ambassador, had also suffered a critical mauling for his handling of the Luis Suarez racism affair earlier this season.

Dalglish’s refusal to countenance any criticism of the Uruguayan striker, who had been found guilty by an independent FA tribunal of insulting Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, was widely condemned.

Dalglish had flown to the United States on Sunday to present his end-of-season review to principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner, who had only last month given the Liverpool legend his backing.

Indeed, Dalglish’s position seemed to have been strengthened when French director of football Damien Comolli abruptly left the club on April 12, having apparently taken the blame for Liverpool’s poor results.

Although Dalglish ended Liverpool’s six-year trophy drought this season with victory in the League Cup, the club were comfortably beaten by Chelsea in the FA Cup final earlier this month.

Liverpool lifted the gloom with a 4-1 win over Chelsea in their final home game of the season, but a 14th loss against Swansea in their last game of the campaign on Sunday was the last straw.

The defeat against the newly promoted Swans, whose squad cost a fraction of Liverpool’s to assemble, left Liverpool in eighth — their worst finish for 18 years, with their lowest points tally since 1953/54.

British media reports have already linked several younger up-and-coming managers to the vacancy at Anfield, with Wigan’s Roberto Martinez, Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers and Norwich’s Paul Lambert all mentioned as possible candidates to succeed Dalglish.

Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton was charged with two counts of violent conduct by the Football Association on Monday following his red card against English Premier League Champions, Manchester City, on Sunday.

Barton was sent off for elbowing Carlos Tevez and then kicked Sergio Aguero before attempting to headbutt Vincent Kompany.

The FA said in a statement: “The FA has today (Monday) charged Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton in relation to two acts of alleged violent conduct during Sunday’s match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

“As Barton had already been dismissed, both of these incidents fell outside of the jurisdiction of the referee.”

Barton has until 6pm local time (1700GMT) on Tuesday to respond to the charges.

Earlier, QPR’s Malaysian owner Tony Fernandes said manager Mark Hughes would decide what punishment, if any, the club would impose on Barton following the player’s latest red card.

The incident came in a match where victory gave City the Premier League title and Rangers avoided relegation despite the final-day defeat.

Barton is now set to be banned for QPR’s first four games next season but he could end up with a longer suspension — possibly up to nine matches — from the FA, while nothing the governing body do would prohibit the London club from taking internal disciplinary action.

Fernandes, who bought QPR before the start of the season, was adamant he would play no role in deciding any in-house punishment for the 29-year-old Barton.

“I will leave that to the manager and the chief executive (Phil Beard),” Fernandes told Sky Sports on Monday. “Now we just want to focus on the positives. It’s a little bit early to talk about that.

“I will not step in. My goal at the club is to bring in the right infrastructure and the right people. I leave the manager to manage the players.

“Of course the board will be involved, but we will let him come to us and say: ‘This is what I would like to do.’”

After the match, Barton pointed the finger at Tevez in a series of posts on Twitter.

“Can do nothing but apologise to the players and the fans. Still don’t think its a sending off,” he wrote.

“The head was never gone at any stage, once I’d been sent off, one of our players suggested I should try to take 1 of theirs with me…Never worked but god loves a trier.

“Think a few people are forgetting Tevez started the fracas by throwing a punch to the head…?

“Right am off for a bit. Gonna enjoy QPR still being a Premiership club with all my team-mates. Cheerio people.”

But Barton again used the social networking site to launch an expletive-laden attack against his former Newcastle United manager, Alan Shearer, who had criticised the player’s conduct in his role as a pundit on the BBC’s Match of the Day television programme.

Manchester City were crowned English Premier League champions on Sunday after an incredible fightback which saw them score twice in injury time to beat QPR 3-2 and seal the title on goal difference.

City’s dreams of a first title in 44 years appeared to be in tatters as 10-man Rangers led 2-1 after 90 minutes courtesy of goals from Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie following Pablo Zabaleta’s opener.

But as Manchester United prepared to celebrate snatching a 20th league title following their 1-0 win at Sunderland, Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero struck twice in two minutes to seal the most enthralling title duel in years.

“To win like this is incredible. I have never seen a finish like this.

“We had a lot of chances, we deserve to win this championship. It’s fantastic. After 44 years I dedicate this to all our supporters. It’s a crazy season, crazy last minutes.”

Relieved City captain Vincent Kompany meanwhile admitted his nerves had been shredded by the frantic finale.

“I want to say it’s the best moment of my life — but please never again like today,” Kompany said. “Miracles do happen in Manchester. Only this time it’s on this side of the road.”

After a nervy start, City took the lead five minutes from half-time through Zabaleta, the Argentinian fullback darting onto a deft through ball from Yaya Toure to shoot high into the net past Rangers keeper Paddy Kenny.

The goal sent relief coursing around Eastlands as City prepared for their championship party.

But Eastlands was stunned into silence shortly after half-time when a blunder by Joleon Lescott let in Cisse who raced clear and thundered an equaliser past Joe Hart.

Even then, the force still seemed to be with City, as QPR captain Joey Barton was sent off in an incident that defied belief.

The fiery midfielder was given his marching orders by referee Mike Dean for a retaliatory elbow on Carlos Tevez following an off-the-ball clash.

As Barton left the pitch, the midfielder then angrily kneed Aguero in the back of the thigh to leave himself facing a lengthy ban.

Yet incredibly instead of ramming home their advantage, City were left shell-shocked as 10-man Rangers took a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute, Mackie heading in at the far post after Armand Traore’s swift break from defence.

Amid unbearable tension, City looked set for a traumatic defeat until substitute Dzeko nodded in to equalise in the second of five minutes of injury time. Then, out of nowhere, Aguero skipped clear of the Rangers defence to spark bedlam at Eastlands with the most dramatic winner imaginable.

City celebrated but it was a different story at the Stadium of Light, where for a fleeting moment after the final whistle United’s players believed they had done enough to retain their crown after Wayne Rooney’s first-half goal completed a 1-0 win.

But then news of Aguero’s late winner filtered through and United’s players trudged off in disbelief having been all smiles just moments before.

“Nobody expected that. Everybody expected City to win, but they did it against 10 men for half an hour and with five extra minutes to help them,” Sir Alex Ferguson said afterwards.

“But I congratulate City on winning the league. Anybody who wins it deserves it, because it’s a long haul. At the end of our game our players didn’t actually know the results.

“Now, they’re really disappointed, I’m glad to say. There’s no other way they should be … It wasn’t our turn today.”

QPR’s fans celebrated meanwhile after the club’s Premier League survival was ensured as Bolton could only draw 2-2 at Stoke.

In the other issues to be settled on Sunday, Arsenal clinched third place with a 3-2 win at West Bromwich Albion while Tottenham sealed fourth place with a 2-0 win over Fulham at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham, however, face a nervous wait to see if they will advance to next season’s Champions League.

A win for Chelsea in next week’s final against Bayern Munich would see Spurs miss out. Chelsea warmed up for next week’s final with a 2-1 win over relegated Blackburn.

Elsewhere Sunday, Newcastle’s brave challenge for a top four finish ended in a 3-1 defeat at Everton which left the Magpies in fifth place.

Liverpool’s disappointing season ended on a downbeat note with a 1-0 loss at Swansea.

English Premier League results

Chelsea 2 Blackburn 1
Everton 3 Newcastle 1
Man City 3 QPR 2
Norwich 2 Aston Villa 0
Stoke 2 Bolton 2
Sunderland 0 Man Utd 1
Swansea 1 Liverpool 0
Tottenham 2 Fulham 0
West Brom 2 Arsenal 3
Wigan 3 Wolves 2

A mistake from Fulop, only in the side because of an injury to Ben Foster, allowed Yossi Benayoun to hand the Gunners an early lead but the Baggies responded with goals from Shane Long and Graham Dorrans.

Andre Santos’ strike shortly before half-time pulled Arsene Wenger‘s side level and Laurent Koscielny capitalised on another Fulop error to earn the most slender of victories in a pulsating final-day encounter.

The win ensured Arsenal held onto third, a place and a point above north London rivals Tottenham, who now face a tense wait to see if Chelsea win next weekend’s Champions League final against Bayern Munich — which would rob Spurs of a spot in Europe’s elite club competition.

It was a disappointing end to a superb 16-month spell with the Baggies for boss Roy Hodgson, who expressed his gratitude to fans in his programme notes as he now turns his attention to leading England into Euro 2012.

There was no place in the Albion line-up for Foster in what was the final game of his loan spell from Birmingham after the goalkeeper picked up a suspected groin injury in training on Saturday.

It meant a Baggies Premier League debut for understudy Fulop and his worst nightmares were realised within four minutes.

In an attempt to dispossess Robin van Persie, James Morrison stabbed the ball back towards his own goal, however Fulop’s attempts to usher it into his area ended in disaster as he stumbled to leave Benayoun with goal at his mercy.

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was more solid and did well to turn away a vicious low drive from Marc-Antoine Fortune which threatened to creep inside his near post away for a corner.

However, the Baggies only had to wait until the 12th minute for their leveller.

Morrison dissected the Gunners defence with a threaded through pass and Long, who appeared to be left onside by Carl Jenkinson, strode through to steer a precise shot low into the left corner.

Then, three minutes later the game was turned upside down, as the Baggies moved ahead.

Morrison was responsible for another fine assist as Dorrans headed his Scotland team-mate’s clipped pass to his right to evade Jenkinson and Koscielny before planting a superb half-volley low beyond Szczesny.

Wenger struggled to hide his frustration on the touchline but the Gunners levelled on the half-hour mark.

Youssouf Mulumbu was dispossessed by Alex Song midway in the Baggies half and he fed Santos, who outfoxed Simon Cox before unleashing a stinging low shot which Fulop’s outstretched hand was unable to prevent creeping inside his right post.

Theo Walcott was introduced in place of Tomas Rosicky upon the resumption and within 10 minutes the Gunners were ahead again courtesy of another calamitous error from Fulop.

Van Persie’s corner looked routine enough for the Baggies goalkeeper, yet he somehow managed to punch the ball behind him to allow Koscielny to scramble home the Gunners’ third – much to the frustration of his Albion team-mates.

Wenger will desperately hope this was not Van Persie’s final appearance in a Gunners shirt, yet although the skipper did not add another goal to his tally for the season he did make a telling contribution when he hooked a Jonas Olsson header off the line as West Brom sought another equaliser.

Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund blasted Champions League finalists Bayern Munich 5-2 in Saturday’s German DFB Pokal Cup final to claim the first domestic double in their 103-year history.

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski netted a hat-trick in the rout which will dent Bayern’s confidence ahead of next Saturday’s Champions League final against Chelsea at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

After winning the German Bundesliga title by eight points from Bayern, Dortmund continued their domination with their fifth consecutive win against Munich in the sold-out final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Goals by Japan star Shinji Kagawa, a penalty from Germany defender Mats Hummels and Lewandowski’s treble cancelled out Arjen Robben’s first-half penalty for Bayern and a second-half strike from France’s Franck Ribery.

Dortmund drew first blood after only three minutes in the wake of a mistake by Bayern defender Luiz Gustavo which allowed Poland midfielder Jakub ‘Kuba’ Blaszczykowski to square for Kagawa to fire home.

Bayern looked nervous in defence and Ribery was well chaperoned down the left flank with a posse of Dortmund defenders waiting to snuff out any threat whenever the ball arrived at his feet.

But Munich drew level after Mario Gomez was tripped by Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller as they both sprinted for the ball and Robben sent the Borussia captain the wrong way to fire home on 25 minutes.

It was redemption for Robben who missed a penalty in last month’s German league showdown which Dortmund won 1-0.

Weidenfeller came off injured on 32 minutes after his clash with Gomez to allow Australian goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak to take over for only his fifth game of the season.

Borussia regained the lead with 41 minutes gone when when Kuba was brought down by Bayern defender Jerome Boateng and Hummels fired home the resulting penalty.

Dortmund added to their tally in added time when Kagawa played in a beautiful pass to the feet of Robert Lewandowski which allowed the Poland striker to make it 3-1 at the break.

Dortmund drove the nail further in Bayern’s coffin when a pass from Grosskreutz found Lewandowski unmarked in the area and he fired home on 58 minutes.

Things went from bad to worse for Bayern as Gomez rattled the crossbar with a header with 20 minutes left, before Ribery reduced the deficit with a well-taken strike on 75 minutes.

Germany’s number one goalkeeper Manuel Neuer capped a poor night in Bayern’s goal when he lost possession to allow Lewandowski to head his third goal nine minutes from time and claim his 30th goal of the season in all competitions.

After those three are gone, only Clarence Seedorf and Massimo Ambrosini will remain from the last great Milan side that lifted the Champions League in 2007.

Inzaghi is particularly loved because he scored a brace in that final in Athens as Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1 to avenge their penalty shoot-out final defeat by the same opponents two years before.

Already, there was a feeling that the side were coming to the end of their powers but certain figures held on.

That is no longer the case, though, with Inzaghi, 38, set for retirement, Nesta, 36, heading probably to the United States, and Gattuso, 34, facing an uncertain future.

Club captain Ambrosini, 34, is staying on for another year but the fate of 36-year-old Seedorf has yet to be confirmed.

It is the departure of iconic figure Inzaghi that will truly drill home the reality that Milan have moved on from that era.

They won the Champions League in 2003 and 2007, while reaching the final in 2005, as well as winning the league title in 2004.

“The reality surpassed our most beautiful dreams,” said Inzaghi in a parting note to Milan’s fans.

“Two goals against Liverpool, two years after Istanbul (where they lost the final), the seventh Champions League. Destiny gave us something we didn’t even dare hope for.”

It was one of the great Milan teams but all good things must come to an end.

Already the likes of defenders Cafu and Paolo Maldini, as well as coach Carlo Ancelotti, had gone, while Andrea Pirlo left last summer.

Pirlo had spent 10 years at Milan, the same number as Nesta. Inzaghi has spent one more, while Gattuso has been there for 13 years.

There will be a party atmosphere at San Siro on Sunday as Inzaghi will also be making his 300th appearance for the club.

He will perhaps receive the greatest adulation because it was his goals and his furious commitment to the cause that drew him into the fans’ hearts.

But once it is over, the reality of trying to find players to fill the gaps being left will continue as Milan look to recapture the league title they have just lost to Juventus.

A double by Colombian striker Radamel Falcao inspired Atletico Madrid to a 3-0 win over fellow Spaniards Athletic Bilbao here on Wednesday and their second Europa League trophy in three seasons.

Falcao, who also became the first player to win successive Europa League/UEFA Cups with different sides having scored the winning goal for Porto last term, scored a brilliant first-half double to take his tally for this season’s competition to 12.

Brazilian attacking midfielder Diego, who missed the 2009 final for Werder Bremen against winners Shakhtar Donetsk because he was suspended, added a third late in the second-half to give Argentinian coach Diego Simeone a trophy just months after he took over the hot seat.

Falcao, named after the great Brazilian footballer of the 1982 and 1986 World Cup teams, said he was especially pleased because peopel had advised him not to go to Atletico.

“I cannot contain my joy,” said the 26-year-old.

“After all that has been said, like that I made a mistake in going to Atletico, I showed them it was no mistake.

“We had highs and lows but we deserved to finish as we have done. The first goal? I didn’t have an angle so I simply looked for some space.

“They told me to look for the far post from time to time, and this time I listened,” he said with a smile.

“As for my future well we don’t know whether Atletico will play in the Champions League or Europa League next season.

“We still have a possibility of the Champions League and we are determined to achieve that.”

Simeone, who was a hard tackling midfielder who won over 100 caps, paid tribute to his players.

“Winning is always marvellous, but you enjoy it more as a player, because one is on the pitch, one can scream, run, do a lap of honour,” said the 42-year-old.

“When you are a coach you leave that sort of thing to the players. I am proud of the players, happy for the fans, and thank those who brought me to the club in December.”

Athletic Bilbao’s coach Marcelo Bielsa took responsiblity for the defeat.

“I am disappointed, we did not play a good match,” said the former Argentina coach, who guided the Argentinians to the 2004 Olympic title.

“I am in charge of the strategy of the squad who failed to achieve its objective, which makes the disappointment even greater.

“Atletico deserved their win, but the scale of it was excessive.

“The feeling of personal responsiblity increases in the sense that the difference in quality of the two teams is not the one shown tonight,” added Bielsa, who coached Simeone when he was in charge of the national side.

Falcao opened the scoring on seven minutes with a spectacular goal taking the ball down the right and then into the box and as defender Fernando Amorebieta slipped he curled the ball round three defenders and the keeper from the edge of the box for his 11th goal in 15 Europa League games this season.

Bilbao’s far younger side – an average age of under 24 – took a while to settle but gradually started to make more of an impact.

Their leading striker Fernando Llorente – scorer of 29 goals this term – had missed with an early header when he was not helped by being shoved in the back but he should have done better in the 19th minute.

Found brilliantly in the box, he only had Belgian youngster Thibault Courtois to beat but his usual sure touch let him down and his shot skimmed off his boot and wide.

Falcao, though, was unstoppable at the other end and his second stemmed from the hapless Amorebieta being dispossessed as he tried foolishly to dribble it away from the box.

Turkish playmaker Ardi Turan found the Colombian, who completely fooled centreback Javi Martinez sending him the wrong way as he went the other before curling the ball into the top far left corner to double Atletico’s lead.

The two sides were more evenly matched in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half with Diego going close for Atletico but finding the side netting while Inigo Perez forced a good tip over the bar from 19-year-old Courtois.

Llorente, though, was not having the sort of night that will see him promoted over Fernando Torres in the Spanish Euro squad as once again found in a good position on the hour mark his first touch let him down and another chance went begging.

Athletic kept pressing but clear chances were rare, though Gomez Ibai had some Atletico fans hearts beating faster with his volley from outside the area which just cleared the bar with 20 minutes remaining.

Bilbao conjured up another chance in the 77th minute as the ball fell to Markel Susaseta, but his goalbound shot was deflected for a corner.

Susaseta went even closer a minute later as the ball ping-ponged round the Atletico area and the ball fell to him unmarked five yards out from goal but with just Courtois to beat the ‘keeper – on loan from Chelsea – produced a great block with his legs.

Down the other end, Falcao produced a fine piece of skill to turn a defender and fire in a shot from outside the box which beat the keeper but came back off the post.

Diego, though, sealed the win for Atletico with a fine solo goal with five minutes remaining, breaking through a weak tackle by the demoralised Amorebieta and firing home from the edge of the area.

Chelsea will have to win the Champions League final if they are to compete in next season’s edition after a 4-1 defeat by Liverpool on Tuesday ended their hopes of a top four Premier League finish.

Just three days after beating Liverpool 2-1 in the FA Cup final at Wembley, Chelsea were 3-0 behind inside half an hour at Anfield following an own-goal from Michael Essien and goals from Jordan Henderson and Daniel Agger.

The defeat means Chelsea must beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on May 19 if they are to secure a place in the competition next season as they can now no longer finish fourth in the Premier League.

Rarely have Liverpool looked forward to the end of the season so much after enduring a campaign where a League Cup final win has failed to mask their mediocre league form.

They lost their last two games at Anfield while their fans had been starved of a home league win since March 13 and even this victory left the Reds, managed by Anfield great Kenny Dalglish, in a relatively lowly eighth place.

Chelsea went into the game having secured more away points (25) than Liverpool had managed at home (24).

But di Matteo’s decision to rest his key players ahead of the Champions League final back-fired spectacularly.

Chelsea made eight changes to the side that started the 2-1 FA Cup win over Liverpool at Wembley.

Liverpool, who were without skipper Steven Gerrard, were clearly desperate to put right the wrongs from a disappointing performance at the weekend.

And they never looked back after Essien turned the ball into his own net in the 19th minute while trying to clear from Luis Suarez.

Two minutes earlier, Branislav Ivanovic rattled the woodwork after a corner from six-yards when the unmarked Chelsea defender should have done better.

Chelsea captain John Terry then slipped to pave the way for Henderson to double Liverpool’s lead in the 25th minute, the former Sunderland player producing a delightful finish past keeper Ross Turnbull.

And Agger made it 3-0 in the 28th minute when the Dane nodded home after clever work by Andy Carroll.

Former Liverpool striker Torres, who had managed just seven goals in his previous 44 Premier League appearances for the Londoners, was denied by the woodwork before half time with an angled shot.

Liverpool’s Stewart Downing, yet to score a league goal since joining from Aston Villa in pre-season, then twice hit the woodwork himself before the break.

Having struck the bar with a dipping 25-yard attempt, the winger then hit a post from the penalty spot after Ivanovic had fouled Carroll in the dying moments of a thrilling first half.

Chelsea did reduce their deficit in the 50th minute.

Ramires scored against the Reds at Wembley and the Brazilian was at it again as Florent Malouda’s free-kick hit his midriff before trickling into the net.

But Chelsea’s revival was short-lived thanks to Turnbull.

The keeper’s attempted clearance landed at the feet of Shelvey, who rifled a first-time effort from 30-yards into the net in front of the Kop to make it 4-1 in the 61st minute.

There was time for Liverpool to bring on 17-year-old Raheem Sterling while Maxi Rodriguez appeared to wave goodbye to fans when he was substituted in the closing stages.

In a game they had to win to prolong their 11-year stay in the top flight, Blackburn were unable to find a way through Wigan’s defence.

Wigan, for whom victory secured their Premier League survival, scored the only goal of the game through Antolin Alcaraz‘s header three minutes from time as they recorded their sixth win in eight league games.

Defeat at a rainswept Ewood Park capped a difficult season for Blackburn, whose Scottish manager Steve Kean has faced repeated calls from supporters to quit the north-west club.

Fans have also protested against the involvement of Blackburn owners’ Venky’s, an Indian-based poultry firm, in the running of the club.

Both Kean and Venky’s were subjected to fresh chants calling on them to leave from angry Rovers fans on Monday, with one supporter releasing a chicken onto the ground in protest during the first half.

“We are devastated, the players are numb,” Kean told Sky Sports. “In the second half we had enough chances and had a very good shout for a penalty. The fact we don’t get the result and don’t take it to the last game of the season as we did last year is massively disappointing.

“The lads gave us everything and they are so deflated, I can’t tell you.

“It’s a massive setback but we have to regroup and keep as many of our players as we can, as West Ham have done and they are in a Championship playoff semi-final.

“We’ll be back to fight another day.”

Wigan owner Dave Whelan, a former Blackburn player, admitted to mixed emotions, saying: “I am really sorry we put Rovers down. I have mixed feelings because I had 11 years at Blackburn.

“We had a tough start to the season but Roberto Martinez always believed and I believed in him. As the season has gone along we have played better and better and Roberto has proved he is a top-quality manager.”

Wigan manager Martinez never deviated from his belief in a passing game and, although his team were bottom of the table earlier in the season, this result represented the Latics’ sixth victory in eight games — a run that includes wins over champions Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle.

“It doesn’t seem real yet,” said the Spaniard. “It’s a great feeling. It was a difficult game, you could feel the tension and it was a cagey affair.

“But staying up is an incredible achievement.”

Blackburn won the Premier League title in 1995 when lifelong fan and steel magnate Jack Walker was still bankrolling the club and current Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish was their manager.

But Rovers, who conclude their campaign away to FA Cup winners and Champions League finalists Chelsea, have struggled to recapture those glory days since Walker’s death in 2000.

Now they have joined basement club Wolves in being relegated.

One more team will drop out of the Premier League on Sunday, with Bolton Wanderers and Queens Park Rangers effectively in a straight head-to-head fight to avoid relegation as Aston Villa’s goal difference is superior to the two sides below them.

Bolton need to win at Stoke to have any chance of staying up but, if QPR draw at Manchester City, Wanderers are down barring a massive margin of victory at the Britannia Stadium.

If QPR lose, a Bolton win of any kind will keep them up.

After falling 2-0 down inside 11 minutes, PSG hit back through Nene, Maxwell, Blaise Matuidi and Jeremy Menez and then survived a late scare sparked by a Renaud Cohade free-kick to edge ahead of Montpellier on goals scored.

Montpellier travel to fifth-placed Rennes on Monday, before a potentially decisive home game with reigning champions Lille next weekend, when PSG will tackle Rennes at home.

“It was a bizarre match,” said PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti.

“We were terrible at the start. Then we got two goals back and played very well. The forwards worked together.

“The objective is to win every match until the end of the season. Tonight I’m very happy with the performances of all my players.

“Every match is difficult — our match against Rennes, the last game against Lorient. We’re happy to be back in first place, maybe just for one night.”

Vincent Aboubakar broke the deadlock in the eighth minute at Valenciennes’ Stade du Hainaut, chesting down a high ball and dispatching a low shot that bobbled into the PSG net via a deflection off Alex.

The Cameroonian striker was also at the origin of the hosts’ second goal three minutes later, firing in a low shot that PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu could only parry as far as a grateful Remi Gomis.

PSG’s title hopes appeared to be in serious jeopardy but they hit back four minutes further on, as Nene registered his 18th league goal of the season from Menez’s intelligent dinked pass.

Maxwell and Blaise Matuidi then chose opportune moments to claim their first goals for the club, allowing PSG to go in 3-2 up at the break.

Brazilian left-back Maxwell equalised from a narrow angle in the 40th minute after running on to Nene’s pass and on the stroke of half-time Matuidi slid in to touch Javier Pastore’s through-ball past Nicolas Penneteau and put PSG ahead.

Nene teed up Menez for PSG’s fourth in the 58th minute but any thoughts of a comfortable victory were erased in the 80th minute when Cohade swept a 25-yard free-kick into Sirigu’s top-right corner to set the visitors’ nerves on edge.

Earlier, Lyon’s faint hopes of Champions League qualification were all but extinguished when they were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Brest at Stade Gerland.

Victory would have taken Lyon to within six points of third-place Lille with three games remaining, but they are now eight points behind the champions and appear destined for a fourth-place finish at best.

Asked if third place was now beyond his side’s reach, Lyon coach Remi Garde said: “Yes. I think that now, we have to do everything to hold on to fourth place.”

Brest, meanwhile, climbed out of the relegation zone at the expense of Auxerre, although they have now played a game more than Auxerre and second-bottom Dijon, who are both just a point behind them.

Yoann Gourcuff put Lyon ahead with a 37th-minute diving header to register only his second goal of the season, but Gregory Lorenzi slammed home from close range following a left-wing corner to bring Brest level 15 minutes from time.

In the day’s other afternoon kick-off, Ajaccio let slip a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 at fellow promoted side Evian, which left the Corsican outfit three points above the relegation places.