With two games remaining, Leicester, who have endured a tough season on and off the pitch, cannot catch fourth-bottom Manchester City, who beat injury-hit Newcastle United 1-0 with a Paulo Wanchope header on Saturday.

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

Leeds United, who visit Bolton Wanderers on Sunday, look favourites to join them in going down but still have an outside chance of survival.

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.

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.

The champions have 83 points from 35 games. Chelsea, who face Monaco in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, look certain to claim automatic qualification for the group stage of the competition next season as they moved on to 75 points from 36 games.

Manchester United, who put out almost a reserve side at Blackburn, have 71 points, also with two games left.

The battle for fourth place -- and the final Champions League qualifying slot -- remains tight. Liverpool have 53 points, the same as Newcastle, but can move clear with a home win over Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Aston Villa, sixth on 52 points, are also in action on Sunday at home to Tottenham Hotspur. All three contenders have played 35 games.

From the bottom up, Leicester have 30 points, Wolves 32 and Leeds also 32 but with a game in hand. Manchester City, with a hugely superior goal difference to Wolves, have 38.

Tottenham and Everton are not 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.

David James kept Manchester City in the match as visiting Newcastle made all the early running and Wanchope's superb header from a Nicolas Anelka cross, the Costa Rican's first goal since November, will probably be enough to keep them up.

"We worked very hard for this today," City boss Kevin Keegan told Sky Sports TV.

"It was a great win and although we've still got some work to do we've given ourselves a chance of staying up." Leicester also had survival hopes when Marcus Bent shot them ahead after five minutes at Charlton but John Fortune headed an equaliser early in the second half.

A disputed Paolo Di Canio penalty -- and a red card for Nikos Dabizas -- put Charlton in charge and Les Ferdinand's 88th-minute strike was too late.

"I'm pleased with the players and proud of the performance...but over the season we weren't good enough," said Leicester manager Micky Adams.

Adams said that the fallout surrounding the arrest of several players on charges of sexual assault during a club break in Spain in March had been detrimental to their chances.

"In my heart of hearts it had a big bearing," he said. "We were always in a relegation dogfight but La Manga didn't help."

Chelsea warmed up for their big game against Monaco in fine style, though they needed an own goal by 17-year-old debutant defender Martin Cranie after an hour to break Southampton's resistance.

Two goals for Frank Lampard and one for Glen Johnson completed the win.

One goal would have been a treat at Highbury where Arsenal failed to spark and Birmingham worked tirelessly to keep them out.

"The team had reached their target and perhaps lost a bit of sharpness," said manager Arsene Wenger of the post-title comedown.

"You could see something had gone but also you could see that they did not want to lose.

"But we keep our undefeated record going and that is our main target."