Huddersfield experiences joint earliest relegation from EPL

LONDON (AP) — What seems like an inglorious departure from the English Premier League is far from it for Huddersfield.

Its fate sealed with six games remaining after losing at Crystal Palace 2-0 on Saturday, Huddersfield has matched the record for the earliest relegation.

But it was a miracle the northern English team secured a second season in the Premier League, having resisted splurging its newfound wealth to chase survival.

Even after breaking its transfer record three times in its first Premier League summer transfer window, Huddersfield still banked 30 million pounds ($39 million) in profit at the end of the season. Derby was also relegated in March 2008 after 32 games.

Huddersfield has been competing in a league where Manchester City has amassed a squad worth $1.6 billion, according to the CIES Football Observatory.

City’s title defense — and bid for a quadruple — remained on track with a 2-0 victory over Fulham, which could follow Huddersfield by being relegated in the coming week.

Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero scored to take City back to top place. City is a point ahead of Liverpool, which hosts third-place Tottenham on Sunday but will have played a game more than Pep Guardiola’s defending champions.