FULHAM became the third and final team to be relegated from the English Premier League on Monday after a 2-0 loss to Burnley sealed the London club’s immediate return to the second-tier Championship.

Fulham joined Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion in going down to the Championship, wrapping up the Premier League’s relegation battle at the earliest ever stage — with three rounds still to go.

“I’m bitterly disappointed, I’m hurt, I’m gutted,” said Fulham manager Scott Parker, who also presided over the team’s relegation two seasons ago when he was in charge on an interim basis.

“While it’s been looming over us for some time now, there’s no words I can put together other than I’m gutted we haven’t been successful this year.”

Burnley was one of four clubs — along with Brighton, Newcastle and Southampton — still mathematically not safe heading into the match at Craven Cottage. After first-half goals from Ashley Westwood and in-form striker Chris Wood, Burnley was able to celebrate the prospect of playing a sixth straight season in the lucrative top flight — a stunning achievement by manager Sean Dyche given the budget he works under and the fact his team had just two points after seven games.

The kind of stability Dyche has brought to Burnley is something Parker craves.

“The highs and lows and the rollercoaster of the journey that is, we need to work out exactly what we need to do now to try to keep a level about us,” the former England midfielder said.

“Over the coming weeks, we need to have a discussion and work out what we need to do to move forward and try to get off the rollercoaster we are on.”

Parker said he was committed to staying at the club, though that will ultimately be a decision for owner Shahid Khan, whose portfolio of sports teams also includes the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.(SD-Agencies)