The Premier League is often cited as the most competitive league in the world – and for good reason. Since its introduction in 1992, we have seen some of the most tightly contested seasons in football, which has in turn provided some classic and historic moments. We’ve taken a look at 5 of the closest Premier League finishes and decided which had fans biting their nails the most.
5. 1997/98 – Arsenal vs Manchester United
The two powerhouses of English football battled throughout the 90s trying to establish who was the greatest Premier League team. Guardiola vs Klopp, Mourinho vs Ferguson – we’ve had some serious rivalries over the years, but none were as closely contested as Wenger vs Ferguson in the decade following the introduction of the Premier League.
After United had cruised to glory in the previous season, Arsene Wenger set about ensuring no such thing happened again in his first full season with the club. The arrival of the Frenchman signified a change in identity for the Gunners. Wenger bought new ideologies, unique nutritional advice, and experimental methods of coaching. He was a breath of fresh air.
Ferguson’s dominant United side had been top of the table for 5 months as the season went on and looked certain to retain their title. But everything changed when Arsenal visited Old Trafford in March. Wenger’s side ran away as 1-0 winners which extended their unbeaten run to 10 games – and they didn’t stop there. The Gunners went on to win the following 8 games in a row as United faltered against Newcastle and rivals Liverpool. Wenger had toppled United and released their stronghold on the league as Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions with two matches remaining.
4. 1994/95 – Blackburn vs Manchester United
Manchester United fans were once again on the end of a heart-breaking season as Kenny Dalglish beat his compatriot Alex Ferguson to the title in a campaign that went down to the final day. The Sutton and Shearer partnership was almost entirely responsible for Blackburn Rovers’ glory, netting 49 goals between them from the 80 their team scored. Alan Shearer simply couldn’t stop scoring, and that season will go down as one of the greatest individual campaigns the Premier League has ever seen. But many forget that Blackburn almost squandered the chance to take their first title since 1914 on the last day of the season.
Dalglish’s side travelled to Anfield on the final day but were beaten 2-1 thanks to a 90th minute winner from Jamie Redknapp, who almost spoilt the Blackburn party and handed the title to rivals Manchester United. But United, who travelled to West Ham, could only manage a 1-1 draw and Blackburn stumbled over the line winning the title by a single point. Dalglish had just about secured Blackburn’s first major trophy in 67 years and cemented himself alongside Alan Shearer in Rovers’ hall of fame.
3. 2018/19 – Manchester City vs Liverpool
The 2018/19 season was one of the greatest two-horse races English football has ever seen. Pep Guardiola’s City side sought to retain their title after a historic centurion campaign the previous season, but Jurgen Klopp had other ideas. After finishing 25 points behind City in 2017/18, Liverpool launched their bid to claim the top spot in English football for the first time since the introduction of the Premier League.
Klopp’s side were only beaten once in their campaign and it was none other than Guardiola’s City who handed them their only defeat and ruined any hopes of an invincible season. Despite losing three fewer games than the eventual champions, it was the number of draws that proved to be their undoing. Liverpool drew 3 from their last 14 games, including ties against rivals Manchester United and Everton, whereas City won 14 in a row to end the season following defeat at St. James Park to Newcastle.
Liverpool fans were offered a glimmer of hope on the final day of the season when Glenn Murray gave Brighton the lead against Pep’s side, but choruses of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ were cut short as Sergio Aguero equalised just a minute later and City went on to win the game comfortably. Despite notching up the third highest points tally in Premier League history at the time, Liverpool were beaten to the title by Pep and his relentless City side.
2. 1998/99 – Manchester United vs Arsenal
After being on the wrong side of two closely contested title races, Sir Alex Ferguson furthered his claim to becoming the greatest Premier League manager of all-time as United pipped Arsenal to the league title with a final day comeback win in a historic season. United went on to secure the domestic and European treble, but it was a comeback in the last game of the season in true Fergie style which made it all possible.
Arsene Wenger’s Gunners looked favourites to retain their title going into the new season and United looked slightly off the pace. Ferguson’s team were held in a 0-0 draw with Chelsea, leaving them in 4th place going into the New Year. However an unbeaten run from then until the end of the season was eventually what set them apart from the London clubs. Arsenal’s own unbeaten run stretching over four months was put to an end in the penultimate game of the season as they were beaten 1-0 by Leeds, placing the Premier League fate in the hands of Fergie and United. But the drama wasn’t over.
United faced a visit from Arsenal’s north London neighbours Spurs, who had the opportunity to hand the title to their local rivals by beating the Red Devils. An early Tottenham goal courtesy of Les Ferdinand made the impossible seem possible, but United found the net either side of half-time through David Beckham and Andy Cole to complete the comeback and secure the first trophy in their eventual treble. Despite Arsenal’s best efforts in beating Aston Villa, the defeat to Leeds had put the nail in their coffin and allowed United to run away with, what was at the time, the most successful season in English football.
1. 2011/12 – Manchester City vs Manchester United
It had been a long wait for City fans, but what a way to win your first ever Premier League title. It’s one thing to beat your rivals in a title race, but it’s another thing to do it in the final game of the season, and it’s an entirely different thing to do it in the final minute of the campaign. The end of the 2011/12 season was the most gripping and exhilarating season we have ever seen, and it’s unlikely we’ll ever see another one quite like it.
The two Manchester clubs met on matchday 36 in what turned out to be a crucial victory for the Blues as they beat United 1-0 at the Etihad. City were top going into the final day with nothing to separate the two sides. Fergie’s Reds held up their end of the bargain, beating Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, as drama unfolded at the Etihad. After going behind twice to QPR, Roberto Mancini’s side found themselves trailing 2-1 going into stoppage time. What happened next was simply unbelievable – it was one of those experiences in which you can remember where you were and who you were watching with.
Edin Dzeko headed home from a corner to level the match in the 92nd minute. Two minutes later, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, City legend Sergio Aguero nudged the ball past a QPR defender and fired an unstoppable strike past the helpless keeper to release the stadium into absolute pandemonium. City had secured their first ever title, on goal difference, on the final day of the campaign, in the last minute of a 38 game season. So completely unthinkable that you would barely believe it if you hadn’t witnessed it with your own eyes. Without doubt the most closely contested Premier League season of all-time, and an absolute classic.
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