The Premier League is arguably the best in the world, in terms of quality and entertainment. It draws millions of viewers every week as well as attracting the world’s best players, eager to impress at the highest level of football.
Due to the competitive nature, it’s common for the division’s winner to be decided late on in the season. However, the trophy hinging on the results of the final matchday is a rare treat for the neutral. And a nerve-shredding rollercoaster for all fans involved.
With City and Arsenal both vying for the title, it will come down to the last day and neither can afford any slip-ups. Both sides must win if they want a chance to go down in history.
If you’re as excited as we are, get into the spirit by reading about some of our favourite last-day moments in the Premier League.
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5. Brom Scare
It is widely believed and commonly proven that, in the Premier League, if a team is bottom of the table at Christmas their fate is sealed and they are destined for the drop down to the Championship. And eight points from safety in December 2004, everyone thought this would be the same for Bryan Robson’s West Brom side.
They were still bottom come the final day of the premier league and needed a win at Portsmouth and favourable external results if they wanted to ensure survival. But for the first time in history, no team had confirmed relegation going into the final day so anything was possible.
During the period of 90 minutes Southampton, Crystal Palace and Norwich all spent time in the bottom three and risked the drop. But goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson gave the baggies a 2-0 win and miraculously kept them in England’s top flight for another season.
4. 8 To Be You
At the close of the 2009/2010 season, Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea sat top of the Premier League. Just one point ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United who had won the league the previous three years in a row.
Knowing a win against Wigan would win them the trophy it was a massive game for everyone involved and tensions were high. However, unlike some items on this list, there was no giant killing or miraculous recovery. But that’s not to say the result wasn’t a shock.
After an early red card for Wigan’s Gary Caldwell, Chelsea went on to win 8-0 setting a new Premier League record by scoring 103 goals in a single season. And what remains one of the biggest winning margins in the division’s history.
3. They Think It’s All Rovers, It Is Now
After the Premier League’s inception in 1992, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red devils were the only team to lift the trophy for the division’s first two editions. However in the 1994/95 system, Blackburn Rovers entered the final day, sitting two points ahead of United.
Knowing a win would guarantee them the title they travelled to Anfield to face a formidable Liverpool side, with Blackburn managed at the time, by Liverpool legend, Kenny Dalglish. Meanwhile Manchester United visited the capital to face West Ham United, whom they were expected to beat confidently.
Blackburn went ahead but were pegged back to 1-1 by John Barnes, and the result was the same in London, meaning a goal for United would win them the league due to their superior goal difference.
Disaster struck when Jamie Redknapp netted a late winner for Liverpool. And even the Anfield faithful were stunned as they may have just taken the title away from a club hero and handed it to their arch rivals.
But United couldn’t find a winner at Upton Park and the game finished level. The whole of Anfield rejoiced as Blackburn Rovers won their first Premier League title against all odds and the seemingly insurmountable Manchester United.
2. Pasta La Vista
Fierce North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have never seen eye to eye when it comes to football. However, in 2005-06 their sights were both set on Champions League football. Spurs were in the driver’s seat, facing West Ham with a win guaranteeing the fourth spot and a place in Europe.
Meanwhile Arsenal faced Wigan Athletic in what would be their final game at Highbury. A Thierry Henry hat-trick gave the Gunners a comfortable victory and piled the pressure on Martin Jol’s men. Who’s fate rested in their own hands. What could go wrong?
Unbelievably, in the middle of the night, at least 10 Spurs players including key first teamers like Michael Carrick, Robbie Keane and Jermain Jenas fell ill. It was thought by the players that the sickness was food poisoning, caused by Lasagna served at the Marriott Hotel in Canary Wharf where the team were staying prior to the game.
The club desperately contacted the Premier League to delay the game for three hours to allow for some degree of recovery for the stricken players. But the league refused and the game was to go ahead. Club chairman Daniel Levy even contacted the Metropolitan Police, suspecting sabotage from Arsenal fans. A claim which was completely unfounded and later proved to be false.
The weakened Spurs team couldn’t keep their end of the deal and lost the game 2-1, forfeiting their spot in the Champions League to their bitter rivals. After an investigation it was revealed that a bug had spread in the Tottenham camp and neither Lasagna nor foul play was to blame. And they spent another year out of Europe’s most prestigious competition.
1. I Swear, You Will Never See Anything Like This Ever Again
A season where the title is up for grabs on the final day is rare and exciting enough. But in 2011-12 not only was the winner undetermined, but it was between cross city rivals Manchester United and Manchester city.
City were to face QPR at home and United visited Sunderland. Roberto Mancini’s Cityzens needed only to match United’s result to win the Premier League and most expected them to do so comfortably. But QPR would have no part of this script, equalising just three minutes into the second half via Djibril Cissé.
QPR would then go down to 10 men, losing Joey Barton to a red card after he elbowed Carlos Tevez off the ball. He then proceeded to not only kick Sergio Agüero but headbutt Vincent Kompany, before being escorted off the pitch. But this didn’t stop the Hoops, with Jamie Mackie heading past Joe Hart to give them the lead on the 66th minute.
With 90 minutes up, United had beaten Sunderland 1-0 and waited with baited breath, the first team all huddled around a phone on the pitch praying for the final whistle at the Etihad and Premier League glory.
City applied constant pressure and QPR keeper Paddy Kenny produced a series of brilliant saves to keep the score at 2-1. At the end of regulation time five additional minutes were indicated, and in the second of these Edin Džeko headed in an equaliser.
With United stressed and City starting to believe, in the 90+ 4th minute. The ball fell to Balotelli then AgüerOOOOOO.
The Argentine fired in at the near post, completing the comeback, giving city the title and giving football fans (that aren’t of a Manchester United persuasion) one of the Premier League’s greatest ever moments.
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