How The Premier League Title Was Won

It is easily forgotten, as Manchester United celebrate their tenth title success in the 16 seasons of the Premier League's existence, that they actually got off to their worst start to a campaign since the first of those seasons in 1992-93 (when they also finished as champions).

Back in August, as defending champions who had added Anderson, Nani, Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez to their squad, United struggled to recapture the winning formula.

The Red Devils started the season with by surprisingly dropping two points at home to Reading, who frustrated Sir Alex Ferguson's side with a disciplined defensive display. Despite creating plenty of chances, United couldn't break the Royals' resistance, and matters were exacerbated when Wayne Rooney limped off with a broken bone in his foot.

There was little for United fans to cheer about in their next game, either, as Portsmouth came from behind to draw 1-1 at Fratton Park and Cristiano Ronaldo picked up a red card for a head butt.

Worse was to follow at Eastlands on 19th August in the Manchester derby. United had plenty of possession but without Rooney and Ronaldo they lacked a cutting edge, and Sven-Goran Eriksson's ebullient Manchester City, infused with exciting new players and bags of enthusiasm triumphed 1-0 thanks to Geovanni's 31st minute strike. After three games the champions had a mere two points. Cue talk of a crisis at Old Trafford.

League Positions on 19th August
2nd Chelsea Pld 3 Pts 7
7th Arsenal Pld 2 Pts 4
9th Liverpool Pld 2 Pts 4
16th Man Utd Pld 3 Pts 2
Manchester City led the table with a 100% record.

Ferguson commented: "We've got ourselves an uphill fight now. Ten years ago we could have handled it because we were always good in the second half of the season - now we are going to have to be."

Fortunately for United, though, the fixture list did them a favour by having Tottenham visit Manchester for their next game. Spurs were busy making all the pre-season hype about their top-four potential look ridiculous, though even so, United were far from convincing as they scraped a less-than-pretty 1-0 win with £19m summer signing Nani hitting a spectacular winner from 30 yards.

It proved to be the first of three consecutive 1-0 victories for United, as Roy Keane's Sunderland and David Moyes's Everton were despatched by the same scoreline, substitute Louis Saha proving the Black Cats' undoing and defender Nemanja Vidic flinging himself to meet the ball with an 83rd minute header that unwrapped the Toffees' resistance at Goodison.

Another 1-0 win marked the start of United's Champions League campaign, as Sporting were beaten in Lisbon, Ronaldo scoring against his former club.

By September 23rd, when United were due to host Chelsea, the League had confounded the pundits with some surprising developments. Arsene Wenger's exciting young Arsenal side were still unbeaten, top of the table and playing scintillating football, their only dropped points having come at Blackburn in their second game, when a Jens Lehmann error gifted Rovers a late equaliser and ended the German's tenure as the Gunners' first choice keeper.

Meanwhile, Chelsea were having a major wobble of their own. An away defeat at Aston Villa, followed by uninspired home draws against Blackburn and Rosenborg, had prompted the unthinkable: the departure of Special One Jose Mourinho. Avram Grant was charged by Roman Abramovich with picking up the pieces and delivering the 'expansive' football that Mourinho hadn't. With dismayed and disgruntled players threatening to quit Stamford Bridge, Grant's task at Old Trafford was a thankless one. United won 2-0, with goals at the end of each half by Tevez and Saha (a penalty), respectively. But the dismissal after half-an-hour of John Obi Mikel by Mike Dean, in a controversial display of officiating, was a turning-point - claimed Chelsea, who were without Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho.

League Positions on 23rd September
1st Arsenal Pld 6 Pts 16
2nd Man Utd Pld 7 Pts 14
4th Liverpool Pld 6 Pts 12
6th Chelsea Pld 7 Pts 11

Fergie gave the kids a chance in United's next game - a Carling Cup tie at home to Championship Coventry City, but they let him down in a 2-0 defeat. However, in the League and in Europe, things were going well, as Birmingham (away) and Roma (home) were both beaten 1-0, Ronaldo and the fit-again Rooney, respectively, on target.

United's defence was proving exceptionally strong, conceding just two goals in eight Premier League games; but the attack had yet to click into gear. That suddenly changed with sixteen goals in the next four games as United consigned Wigan (4-0 home), Aston Villa (4-1, away), Dynamo Kiev (4-2 away, Champions League) and Middlesbrough (4-1, home) to crushing defeats.

Grant's Chelsea had ground out victories over Bolton and Middlesbrough before suddenly hitting the 'sexy' button with a 6-0 demolition of high-flying Manchester City on the day United beat Boro. It was a bigger Premiership victory than the Blues had managed in Mourinho's three-and-a-bit seasons at the Bridge, and furthermore Chelsea had not conceded since losing to United.

But Arsenal, with an impressive point at Anfield on the same weekend, had scarcely put a foot wrong either, and were matching United stride for stride in the League - still with the advantage of a crucial game in hand. And next up for United was a trip to Ashburton Grove to take on the Gunners.

League Positions on 28th October
1st Arsenal Pld 10 Pts 26
2nd Man Utd Pld 11 Pts 26
4th Chelsea Pld 11 Pts 21
6th Liverpool Pld 10 Pts 20

A week after their draw at Anfield came Arsenal's sternest test so far, against United. They passed with flying colours, though it took a stoppage-time goal from skipper William Gallas to earn a 2-2 draw from a game they largely dominated. It was a club record 25 games unbeaten in all competitions for the stylish Gunners, who extended it to 28 before a Champions League defeat away to Sevilla.

Meanwhile United thrashed Kiev 4-0 and beat Blackburn 2-0 - with two goals in a minute from the prolific Ronaldo - before unaccountably succumbing to their second League defeat, a 0-1 reverse at Gary Megson's struggling Bolton. The Red Devils bounced back with successive home victories over Sporting (2-1), Fulham (2-0) and Derby (4-1), with Arsenal suffering their first League defeat of the season with an unexpected 2-1 reverse at Middlesbrough.

United maintained their unbeaten Champions League run with a 1-1 draw away to Roma ahead of the first 'Super Sunday' of the domestic season. Tevez struck just before half-time at Anfield to give United a 1-0 win over Liverpool, but shortly afterwards at the Emirates Gallas headed the only goal as Arsenal defeated Chelsea 1-0.

On 23rd December United beat Everton 2-1 at home, 24 hours after Arsenal - still going strong in the Carling Cup - completed the double over local rivals Tottenham with a 2-1 win at Emirates.

But on Boxing Day, United nosed ahead of the Gunners, thumping Keano's Sunderland 4-0 at the Stadium of Light while Portsmouth became the first side to stop Arsenal scoring in a goalless draw at Fratton Park. Chelsea were held to an epic and explosive 4-4 draw by Aston Villa at the Bridge. Liverpool needed a last-minute winner from Steven Gerrard to overcome lowly Derby and cling on to the coat-tails of the leaders.

League Positions on 26th December
1st Man Utd Pld 19 Pts 45
2nd Arsenal Pld 19 Pts 44
3rd Chelsea Pld 19 Pts 38
4th Liverpool Pld 18 Pts 36

Arsenal reclaimed top spot on 29th December by humbling Everton 4-1 at Goodison, Eduardo hitting an impressive brace, while United surrendered a lead at he Boleyn Ground - Ronaldo untypically missing a penalty - as West Ham beat them 2-1. New Year's day saw the Gunners stay stop by beating the Hammers 2-0 at home; United secured an edgy 1-0 win over Birmingham at Old Trafford while Chelsea beat neighbours Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Next up was the third round of the FA Cup. United and Arsenal both progressed with 2-0 away wins over Aston Villa and Burnley, respectively; Chelsea beat QPR 1-0 at home.

Chelsea and Arsenal both had Carling Cup semi-final first legs to negotiate before, on 12th January, United crushed Newcastle 6-0 at home. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a hat-trick to take his tally to 25 goals for club and country. Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-0 but Arsenal slipped up at home, being held to a 1-1 draw by Birmingham. The results put United top on goal difference.

League Positions on 12th January
1st Man Utd Pld 22 Pts 51
2nd Arsenal Pld 22 Pts 51
3rd Chelsea Pld 22 Pts 47
4th Liverpool Pld 21 Pts 39

United stayed top by beating Reading 2-0 away, then disposed of Spurs 3-1 in the FA Cup fourth round before beating Pompey 2-0 in the League. The Gunners beat Fulham 2-0 and recovered from a 5-1 thumping by Spurs in the Carling Cup semi-final return by knocking Kevin Keegan's Newcastle out of the FA Cup by three goals to nil and repeating the dose a few days later in the League. Chelsea, meanwhile, reached the Carling Cup final with an aggregate win over Everton, before progressing to the fifth round of the FA Cup by beating Wigan 2-1 and maintaining their League challenge with a narrow 1-0 home win over Reading.

However, Liverpool endured a winless January in the League and by the end of the month were 17 points off the pace and effectively out of the race.

On 2nd February, Arsenal threw down the gauntlet in the lunchtime kick-off by beating Manchester City 3-1 at Eastlands to end the Citizens' unbeaten home record. Neither United nor Chelsea, held to 1-1 draws at Tottenham and Portsmouth, respectively, could respond in kind; and the Gunnerrs extended their lead at the top by beating Blackburn 2-0 in their next game, after United had slipped to a 2-1 home defeat to Manchester City in an emotional game that marked the 50th anniversary of the Munich disaster, and Chelsea had drawn 0-0 with Liverpool.

As a result, Arsenal went into their next game five points clear at the top. A below-strength Arsenal had been thrashed 4-0 in the FA Cup by Manchester United a week earlier, and the Gunners were then held to a goalless draw at home by Milan in the Champions League while United earned a 1-1 draw in Lyon. But as they looked to open up an eight-point lead at Birmingham in a lunchtime kick-off on 23rd February, there was nothing to suggest the wheels were about to come of the Gunners' title challenge.

However, three minutes into the game at St Andrew's came the moment that seemed to define their season. Wenger had decided not to enter the transfer market in January but to stand by the players who had taken his side to the top of the table so impressively. And when Martin Taylor made a reckless lunge at Eduardo, the Brazilian-born Croatian's season was ended with a horrific leg injury. There was further damage to come when Gael Clichy was dubiously penalised deep into stoppage-time and James McFadden scored from the penalty spot to snatch a 2-2 draw. Captain Gallas staged an unhelpful sit-down protest on the pitch and the Gunners would struggle to recover psychologically from a thoroughly wretched day - one made worse by United's 5-1 drubbing of Newcastle. The Red Devils' two games against the Magpies had enhanced their goal difference by a massive 10 goals, effectively giving them an extra point on their rivals, and the title race had undeniably tilted their way.

Chelsea were not in League action that weekend. But on Sunday they faced Tottenham in the Carling League Cup final at Wembley and went down o a shock 2-1 defeat as Juande Ramos's side shrewdly outplayed them. The result and Chelsea's performance damaged Avram Grant's standing with the fans and threatened to undermine their challenge in the League.

League Positions on 23rd February
1st Arsenal Pld 27 Pts 64
2nd Man Utd Pld 27 Pts 61
3rd Chelsea Pld 26 Pts 55
4th Liverpool Pld 26 Pts 47

Far from getting the Birmingham trauma out of their systems, Arsenal proceeded to draw their next three games - to Aston Villa (h), Wigan (a) and Middlesbrough (h), before losing 2-1 at Chelsea despite taking their lead. In that miserable spell the title slipped out of their grasp, although in the midst of the run came a sparkling 2-0 triumph over Milan at the San Siro.

Meanwhile, United beat Fulham (3-0 a), Lyon (1-0 h), lost 0-1 at home to Portsmouth in the FA Cup and rebounded from that set-back with wins over Derby (1-0 a), Bolton (2-0 h) and Liverpool (3-0 h).

Chelsea, though, had displaced the Gunners as United's main title rivals. The Blues shook off their Carling Cup defeat by thrashing West Ham 4-0 away and Olympiakos 3-0 (h). They suffered a shock FA Cup humbling by Championship strugglers Barnsley (0-1 a), but then beat Derby (6-1 h), and Sunderland (1-0 a), and drew 4-4 away to Spurs before beating Arsenal. Didier Drogba, who had managed only five League goals previously, hit two in the final 20 minutes to enable Chelsea to leap-frog the Gunners into second. But they were still five points behind United with seven games to go.

League Positions on 23rd March
1st Man Utd Pld 31 Pts 73
2nd Chelsea Pld 31 Pts 68
3rd Arsenal Pld 31 Pts 67
4th Liverpool Pld 31 Pts 59

United thumped Aston Villa emphatically (4-0 h) and eased past Roma into the Champions League semi-finals. But they were lucky to emerge with a 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough before coming from a goal down to overcome Arsenal 2-1 at Old Trafford. It seemed they could afford to slip-up at Chelsea on 26th April and still claim the title, though they set their fans' nerves jangling by scraping a draw at Blackburn thanks to a late Tevez goal.

Chelsea had followed victory over Arsenal by beating Middlesbrough (1-0 h) and squeezing past Fenerbahce 3-2 on aggregate to reach the Champions League semis as well, either side of a 2-0 win at Manchester City. But a 1-1 draw at home to Wigan seriously dented the Blues' challenge. They beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison and earned a 1-1 draw against Liverpool in the first leg of their European contest thanks to John Arne Riise's stoppage-time own goal. United went into their Stamford Bridge showdown with the Blues having frustrated Barcelona with a packed defence in a goalless draw at Camp Nou.

But in the Premier League, Chelsea had the chance to pull level with United on points by beating Ferguson's side at Stamford Bridge on April 26th. United had taken 13 points from their five previous games against their 'Big Four' rivals, but Grant's men duly delivered, Michael Ballack scoring twice in a 2-1 win for the Londoners.

Ferguson had chosen to start without Ronaldo, and lost Vidic to injury, then saw Rooney, who had not finished on the losing side in the League all season, hobble off with a hip injury after equalising for United. So Chelsea's storming unbeaten run in the League had stretched to 19 matches, they had closed the points gap, and only United's superior goal difference stood between the two rivals with two games left to play.

League Positions on 26th April
1st Man Utd Pld 36 Pts 81
2nd Chelsea Pld 36 Pts 81
3rd Arsenal Pld 35 Pts 74
4th Liverpool Pld 36 Pts 70

Ferguson and Grant set up a Champions League final showdown in Moscow by beating Barcelona and Liverpool, respectively; but in the Premier League the contest was moving to a gripping climax. Arsenal's mathematical chance was extinguished by United's 4-1 victory over West Ham at home, but Chelsea won 2-0 at Newcastle to ensure the title would go right to the wire.

United's final day opponents were Wigan, while Chelsea were at home to Bolton. The Latics put up a gutsy display and were denied a penalty before Ronaldo converted one at the other end to give United the lead and take his personal tally to 31 in the League and 41 overall in a remarkable season.

In London, Chelsea went ahead with half-an-hour to go, and at that stage a Wigan equaliser would have the Blues on top. But United veteran Ryan Giggs came off the bench and sealed the title for United by scoring their second goal in the 80th minute. To rub salt into their wounds, Chelsea conceded a stoppage-time equaliser to Bolton's Matty Taylor, ensuring that United's second successive title was won by two clear points rather than goal difference.

A gripping campaign therefore ended disappointingly for Chelsea, and also for Arsenal - who finished in third place with 83 points, a total good enough to win the title in six of the previous 12 years.

Final Standings
1st Man Utd Pld 38 Pts 87
2nd Chelsea Pld 38 Pts 85
3rd Arsenal Pld 38 Pts 83
4th Liverpool Pld 38 Pts 76

Premier League Goals
Cristiano Ronaldo - 31 in 34 matches
Fernando Torres - 24 in 33
Emmanuel Adebayor - 24 in 36
Didier Drogba - 8 in 19

United celebrated their tenth Premier League success and their 17th top-flight championship, though Chelsea will be looking for revenge on 21st May in Moscow. Underlining his longevity at the top, Ferguson's 10th Premier League title was achieved 25 years to the day that he guided Aberdeen to a European Cup Winners' Cup win against Real Madrid. And to think he was planning to retire a few years ago. He wisely decided he was not ready and United have reaped the benefits of that change of heart. Now Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and the rest must attempt to dethrone him and his side yet again next season.

Graham Lister

Article taken from Goal.com