The ten best final days of the Premier League season.
10. 2006 – Lasagne-gate
Most final days centre around either who will win the league or who will go down, but the final day in 2006 was all about who would make it into the Champions League in fourth place. Spurs were the strong favourites, tipped to knock arch-rivals Arsenal off their perch, and they were on course to do so until that famous poisoned lasagne came back to haunt them. Spurs had all but guaranteed themselves a UEFA Champions League spot and just needed to equal the Gunners’ result when playing away at West Ham. However, several of the players were struck down by a virus, which the club blamed on some dodgy lasagne consumed at the Marriott hotel in Canary Wharf the night before. Spurs lost, meaning they would have to wait to make it to Europe’s Blue Ribbon tournament.
9. 1994 – Everton’s survival
It’s easy to forget that once upon a time Everton were often considered as relegation fodder in the top flight, and in 1994 they came dangerously close to slipping down to the second tier save for a final day salvation. Needing a win against Wimbledon to survive, they found themselves 2-1 down at half-time, with Sheffield United drawing at Chelsea at the break to keep them out of the basement. However, two late goals in the second half provided the relief as Chelsea eventually managed to score against the Blades to keep the Toffees up.
8.1999 – United do it again
United were chased all the way by Arsenal as they sought domestic dominance, but went into the final day of the campaign knowing three points at home to Spurs would be enough to secure another title. However, United almost threw is all away after Les Ferdinand fired the visitors ahead at Old Trafford to quash any planned party celebrations. However, Fergie’s men responded with gusto, as David Beckham and Andy Cole turned the game around to wrap up the title with United keeping the Gunners out by just two points.
7. 2007 – Hammers hang on
With Sheffield United needing just one point to stay up on the final day, opponents Wigan had to win and fellow relegation candidates West Ham faced a daunting task as they headed to champions Manchester United. However, they were saved by Carlos Tevez, who scored the only goal of the game and caught Alex Ferguson’s eye in the process. The Blades slipped up against the Latics at Bramall Lane and saw their short stint in the Premier League come to a quick end.
6. 2000 – Bradford defy the odds
Paul Jewell’s knack for masterminding great relegation escapes began at Bradford when he rescued the Bantams from the brink against all odds. Going into the final game stranded in the drop zone, and knowing they would slip back into the second tier if Wimbledon drew, their result at home to Liverpool became an almost impossible take. However, the Dons buckled under the pressure at Southampton, while the Bantams sprung a shock on the Reds at Valley Parade. Defender David Wetherall nodded home a towering header to provide the crucial winner.
5. 2011 – Who will it be?
The was the tightest relegation battle in Premier League history, as five teams were all in the frame to go down on the final day of the season. The title had already been decided, so all attention was turned to the bottom end of the table as Blackburn, Wolves, Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan all fought to avoid joining the already-down West Ham in the Championship. The relegation picture changed continuously over the course of a tense afternoon with the teams in danger all battling it out. In the end Blackpool and Birmingham both fell just a point short of survival after suffering defeats to Manchester United and Tottenham respectively, while Wolves narrowly avoided the drop despite defeat against Blackburn and Wigan beat Stoke to keep their heads above water.
4. 1993 – Oldham claw their way back
With the league undergoing a massive transformation the year before, it was imperative that struggling sides did everything they could to stay up and cash in on the new money flowing around. Going into final day Southampton, Oldham Athletic and Crystal Palace were all vying to hang on and not join Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest in the second tier. A win for Palace and Oldham would see Southampton go down. Victory for Palace and a draw or better for Southampton would mean the Latics would be relegated. But as it went, Palace went down 3-0 to Arsenal, while goals from Neil Pointon and Ian Olney, Andy Ritchie and Gunnar Halle put the hosts 4-1 up at Boundary Park, with Matt Le Tissier bagging a race just to make things all the more tense.
3. 1995 – Blackburn pull off a miracle
After being in the running for top spot for much of the season, the title race went right down to the final day as Blackburn fought Manchester United for the crown, bankrolled by the money of owner Jack Walker. Rovers travelled to Anfield and seemed to have the trophy in the bag when Alan Shearer gave them the lead. However, John Barnes and Jamie Redknapp both got on the scoresheet to make a serious threat to former Kop hero Kenny Dalglish’s title ambitions. Manchester United suddenly daylight to sweep in and nick the prize but they failed to get the better of a resolute West Ham side, who frustrated them to a 1-1 draw to send the trophy to Ewood Park.
2. 2012 – City scoop the prize
Manchester City secured their first Premier League title by fending off a tough challenge from cross-city neighbours Manchester United, but it almost went horribly wrong on the final day. Hosting the already safe Queens Park Rangers on their home patch, the big spenders were shocked when the fell behind twice as things threaded to get out of hand. However, with two stoppage-time goals just before the final whistle, Sergio Aguero wrote himself into City folklore by bagging a screamer that resulted in a nervous, and ultimately heartbreaking wait for United to find out their fate.
1. 2005 – Baggies pull off the impossible
Arguably the most amazing relegation escape occurred when Bryan Robson drove the Baggies clear of a return to the Championship on the final day. West Brom headed into their last game against Portsmouth at the bottom of the table, with relegation virtually already a certainty. However, Albion were not prepared to go down without a fight and gave themselves a lifeline as Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson both scored to secure a 2-0 victory over Pompey. Results elsewhere went their way too, meaning they were able to claw out of the bottom three and complete a dramatic escape, becoming the first side in the Premier League era to avoid the drop having been bottom at Christmas.