Match No. 38! And yet the Premier League trophy remains unhanded, still un-kissed, its final destination unknown. The debate refuses to cease on whether the trophy will be staying at Old Trafford or making its way to Stamford Bridge. The colour that will sweep England is still questioned, will it be Red or will it Blue! On Sunday, on the final day, the Champion will be known…
But in the 16-year old history of the Premiership this isn’t the first time that English football had to wait with bated breath until the final game to crown its Champion. Travel back in time to the third Premiership battle, the season 1994-95. Manchester United were hunting for their third successive title while Blackburn Rovers wished to move a rank up from last season’s runners-up finish. With an 8-point lead and six games only remaining, Blackburn looked certain to accomplish this feat. But it wasn’t going to be that simple! Manchester United clawed their way back and before the last match of the 42-game season ManU trailed Blackburn by just two points.
On the final day, Kenny Dalglish took his Rovers team to his former club Liverpool while Alex
Ferguson’s Manchester United traveled to Upton Park to face Harry Redknapp’s West Ham. It was Alan Shearer who opened the scoring for Blackburn but Liverpool were back on level terms with a goal from John Barnes. And then a late goal from Jamie Redknapp gave Liverpool a 2-1 win and left the destiny of the Premiership title at Upton Park. Liverpool had done Manchester United a favor and a victory for the Red Devils would have pushed them above Blackburn. In their battle against West Ham, the opening goal by Michael Hughes for the Hammers had been cancelled by Brian McClair for ManU. Successive attacks by Alex Ferguson’s men were then heroically kept at bay by West Ham’s keeper Ludek Miklosko to end the match in a 1-1 draw sparking wild celebrations amongst the Rovers fan as they dramatically clinched their first title since 1914!
Just a year later, the drama went down to the final day once again. Alex Ferguson was hoping to reverse the misery of the previous season, and battling it along with him was Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United. Manchester United were trailing Newcastle by 12 points by January but another splendid fight from ManU, similar to the one they had given Blackburn the previous year, reduced the gap between the top two. On the final day, unlike last year, Manchester United now led Newcastle United by two points.
Manchester United traveled to Middlesbrough to take on former player Bryan Robson’s team in their last match while Newcastle played hosts to Tottenham Spurs. There was not much drama as last year as Manchester United comfortably defeated Middlesbrough 3-0 with goals from David May, ex-Newcastle player Andy Cole and Ryan Giggs. Newcastle did not give themselves any outside chance as well by finishing their final match of the season at 1-1. The title was back at Old Trafford!
Three seasons later, it was back to a nail-biting finale for the Premiership. Not surprisingly, Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were in the middle of the action trying to keep out Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal from winning back-to-back titles. With four games remaining, both Manchester United and Arsenal were tied on 69 points. But ManU dropped two points when their next match ended in a 1-1 draw against Leeds and gave Arsenal a
two-point lead. But Leeds were responsible again for creating turbulence in the title race when they won the penultimate match of the season against Arsenal 1-0. The balance was tilted in Manchester United’s favor with a narrow lead of one point. On the final day, Manchester United hosted who else but Arsenal’s greatest rivals Tottenham Spurs managed by Arsenal’s former manager George Graham while Arsenal took on Aston Villa. The drama began with Spurs taking the lead in the first-half against ManU and a possibility of scales tilting in Arsenal’s favor rising. But just before half-time David Beckham equalized for Manchester while minutes into the second-half Andy Cole scored the second goal giving Manchester United a 2-1 lead. At Highbury, Arsenal took the lead with Kanu’s goal in the second-half. The Arsenal faithful prayed for a Spurs goal but the Gods did not oblige and even though both ManU and Arsenal won their respective matches it was Feguson’s Manchester United that succeeded in yet another final day drama!
And Alex Ferguson will have to do it all over again but this time a new adversary stands against him in the form of Chelsea’s Avram Grant. An adversary who will meet him again in Moscow for the Champions League final.
But in the 16-year old history of the Premiership this isn’t the first time that English football had to wait with bated breath until the final game to crown its Champion. Travel back in time to the third Premiership battle, the season 1994-95. Manchester United were hunting for their third successive title while Blackburn Rovers wished to move a rank up from last season’s runners-up finish. With an 8-point lead and six games only remaining, Blackburn looked certain to accomplish this feat. But it wasn’t going to be that simple! Manchester United clawed their way back and before the last match of the 42-game season ManU trailed Blackburn by just two points.
On the final day, Kenny Dalglish took his Rovers team to his former club Liverpool while Alex
Ferguson’s Manchester United traveled to Upton Park to face Harry Redknapp’s West Ham. It was Alan Shearer who opened the scoring for Blackburn but Liverpool were back on level terms with a goal from John Barnes. And then a late goal from Jamie Redknapp gave Liverpool a 2-1 win and left the destiny of the Premiership title at Upton Park. Liverpool had done Manchester United a favor and a victory for the Red Devils would have pushed them above Blackburn. In their battle against West Ham, the opening goal by Michael Hughes for the Hammers had been cancelled by Brian McClair for ManU. Successive attacks by Alex Ferguson’s men were then heroically kept at bay by West Ham’s keeper Ludek Miklosko to end the match in a 1-1 draw sparking wild celebrations amongst the Rovers fan as they dramatically clinched their first title since 1914!Just a year later, the drama went down to the final day once again. Alex Ferguson was hoping to reverse the misery of the previous season, and battling it along with him was Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United. Manchester United were trailing Newcastle by 12 points by January but another splendid fight from ManU, similar to the one they had given Blackburn the previous year, reduced the gap between the top two. On the final day, unlike last year, Manchester United now led Newcastle United by two points.
Manchester United traveled to Middlesbrough to take on former player Bryan Robson’s team in their last match while Newcastle played hosts to Tottenham Spurs. There was not much drama as last year as Manchester United comfortably defeated Middlesbrough 3-0 with goals from David May, ex-Newcastle player Andy Cole and Ryan Giggs. Newcastle did not give themselves any outside chance as well by finishing their final match of the season at 1-1. The title was back at Old Trafford!
Three seasons later, it was back to a nail-biting finale for the Premiership. Not surprisingly, Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were in the middle of the action trying to keep out Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal from winning back-to-back titles. With four games remaining, both Manchester United and Arsenal were tied on 69 points. But ManU dropped two points when their next match ended in a 1-1 draw against Leeds and gave Arsenal a
two-point lead. But Leeds were responsible again for creating turbulence in the title race when they won the penultimate match of the season against Arsenal 1-0. The balance was tilted in Manchester United’s favor with a narrow lead of one point. On the final day, Manchester United hosted who else but Arsenal’s greatest rivals Tottenham Spurs managed by Arsenal’s former manager George Graham while Arsenal took on Aston Villa. The drama began with Spurs taking the lead in the first-half against ManU and a possibility of scales tilting in Arsenal’s favor rising. But just before half-time David Beckham equalized for Manchester while minutes into the second-half Andy Cole scored the second goal giving Manchester United a 2-1 lead. At Highbury, Arsenal took the lead with Kanu’s goal in the second-half. The Arsenal faithful prayed for a Spurs goal but the Gods did not oblige and even though both ManU and Arsenal won their respective matches it was Feguson’s Manchester United that succeeded in yet another final day drama!And Alex Ferguson will have to do it all over again but this time a new adversary stands against him in the form of Chelsea’s Avram Grant. An adversary who will meet him again in Moscow for the Champions League final.
It is the closest title race for the Premiership crown ever and going by history it will be a hell of a night on Sunday! Choose your colours…
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