Custom Search

1967-68: Champions - MANCHESTER CITY

United had Best, Charlton and Law but City had their own outstanding trio in Lee, Bell and Summerbee.

With two games to play the great Manchester rivals were level on points but United were favourites, as their remaining games were at home whereas both of City's were away.

In the penultimate round United thrashed Newcastle 6-0, and City beat Spurs 3-1, setting up a final-day decider.

United went down 2-1 to Sunderland, while City won a thriller, 4-3 against Newcastle to lift the title.

1970/71: Champions - ARSENAL

Leeds had set up an exiting title run in by beating Arsenal 1-0 at Elland Road the week before, so it went down to the last day, and Arsenal vs. Spurs at White Hart Lane.

The Gunners needed either a win or a goalless draw to beat Leeds to the title. They got their win through an 86th minute Ray Kennedy header, and completed the double a week later by beating Liverpool 2-1 in the FA Cup at Wembley.

1971/72: Champions - DERBY COUNTY

A rare season in which any of four teams could have won the title going into the final weeks. Brian Clough's Derby looked to have blown it having lost their penultimate game at Manchester City, and dropped to third.

In their final game the Rams beat Liverpool to get their title bid back on track, but both Leeds and Liverpool still had a game to play, so assistant manager Peter Taylor took the team to Spain to await their fate.

Liverpool drew 0-0 at Arsenal and Leeds lost 2-1 at Wolves, to give both Derby and Clough their first title. A draw for Leeds would have been enough to deny them.

1975/76: Champions - LIVERPOOL

Hard to imagine these days, but in 1976 Queens Park Rangers came within a point of pipping Liverpool to the title.

Rangers had completed an excellent season during which they remained unbeaten at home, and were top of the table with their games completed.

However, Liverpool still had one to play, and duly completed a routine victory against already-relegated Wolves to win it by a single point.

1988/89: Champions - ARSENAL

The equation was simple - Liverpool needed to avoid defeat by two goals, and they would secure their seventh title of the 80s as part of a historic, second double.

Alan Smith's opener set nerves jangling, but the Reds held out until the very last kick of the game when Michael Thomas stunned the Anfield crowd with Arsenal's second.

Level on points and goal difference, the title was decided on goals scored in the most exciting finish ever.

1991/92: Champions - LEEDS UNITED

This was meant to be the year that Alex Ferguson finally ended United's long wait for the title, but Howard Wilkinson's Leeds United matched them stride for stride throughout a tense campaign.

Leeds fans must have thought they'd blown it following heavy defeats to QPR and Man City, but after a 3-2 win over Sheffield United, they sat back to await the result of United's game at Anfield.

A 2-0 win for Liverpool handed Leeds the title in the final pre-Premier League season.

1994/95: Champions - BLACKBURN ROVERS

Blackburn went into the final day with a two-point lead but needed to win at Anfield to be sure of lifting the title. United were away at West Ham knowing that a win may be enough, given their superior goal difference.

As it turned out, neither team won - United drew at Upton Park and despite Rovers 2-1 defeat to Liverpool they were crowned Premier League champions.

1995/96: Champions - MANCHESTER UNITED

Newcastle fans must still wonder how their team did not win the title in 1995/96. With a 12 point lead in January, the trophy seemed destined for St James' Park before Man United put together a magnificent run of 13 wins in their last 15 games to snatch it.

Successive away defeats to Arsenal, Liverpool and Blackburn proved to be Newcastle's undoing, leaving Man United needing just a draw on the final day at Middlesbrough. A 3-0 win confirmed them as champions.

1998/99: Champions - MANCHESTER UNITED

United and Arsenal went into the last three games with nothing between them but Arsenal were beaten at Leeds in their second-to-last game. United also dropped points in a draw at Blackburn, which mean that they entered the final day with a slender, one-point advantage.

A 2-1 win over Tottenham at Old Trafford rendered Arsenal's win over Aston Villa, academic.

2009/2010: Champions - CHELSEA

Having been 8 points clear at one stage Chelsea were slowly reined in by Manchester United and went into the last game of the season needing a home win against Wigan Athletic to guarantee the title.

Wigan had beaten the Blues earlier in the season and the pre-match talk was about whether they would spoil Chelsea's party.

All of that speculation was swept aside as Carlo Ancelotti's team dealt out a 8-0 thrashing to win the league in emphatic style.

A week later they defeated Portsmouth in the FA Cup, to record the club's first league and cup double.

Return from Best Title Run Ins to English Football Lists

Return from Title Run Ins to The Football Club Home Page

or Search the site

Custom Search