THE Premier League is the most exciting competition in the world.
And come the final day of the season, there’s plenty of permutations that can happen.
For example, with this campaign who will make the Champions League spots?
And who will earn a Europa League spot?
These questions have been answered before in seasons past, as well who have become champions or been relegated from the top flight.
SunSport takes a look at the most dramatic final days in Premier League history – starting off with, perhaps, the most astonishing.
AGUER-OOOO
It looked like they had blown it.
Manchester City needed to beat struggling QPR in 2012, and they looked like they made a real pigs ear of it when they went 2-1 down to the West Londoners with 25 minutes to go.
Two minutes into injury time, Edin Dzeko netted an equaliser to give Roberto Mancini’s side hope – although they still needed three points to draw level with Manchester United to win the league on goal difference.
In the 94th minute, Mario Balotelli made a nuisance of himself in the penalty area and the ball broke to Sergio Aguero who burst onto it and fired home past Paddy Kenny.
Cue Martin Tyler’s legendary commentary and the little Argentinian whipping his top off and running a lap of the Etihad spinning it around his head.
THE GREAT ESCAPE
In 1994, Everton’s proud record of never being relegated from the top flight was under serious threat.
The Toffees welcomed sixth-placed Wimbledon to Goodison Park knowing that even a win might not be enough.
Swindon were already relegated, but Oldham, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Southampton and Everton all went into the final weekend with their fate undetermined.
Oldham needed a win, but their 1-1 at Norwich meant they went down. Ipswich managed to snatch a draw at title-chasers Blackburn and survived by the skin of their teeth.
While Southampton stayed up thanks to a 3-3 draw at West Ham.
Everton trailed 2-0 early on, but showed heart and determination to come back and win 3-2 with a winner from Graham Stuart.
Elsewhere, Sheffield United (after leading 2-1 at Chelsea) fell to a 90th minute winner from Mark Stein. Everton were safe by one point.
LASAGNE-GATE
Tottenham and Arsenal will be vying for North London bragging rights at the end of this campaign.
And they did the same on the final day of the 2005-06 season. Spurs needed to match Arsenal’s result at home to Wigan for their trip to West Ham.
The night before the game, Tottenham opted to say in a hotel and tucked into a lasagne for their evening meal.
Players were reportedly up through the night being sick, with manager Martin Jol desperate to get the game called off by the FA.
Worried about a points deduction, the game was played and Spurs woefully fell to a 2-1 defeat.
Arsenal won 4-2 and qualified for the Champions League at Spurs’ expense.
Later that month, an investigation into the food at the Marriott Hotel by the health authorities was carried out, who found no problems.
A statement read: “None of the results or findings indicated that food poisoning was the cause. The likely cause of illness suffered by the Tottenham Hotspur FC staff and players was from a viral source.”
WEST HAM AGAIN
In 1995, Blackburn Rovers – with Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton in tow – were doing their best to hand the title to Manchester United.
Their form in the title run-in was atrocious, in their four games before the final match of the season against Liverpool they lost two.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side had forced their way back in the reckoning – and knew a win at West Ham, coupled with Rovers losing at Anfield would gift them the title.
Liverpool kept their end of the bargain – beating Blackburn 2-1 thanks to a 90-minute goal from Jamie Redknapp.
But, try as hard as they may, United couldn’t find a winner past the Hammers, despite a few scrambles in the box in injury time.
Blackburn were champions – by one solitary point.
RELEGATION AND A TITLE FIGHT
At the bottom, Roy Hodgson’s Fulham were ready to complete Mission Impossible in the 2007-08 season, especially after three wins in a row against Reading, Manchester City and Birmingham.
On the final day, they had a difficult trip to Fratton Park against Portsmouth needing a third win away to ensure safety – something they’ve never done in their entire Premier League history.
With the game heading for a 0-0 draw, a Jimmy Bullard set-piece landed on the head of Danny Murphy who headed home.
They held on for a 1-0 won, staying up by virtue of a better goal-difference than Reading by just three goals.
At the top end, the title race went down to the wire between Chelsea and Manchester United.
United knew a win at Wigan would guarantee the title headed to Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo settled their nerves early with a first half strike, and with news that Chelsea were winning their game at home to Bolton they needed to a second.
Cue Ryan Giggs to make things easier with the cushion of a 2-0 lead – while the Blues’ misery was complete when Matty Taylor scored a stoppage time equaliser for Wanderers.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
