In the past 18 seasons, football fans across the globe have been treated to some cracking Premiership matches. On the eve of the 19th season having begun yesterday, here is a look-back at some classics down the years.
41. Everton 2-3 Liverpool Monday 16th April 2001
A truly unforgettable Merseyside Derby which gave Liverpool the finish push required to complete their famous Treble of cups and the 3rd place finish to secure Champions League football. Emile Heskey shot the Reds into the lead after Everton were denied a penalty claim. Duncan Ferguson equalised, before Markus Babbel converted Robbie Fowler’s cross early in the 2nd half during a classic Liverpool counter attack. Fowler then hit the post from a debatable penalty and it was starting to unravel for Gerard Houiller when Igor Biscan was unluckily sent off and Everton then got a very fortunate penalty. David Unsworth smacked the ball with seven minutes to go, but this game was never destined to finish in stalemate, and so it proved. With seconds remaining, Gary McAllister scored a wonder free-kick to snatch victory for the euphoric Liverpool management and supporters.
42. Manchester Sunday 5th April 2009
Manchester United, yet again were under extreme pressure to deliver and were stumbling at the wrong time. Defeats to bitter rivals, Liverpool & Fulham were followed by an abject display against European contenders, Aston Villa. Despite an early free-kick by Cristiano Ronaldo, Villa dominated the majority of the match and strike partners, John Carew & Gabriel Agbonlahor seized their chances to hand the visitors the lead. With Wayne
43. Arsenal 5-3 Middlesbrough Sunday 22nd August 2004
The kings of Highbury were taking the world by storm in 2004, none more so than when they entertained Middlesbrough in early 2004/05. The Gunners had to just avoid defeat to equal Nottingham Forest Middlesbrough though, forgets their lines and hit three thunderbolts either side of half-time, courtesy of Joseph-Desire Job, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink & Franck Queudrue. All of a sudden, the record was in severe jeopardy, until the cavalry stepped up their game in clinical fashion. Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires moved the scoreline back to 3-3 and seconds later, Jose Antonio Reyes scored a brilliant goal to regain Arsenal’s momentum. The job was completed by a late tap-in from Henry and the record would be broken three days later. Arsenal had been cemented into football folklore.
44. Manchester City 26th April 2008
Two-nil down at half-time, Fulham looked dead, buried and out of the FA Barclays Premiership, or were they? A dismal first half performance against Sven Goran Eriksson’s stumbling Manchester City
45. Sheffield Wednesday 3-4 Tottenham Hotspur Saturday 20th August 1994
Hillsborough’s headlines were made by German striking sensation Jurgen Klinsmann. Jurgen had been signed on a free transfer in the summer from AS Monaco and quickly settled into a sizzling attacking side, produced by the charismatic Argentine, Ossie Ardelies. Five goals had been traded between these two sides in the Yorkshire rain, when Klinsmann out jumped England defender Des Walker to give Spurs the initiative which saw them go on to win. When he arrived, he joked about diving schools in England Walker
46. Charlton Athletic 2-5 Manchester City Sunday 4th December 2005
This was the peak of Stuart Pearce
47. Aston Villa 3-2 Arsenal Sunday 13th December 1998
Aston Villa showed their mettle in this encounter, storming back from 2-0 down at half-time to inflict defeat on the reigning champions. John Gregory’s pacesetters looked out of sorts in the first half and trailed to two specials from the Dutch master, Dennis Bergkamp. Back came Villa in the second half, with a rasping drive by Julian Joachim, then two goals from new signing Dion Dublin. It was a famous win, keeping the Midlands side top of the table at Christmas time. Sadly, this was as good as it got for Gregory’s outfit.
48. Manchester Ipswich Town
This annihilation of the Tractor Boys remains the biggest ever win in Premiership history. United ran amok at Old Trafford with goal machine, Andy Cole helping himself to five goals, a joint record for most goals scored by one player in a single match.
49. Blackburn Rovers 7-1 Norwich City
Before this match, Norwich City had been Premiership league leaders, but they had an afternoon to forget in the East Anglia rain, the heaviest defeat of the first two Premiership seasons. Alan Shearer and Stuart Ripley both scored twice.
50. Newcastle Manchester
For Kevin Keegan and the Geordies, this was sweet revenge against the bitter enemy, as the last Premiership unbeaten record of 96/97 went up in spectacular fashion. A controversial header from Darren Peacock started the unexpected route, before a classic strike from David Ginola doubled the Magpies advantage. Les Ferdinand sealed the win with a trademark header off the crossbar and strike partner Shearer soon made four, after Peter Schmeichel parried two earlier attempts. The icing on the cake was complete when Belgian defender Philippe Albert majestically chipped Schmeichel to complete a glorious performance. It was a day when everyone saw that Manchester United were really human.
51. Tottenham Hotspur 4-4 Chelsea
Tottenham had just overcome Chelsea in the Carling Cup final, and played their part in an 8-goal thriller which ultimately would cost Chelsea dearly in their bid to regain the Premiership trophy. Seven different Goalscorers amazed this London derby, Joe Cole bagging two for the visitors. Only a stunning effort from Robbie Keane in the dying stages prevented Avram Grant’s side from winning and it needed one of the saves of the decade by Carlo Cudicini to dent Dimitar Berbatov seconds afterwards. Who said London derbies are always boring….
52. Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United Sunday 7th November 1993
City were unbeaten in the Premiership since dismissing Peter Reid in August and the new man at the helm, Brian Horton guided his brave troops into a 2-0 interval lead, due to two powerful headers by that nuisance in the box, Niall Quinn. Yet again, United came back to pip their local rivals hearts. Eric Cantona scored twice soon into the second half and from then on, only one side looked like they were going to win. Sure enough, Roy Keane tapped home in a goalmouth scramble with just 4 minutes to spare. Once again, the Red half of Manchester ruled.
53. Middlesbrough 3-3 Tottenham Hotspur Sunday 18th December 2005
A game packed full of drama between two attacking units. Robbie Keane broke the deadlock following a misjudgement by Mark Schwarzer, before two Yakubu efforts put the North Londoners behind. On the hour mark, Jermaine Jenas hit a beautiful curling free-kick to tie the game up, then Franck Queudrue’s bullet header just crossed the line to hand Steve McLaren’s side the lead again. Back came Spurs though and a plucky header by Mido with 10 minutes to go forced a deserving share of the spoils.
54. Everton 3-2 Wimbledon Saturday 7th May 1994
Everton looked doomed and heading out of the top-flight at half-time of this match. Goals from John Fashanu and Dena Holdsworth put the Crazy Gang back in control of this encounter. For much of the season, team spirit had been severely lacking in the Toffees dressing room, but they produced plenty of character after the interlude. Barry Horne struck a beauty and two goals from ex-Chelsea ranger, Graham Stuart, the last in the final stages were enough for Everton to beat the drop in a tense and nail-biting finale.
55. Leeds United 3-4 Newcastle United Saturday 22nd December 2001
Newcastle United briefly took the role of the entertainers again under the stewardship of Sir Bobby Robson and went top of the table with this breathless comeback against fellow title challengers Leeds. A trademark free-kick from Ian Harte put Newcastle 3-1 down with 30 minutes to go and out of the game. Led on by Alan Shearer though, they fought back with Craig Bellamy and a Shearer penalty levelling up things, before a counter-attack in stoppage time led to Nolberto Solano coolly slotting home the winner.
56. Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 Everton Sunday 12th January 2003
On paper, this looked like being one of those tight, tense affairs. This so turned not out to be the case. Once Brian McBride raced clear on his debut to put the visitors infront after 11 minutes, it was gung-ho all the way. Gus Poyet equalised, then in-form Robbie Keane netted twice, once from the penalty spot to put Tottenham in full command. Sloppy defending allowed Everton back into the game via a David Unsworth penalty and Tomasz Radzinski. However, with 8 minutes to go, Keane sped away from the ageing blue back four, lofted an effort past the helpless Richard Wright to complete a marvellous victory for Spurs, his first hat-trick for the club since his summer move from Leeds.
57. Manchester United 3-3 Middlesbrough Monday 5th May 1997
Fighting for their lives, Middlesbrough caught Manchester United’s defending on a shocking day. A neat, creative finish from star-studded Juninho broke the deadlock, though it was responded quickly by Roy Keane. No-one told Bryan Robson’s men to lay down and die and they certainly didn’t do that and with strikes in quick succession by Emerson and Craig Hignett, they were 3-1 up in dreamland. Unfortunately, Middlesbrough’s defending returned to its usual style of failing to deal with opposition crosses and long passes, resulting in a first United goal for Gary Neville and a textbook header from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Relief was the best word that could sum up Old Trafford after this belter of a game.
58. Wimbledon 2-3 Aston Villa Saturday 3rd October 1992
An end-to-end contest in the inaugural Premier League season was settled by a goal of the decade contender from Dallian Atkinson and kept Villa in the hunt for the championship.
59. West Ham United 4-3 Sheffield Wednesday Sunday 21st November 1999
Danny Wilson probably realised that the Owls were going down at the end of the season after a see-saw game they led twice saw them beaten again. 3-2 up at Upton Park, Danny Sonner was unnecessarily dismissed for two soft bookings and West Ham was galvanized with the extra man. Marc-Vivien Foe equalised and Frank Lampard hit a typical late winner which left Wednesday gobsmacked and pondering how this game slipped through their fingers.
60. Arsenal 3-2 Aston Villa Sunday 9th December 2001
On the weekend Arsenal were celebrating their planning permission grant to their ultimate stadium, they produced an improbable and ultimate comeback infront of the Sky cameras. Trailing 2-0 to a well-drilled Villa outfit at the interval, Arsene Wenger brought on Sylvain Wiltord, who smashed home within of a minute of a restart. Mistakes in the back line by George Boateng and Alan Wright was seized upon by Thierry Henry, the last goal with the last kick of the game to bring the curtain down on a classic and send Highbury into raptures.
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