The final round of matches this weekend will see all eyes on the Premier League championship race. Taking place at 10pm on May 19, the teams will bаttle it out for the coveted title. Currently, Man City holds a slight advantage with a 2-point lead over Arsenal in second place. Arsenal’s victory at home against Everton is crucial for their championship hopes, but their fate also depends on the outcome of Man City’s match against West Ham at the Etihad.
The final day of the season is set to be a tҺrilling one. Man City, with 88 points and a goal difference of +60, have the opportunity to clinch the championship if they can secure a victory against West Ham. On the other hand, Arsenal, with 86 points and a goal difference of +61, will also have a shot at the title if they manage to defeat Everton and Man City fails to win against West Ham.
If they emerge victorious, Man City will be uttеrly indifferent to the events unfolding at the Emirates. Instead, they will be busy making arrangements for a jubilant celebration, as they are on the verge of securing their unprecedented fourth consecutive English championship. Naturally, Arsenal fans may still cling to a glimmer of hope from West Ham, despite the team’s lack of motivation and the imminent departure of head coach David Moyes.
What can we anticipate regarding the potential downfall of Man City? It’s highly unlikely, but not impossible, for the team at the top of the table to lose the championship in the final round, as past events have shown.
We need to travel back 35 years in history to witness the most recent occurrence of this event. The match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on May 26, 1989 was truly historic. This is a remarkable moment in the history of English football, as two teams vying for the top spot have come face to face in the final match. The match was originally scheduled to take place a month earlier, but due to the tragic Hillsborough disаster, the FA made the decision to postpone it.
In that match, Arsenal not only needed a victory but also had to secure a 2-goal difference to claim the championship. It had been a long 18 years since their last triumph in English football. Liverpool dominated English football during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, establishing themselves as the top team in the country. They had an impressive record of winning 9 National Championship titles, 2 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 4 European Cups, and 1 UEFA Cup until the 1988/89 season.
In a tҺrilling match against Liverpool, Alex Thomas secured victory for Arsenal in the 90+1 minute, leading them to claim the English championship in 1989. It’s a rare occurrence for the team at the top of the English National Championship table to lose their throne in the final round.
Nevertheless, in the last game of the season, Arsenal took the lead 1-0 with Alan Smith’s goal in the 53rd minute. The excitement continued when Michael Thomas made a remarkable breakthrough from midfield and scored, securing Arsenal a tҺrilling 2-0 win. and the championship. With just over 30 seconds left in the match, Thomas’ goal shattered Liverpool’s unbeatable reputation.
Aside from the 1989 occurrence, English football has experienced three other instances where the leading team lost their position in the final round. One of the most memorable moments occurred during the 1971/72 season when Liverpool found themselves in a challenging situation. As the final round, round 42, approached, both Liverpool and Man City held the top two positions with 57 points each. However, Liverpool had a slight advantage with a 2-point difference. Meanwhile, Derby County, with 55 points, managed to catch up and secure the third position, matching Liverpool’s score.
Derby’s championship hopes are hаnging by a thread, guided by the esteemed coach Brian Clough. Every victory is crucial, as they only earn 2 points per win. Their fate will be decided in the final round, where they will face a formidable Liverpool side, while Man City will take on the 13th ranked team, Ipswich Town. In a surprising turn of events, Man City suffered a 1-2 defeat against Ipswich, while Derby secured a remarkable 1-0 victory over Liverpool, leading to a momentous coronation.
Unfortunately for present-day Arsenal, the instances of the top team losing their position in the final round of English football all occurred in the twentieth century, prior to the establishment of the Premier League. Throughout the years, there have been 9 instances where the championship race came down to the wire. In each of these nail-biting moments, the leading team managed to hold onto their title. Man City has had three memorable moments in football history. Two of these moments occurred when they faced Liverpool under the leadership of Pep Guardiola. The other significant moment was when Sergio Aguero made history in 2012.