The Premier League is definitely one of the most competitive and unpredictable football leagues in the world. There have been neck-and-neck title races – and seasons where teams that seemed as though they were a shoo-in for glory fell short right at the final hurdle.
Here are some of the most legendary heartbreaking last-minute losses:
Newcastle United: 1995-96
Newcastle United’s unbelievable collapse at the end of the 1995-96 season has to be one of the most iconic moments ever in Premier League history. Kevin Keegan had seen the Magpies fly to new heights and they seemed unstoppable.
The team had a 12-point lead over Manchester United by January 1996 – and all Premier League odds had them as hands-down favourites. Led by stars like Alan Shearer and David Ginola, they really thought they were on course for their first league title since 1927.
However, a string of bad results – including losses to West Ham, Arsenal, and Liverpool, saw their lead dwindle and their 4-3 loss to Liverpool at Anfield was a major blow. Meanwhile, Ferguson had Man U capitalising on every single loss and they ended up beating Newcastle by 4 points.
Arsenal: 2002-03
Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal – who became known as “The Invincibles” the following season, came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League in 2002-03. The team had an 8-point lead over Manchester United in March 2003 and their star players, Thierry Henry, Robert Pirès, and Dennis Bergkamp were in top form.
However, then came the collapse. They had a run of bad results – including a 2-2 draw against Bolton where they wasted a two-goal lead, along with losses to Blackburn and Leeds, saw their lead slip away.
On the other hand, Manchester United, with their rock-solid defence, overtook Arsenal with a run of wins and they ended up winning the title by five points.
Liverpool: 2013-14
Liverpool had a really heartbreaking near-miss in the 2013-14 season – and this has to be one of the most dramatic title collapses in recent memory. The team, managed by Brendan Rodgers, was playing incredible attacking football led by Luis Suárez, Daniel Sturridge, and Steven Gerrard.
With just 3 games left in the season, Liverpool had a 5-point lead over Manchester City and it seemed that the title was all but theirs. However, a fateful 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Anfield, meant that City slipped back into contention. This was then followed by a 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace, where they threw away a 3-0 lead in the last 11 minutes. Meanwhile, Manchester City won all of their remaining games and ended up lifting the title… 2 points above the Reds.
Manchester United: 2011-12
Manchester United’s 2011-12 season had to be possibly one of the most dramatic endings in football history – when they lost out on the title to Manchester City on goal difference.
With six games to go, Ferguson’s team held an 8-point lead over City and looked set to get yet another Premier League crown. However, they went on to lose 1-0 to Wigan and then drew 4-4 after throwing away a two-goal lead. This led to a decisive 1-0 loss to City at the Etihad which gave the Cityzens the advantage.
On the final day of the season, City scored two injury-time goals against QPR to win 3-2 and this meant that they would win the title on goal difference. Ouch!
Arsenal: 2007-08
Arsene Wenger’s youthful team in the 2007-08 season looked as though they’d win the league – until it all went wrong.
By February, Arsenal had a solid 5-point lead at the top of the table, and their top players like Cesc Fàbregas and Emmanuel Adebayor were shining. However, a 2-2 draw against Birmingham City – which also saw Eduardo da Silva get a horrific injury and William Gallas have an on-pitch meltdown, saw it all go down the pan. After this, they drew three consecutive games and lost important matches to Chelsea and Manchester United.
Manchester United not only won the title, but Arsenal went on to finish third – four points behind the eventual champions.
This is definitely a league of drama… and with Liverpool leaving the Christmas season with a solid lead, they’ll be hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself!
