The Premier League title race could not be closer, with just a single point separating Manchester City and Liverpool ahead of their unmissable clash this coming Sunday. Both sides have been exhilarating to watch this campaign, with the two sides still competing in the Champions League and FA Cup, where they are set to face each other again in the Semi-finals.
Whatever happens this season, it will most likely go down as one of the closest title races in Premier League history. To celebrate a memorable year, we take a look back at some of the greatest title race comebacks in football, where teams closed a points gap that seemed impossible.
Here’s our list of the best title race comebacks…
1995/96 – Newcastle 12 Points Clear
Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United were flying high in the mid-’90s, often being branded ‘then entertainers’ by large sections of the media. The Toon were 12 points clear of second-place Manchester United in January 1996 but somehow managed to blow that lead completely by March.
Manchester United went on a great run of form post-Christmas, which coincided with Newcastle losing momentum. By the end of April with a few games to go, Ferguson’s side were 3 points clear of the North East club and he decided to play mind games with his opposing manager in an attempt to wind Keegan up.
The Scot suggested that Newcastle’s next two opponents (Leeds and Nottingham Forest) wouldn’t be trying hard to beat them, especially Forest who were due to play the Toon for Stuart Pearce’s testimonial at the end of the season. This worked to amazing effect, with King Kev providing his infamous ‘I would love it if we beat them’ rant after his side won 1-0 at Leeds.
Ferguson’s side finished top of the League on 82 points, losing just two games from January 1st to the end of the season. Newcastle meanwhile, finished four points behind them, which had looked a near impossibility a few months earlier.
2003/04 Real Madrid – Another 12 Point Lead
Defending Champions Los Blancos went into the 03/04 campaign with a ridiculously talented squad, with this season arguably being the peak of their ‘galacticos’ project. England captain David Beckham was the latest addition, joining for £25 million that summer, where he linked up with Ronaldo (the original), Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Carlos to name a few.
By March 2004, it looked like the title race was well and truly over, with Real opening up a 12 point lead with 12 games to go. No one could predict what followed, with the Galacticos losing 7 and drawing 2 of those fixtures finishing 4th and paving the way for Rafa Benitez’s Valencia to lift the trophy for the 6th time in their history.
It still remains one of the most shocking title race collapses in world football, seemingly coming out of nowhere. Up until the last 12 games, Real had only been beaten 3 times in the league all season. To rub salt in the wounds, they would also go on to lose the Copa Del Rey final to Real Zaragoza in heartbreaking fashion, with Los Maños scoring in extra time to make it 3-2.
1997/98 Manchester United – 11 Points Clear
Ferguson’s side suffered their own collapse in the 1997/98 season, where they were 11 points clear in March, albeit Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal had a few games in hand at that point. Nevertheless, the pressure was on them to win those games, and they did so in spectacular fashion to claim the Frenchman’s first title as manager of the North London club.
United looked set to seal a third successive title, but 3 draws and 2 defeats (one of which was to Arsenal) in their last 10 games was enough for the Gunners to finish the season as champions by just one point, in an extremely close race.
Wenger’s team went on an amazing run to claim his first title, winning 10 league games in a row between March and May, including the crucial 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, which is often cited as the turning point for both clubs during this campaign.
Arsenal would go on to win the double that season, defeating Newcastle 2-0 in the FA cup final making it one of the most successful and memorable years in the clubs’ history. United meanwhile were left licking their wounds as they finished the season trophyless. However, they did complete a historic treble the following year, meaning fans soon forgot about a poor 1997/98 campaign.
2013/14 Chelsea – 9 Points Clear
In more recent history, Chelsea looked to be cruising to the title in Mourinho’s first season back at the club. The Blues were 9 points clear of Manchester City, who were all the way back in 4th, with just 9 games to play. Defeats to bottom half clubs Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Sunderland followed and with that, blew any chance Jose had of marking his return with a title.
Pellegrini’s Man City, on the other hand, lost just one of their last 9 games and were perhaps surprise winners this year, with Liverpool running them extremely close. The Reds were in prime position to win their first title in decades, but a draw at Crystal Palace and defeat to Chelsea on matchday 36 (who at that point were all but out of the race) meant they had to settle for second place.
Credit has to go to Man City though, they did their job and won their last 5 games of the season with all the pressure on them. Chelsea would go on to win the title the following season under Jose with City this time behind them in second. The 2013/14 campaign would prove more costly for Liverpool though, who lost a slew of talent that summer (including Luis Suarez) which they did not adequately replace. You can’t help but feel it might have been different had they won it that season.
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