How previous Premier League title races panned out on the final day

The Premier League title race will go down to the final day for only the third time in the last decade.

Manchester City – who won the Championship on each of those previous occasions – and Arsenal are both in contention on Sunday.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at how the closest final days of the Premier League era panned out.

2021-22

City and Liverpool have had the closest rivalry over the last decade, with this third occasion in nine years there was still interest on the last day of the season. Pep Guardiola’s side, having not lost since October, led Jurgen Klopp’s team, undefeated since the start of the year, by a point – meaning they had only to match the hosts’ result at Anfield. After an hour Liverpool were drawing against Wolves but City were 2-0 down, only to mount a remarkable comeback to win 3-2.

2018-19

One of the most remarkably consistent endings to a campaign. Liverpool lost only once all season – to City in January – and had won 10 and drawn three of their last 13 matches before the finale. However, City had won all 13 of their matches over the same period and led by a point. Both sides won on the last day, City 4-1 at Brighton and Liverpool 2-0 against Wolves, as Klopp’s team finished second with a record 97 points for a runner-up.

2013-14

The origin of the City and Liverpool title rivalry. The margin of victory on this occasion was two points but was memorable for Steven Gerrard’s mistake at home to Chelsea, their first league defeat since December, three matches from the end. It handed the initiative to their rivals as, although Liverpool held a three-point lead, City had two games in hand and a goal difference nine superior. Chasing the goals to reduce that heading into the final day, Liverpool collapsed from 3-0 up at Crystal Palace with 11 minutes to go to draw 3-3. That meant City only needed a draw at home to West Ham on the final day; they won 2-0 as Liverpool beat Newcastle 2-1 to finish agonisingly short.

2011-12

The Sergio Aguero moment and the beginning of City’s modern-day dominance. They were level on points with Manchester United but ahead on goal difference. However, they were 2-1 down to QPR until Edin Dzeko equalised in the 90th minute. The game at the Stadium of Light finished with a United win and it seemed Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were champions. However, in the fifth minute of additional time, Aguero stepped up and snatched the title away.

2009-10

Chelsea entered the final day knowing victory at Wigan would deny United a fourth successive Premier League triumph. Carlo Ancelotti’s side avoided any last-day drama with an emphatic 8-0 victory, with Didier Drogba scoring a hat-trick against the 10-man hosts, thereby recording a then Premier League benchmark of 103 goals for the season, and rendering United’s 4-0 win at home to Stoke irrelevant.

2007-08

Manchester United and Chelsea were level on points entering the final day but United’s goal difference was vastly superior. United beat Wigan 2-0, which made Chelsea concession of a 90th-minute equaliser to Bolton slightly less painful.

1998-99

The peak of the Manchester United and Arsenal era. United’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory at home to Tottenham held off the Gunners, 1-0 winners over Aston Villa, by a single point.

1995-96

The culmination of Newcastle squandering a 12-point advantage over United in January saw the Magpies needing Middlesbrough to do them a favour. However, a draw against Tottenham made their north-east neighbours’ result irrelevant – United comfortably won 3-0 anyway.

1994-95

Kenny Dalglish’s Blackburn lost 2-1 at former club Liverpool to leave the door open but the defeated side were soon celebrating at Anfield as Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw at West Ham.