Three of the greatest ever final day title deciders
Published:
After a sensationalseason, Manchester City and Liverpool will fight it out for the Premier Leaguetitle on the final day of the campaign.
For the neutral there’s nothing better, and a final daydecider has thrown up some of the most remarkable sporting drama over theyears.
2011-2012 – Manchester City & Manchester United
Agueeerrrooooooooooooo.
Need we say any more? It was a moment which went straightinto Premier League legend.
A season-long fight between both sides of Manchester boileddown to a final day shootout with the two rivals level on points.
City looked like they’d blown it when they went 2-1 down athome to struggling QPR. United done their part by beating Sunderland, all theycould do now was wait on their ‘noisy neighbours’.
Tension was rife at the Etihad as City saw a first league titlesince 1968 slip away, but then Edin Dzeko made it 2-2 in stoppage time…
And two minutes later Mario Balotelli threaded a passthrough to Sergio Aguero, in the 94th minute of the 38th and final game of theseason…. The rest is history.
1994-1995 – Blackburn Rovers & Manchester United
Fergie’s United were on the receiving end of another finalday decider in 1995.
Blackburn were two points ahead on the final day, but had togo to Liverpool, while United went to mid-table West Ham United – and they hadthe greater goal difference.
The day swung back and forth, with Rovers going aheadthrough Alan Shearer while United slipped behind in East London.
But an equaliser for the Red Devils, plus a John Barnesleveller at Anfield changed the atmosphere.
United knew now that one more goal would see them snatch theleague, and they promptly launched wave after wave of attacks at Upton Park.
But step forward Ludek Miklosko. West Ham’s Czech stopperproduced a string of top saves to keep Sir Alex Ferguson’s side at bay.
The Red Devils couldn’t find a winner, and a late JamieRedknapp goal for Liverpool ensured that even in defeat, Blackburn were PremierLeague champions.
1988-1989 – Arsenal & Liverpool
Perhaps the greatest final day of them all came way back in1989 at the end of a titanic First Division scrap between Arsenal andLiverpool.
George Graham’s Gunners were three points behind KennyDalglish’s Reds, but knew that a 2-0 win at Anfield would see the goaldifference swing enough for Arsenal to win it on goals scored.
And amazingly, that’s exactly what happened. After agoalless first-half, Alan Smith netted early on in the second period to put everyoneon edge, but as the game rolled on, that second goal remained elusive.
John Aldridge and Ray Houghton missed chances for the hosts, who were punished in the most dramatic fashion when Michael Thomas skipped through into the box and fired past Bruce Grobbelaar to seal the league in stoppage time. Ooooof.
2018-19 – ManchesterCity & Liverpool
Are we in for more final day madness this Sunday? Our traders don’t think so with City chalked up at 1/10 to win the league.
6/1 shots Liverpool need Pep Guardiola’s men to slip-up, but after their incredible Champions League heroics, anything is possible.
City are 1/6 to beat an already-safe Brighton side, while Liverpool are 1/3 to down a Wolves squad who are secure in seventh place.
View the latestPremier League odds.
