The BEST final-day moments in Premier League history

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Football writer Adrian Kajumba looks back at some of the most important and unforgettable moments from the final day of previous Premier League seasons.

Aguero's iconic title-winning goal - 2011/12

The tightest of title races fittingly went right down to the wire and was only settled after Sergio Aguero scored the most dramatic goal in Premier League history.

Manchester City and Manchester United went into their last fixtures separated by just goal difference and, after Wayne Rooney’s first-half winner at Sunderland, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men were minutes away from being crowned champions when the final whistle went at the Stadium of Light.

But Man City were still playing at the Etihad Stadium and produced a stunning stoppage-time comeback from 2-1 down against Queens Park Rangers, capped by Aguero’s strike in the fourth minute of stoppage time, to win 3-2 and snatch the title.

It was an unforgettable way for Man City to claim their first Premier League crown and remains the only time the competition has been won on goal difference.

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Gundogan inspires title-winning comeback - 2021/22

No strangers to final-day, Premier League-clinching drama, Man City were at it again, 10 years after Aguero's winner.

Nearest challengers Liverpool were daring to dream when they drew level with Wolverhampton Wanderers while Man City, who began the day a point ahead, trailed 2-0 against Aston Villa.

At that stage, the two sides were level on points.

Three City goals in five second-half minutes, though, including two from Ilkay Gundogan, dramatically turned their game on its head and they clung on to win 3-2 and pip Liverpool, eventual 3-1 winners over Wolves, to the title by one point for the second time in four seasons.

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Gutierrez helps save Newcastle after overcoming cancer - 2014/15

Already a Newcastle United favourite, Jonas Gutierrez cemented his place in club folklore when he inspired them to Premier League survival after overcoming cancer.

Having resumed playing in March following his treatment, Gutierrez set up Newcastle’s opener against West Ham United on the final day before guaranteeing their survival by scoring their second goal, sparking wild and emotional celebrations around St James’ Park.

"A few months ago I did not know if I was going to be able to play football again," he said, after what proved to be his last game for the club. "This is like a second chance in my life."

Gutierrez's goal against West Ham

Stoke hit Liverpool and Gerrard for six - 2014/15

A day to remember for Stoke was one to forget for Steven Gerrard and Liverpool as the Potters inflicted an unexpectedly-emphatic defeat in the midfielder’s last match for his beloved club.

Stoke were 5-0 up at half-time before adding another goal late on in their record Premier League victory, 52 years after Liverpool last conceded six goals in one game.

There was at least the consolation of a final Liverpool goal for Gerrard on the day, which made it 5-1 at the time.

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Ten-goal thriller for Ferguson’s send-off - 2012/13

Only one match in Premier League history has featured both teams scoring at least five goals, and another place in the record books was an appropriate way for Sir Alex Ferguson to end his reign as Man Utd manager.

In his 1,500th and final game, Ferguson's side and West Bromwich Albion served up a 5-5 goal fest at the Hawthorns.

Man Utd looked all set to send him into retirement in style by establishing leads of 3-0 and 5-2.

But Romelu Lukaku’s late double to complete his hat-trick for West Brom, plus a Youssouf Mulumbu goal, denied Ferguson a farewell win.

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Five-team fight to avoid the drop - 2010/11

Five teams, separated by just one point, went into a rollercoaster last day with the threat of relegation still hanging over them.

Blackburn Rovers kicked off in 15th place and were never in real danger, eventually finishing four points clear of the bottom three thanks to a 3-2 win at rivals Wolves.

Wigan Athletic, who started second-bottom, left it late to score the Hugo Rodallega winner at Stoke City which guaranteed their safety as they finished 16th.

Wolves were heading down at half-time on goal difference, as they trailed 3-0, but two second-half strikes helped lift them to safety, initially only on goals scored, before results elsewhere saw them stay up by one point.

That left Birmingham City and Blackpool as the unlucky two clubs to lose their top-flight status. They were both safe at moments during the afternoon but defeats at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United respectively helped to send them down.

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Chelsea put eight past Wigan to win league - 2009/10

Chelsea picked a good time to rack up a club-record league win when they closed out their campaign by thrashing 10-man Wigan Athletic 8-0.

The thumping victory, which included a Didier Drogba hat-trick, sealed their first title since 2006 by a point and ended nearest challengers Man Utd's three-year reign as champions.

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Additionally, the margin of victory also helped Chelsea set a then-Premier League record for the most goals scored in a single season by one team, 103.

Fulham’s great escape - 2007/08

With just three matches to go, Fulham were second-bottom, five points from safety and appeared doomed, until a remarkable recovery led to one of the greatest, against-the-odds relegation escapes.

It began with an incredible 3-2 comeback victory at Man City for Fulham, who were on the brink of relegation when they initially fell 2-0 behind.

A 2-0 win over Birmingham then lifted them out of the bottom three going into the final day.

As that unfolded, scores elsewhere for relegation rivals Reading and Birmingham plunged Fulham back into the drop zone until Danny Murphy’s late goal changed everything and clinched the 1-0 victory at Portsmouth which kept the Cottagers up on goal difference.

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West Ham and Wigan stay up at Sheffield United’s expense - 2006/07

Three teams went into the final day still fearing the drop and it was West Ham and Wigan who secured dramatic wins to save themselves.

After an incredible end-of-season upturn in form, West Ham needed just one point to avoid relegation. Despite the daunting challenge of a trip to newly-crowned champions Man Utd, the Hammers claimed a famous win at Old Trafford with Carlos Tevez’s strike and stayed up.

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Sheffield United hosted Wigan in a decider for the final relegation spot and a 2-1 home defeat sent the Blades down on goal difference, by just one goal.

In a twist of fate, 10-man Wigan’s penalty winner was scored by David Unsworth, just months after he left Sheffield Utd.

Highlights of Wigan's win at Sheff Utd

'Lasagne-gate' means Spurs miss out on Champions League - 2005/06

Going into the final day of the 2005/06 season, fourth-placed Spurs travelled to West Ham, needing only to match Arsenal’s result at home to Wigan to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

However, the night before the match, a number of first-team players fell ill with suspected food poisoning, with many claiming that the lasagne they ate was the cause of their sickness.

"Lasagne and spaghetti bolognese were on the menu, we ate, and then in the middle of the night we started dropping like flies," said then Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas. "It was mayhem."

With 10 players feeling sick overnight, according to Spurs boss Martin Jol, West Ham won 2-1 with a late Yossi Benayoun winner.

Highlights of West Ham's win against Spurs

Arsenal took Spurs’ Champions League spot with a 4-2 win over Wigan, thanks to a Thierry Henry hat-trick in their final match at Highbury.

Highlights of Arsenal's win against Wigan

West Brom's great escape - 2004/05

For so long, it had proved to be mission impossible but West Brom finally became the first team to stay up after being bottom of the Premier League at Christmas.

Bryan Robson’s side were five points from safety on 25 December 2004 and still bottom at the start of the season’s last day.

But their 2-0 win over Portsmouth plus the three teams above them - Crystal Palace, Southampton and Norwich City - all dropping points meant the Baggies escaped the relegation zone just in time on a historic final day.

Highlights of West Brom's win against Portsmouth

Arsenal become Invincibles - 2003/04

The title was already won but Arsenal had one final task left when they hosted Leicester City - to avoid defeat and ensure they went the whole season unbeaten.

Briefly Arsenal were in danger of missing out on that historic achievement when their former striker Paul Dickov gave Leicester a first-half lead.

But Henry and Patrick Vieira’s second-half goals won the game as Arsenal became the first - and still the only - team to go through a whole Premier League campaign without losing.

Highlights of Arsenal's win against Leicester

Chelsea edge winner-takes-all game against Liverpool - 2002/03

Chelsea and Liverpool’s pursuit of a Champions League place came down to their meeting in a high-stakes Stamford Bridge showdown.

Only goal difference separated them at kick-off, with Chelsea occupying the coveted fourth spot.

They held on to it thanks to a 2-1 comeback win, with a place in Europe’s top club competition reportedly a factor in Roman Abramovich’s transformative decision to buy Chelsea two months later.

Highlights of Chelsea's win against Liverpool

Man United start Treble trail - 1998/99

The first part of Man Utd's historic trophy Treble was sealed when they clinched the Premier League title on a nervy last day.

The top two clubs, Man Utd and Arsenal, were briefly level on points and goal difference after Spurs took a shock lead at Old Trafford.

But Man Utd's comeback 2-1 win ensured they edged out the Gunners, who beat Aston Villa 1-0, by just one point to regain the title.

Ferguson’s side then added the FA Cup and Champions League to their Premier League crown to become the first English team to win the Treble.

Highlights of Man Utd's win against Spurs

Blackburn survive huge scare to win title - 1994/95

The first time the Premier League title race went to the final day, Blackburn were only able to celebrate a historic triumph after a nail-biting finish.

Having started the day with a two-point lead, everything was going to plan for Rovers with their match at Liverpool and Man Utd's at West Ham both locked at 1-1 heading into the closing stages.

But Jamie Redknapp scored a 90th-minute free-kick to put Liverpool 2-1 up and leave Man Utd needing just one goal to beat Blackburn to the title.

However the final whistle went at West Ham soon after Redknapp struck and relieved Rovers were crowned top-flight champions for the first time since 1914 by a single point.

Highlights of final-day title battle between Blackburn and Man Utd

Everton’s last-day relegation drama - 1993/94, 1997/98 and 2022/23

Three times Everton have had to come through nerve-jangling Goodison Park finales before securing their Premier League status.

In 1993/94, they needed a sensational comeback from 2-0 down against Wimbledon to claim a 3-2 victory that lifted them out of the bottom three and to safety.

In 1997/98, a 1-1 draw against Coventry City helped them leapfrog Bolton Wanderers, who lost 2-0 at Chelsea, to finish 17th and stay up on goal difference.

The threat of relegation hung over Everton for most of 2022/23 too, and they were only officially safe after a last-day 1-0 win over AFC Bournemouth, finishing two points above the relegation zone.

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