Football writer Adrian Kajumba looks back at some of the most important and unforgettable moments from the final weeks of previous Premier League seasons.
The Premier League campaign resumes after the international break this weekend with the season now heading into the most decisive part - The Run In. Here are some of the standout matches, goals and incidents from previous Premier League seasons.
That Aguero goal - May 2012
The most iconic title-winning moment in the competition's history came when Sergio Aguero scored a 94th-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers on the final day to complete Manchester City’s stoppage-time comeback from 2-1 down to win 3-2 - a victory that sealed their first Premier League triumph on goal difference.
The title race looked all but over with Manchester United five points clear heading into the final four matches.
But Man Utd's 4-4 draw against Everton and 1-0 defeat to Man City - when Vincent Kompany's first-half header settled the derby - allowed Roberto Mancini’s side to catch the Red Devils and eventually pip them to the title thanks to that Aguero goal.
Keegan’s 'I would love it' rant - April 1996
The tension in the 1995/96 title race spilled over after Sir Alex Ferguson questioned whether Leeds United and Nottingham Forest would try as hard to win their run-in matches against Newcastle United as they would against his Man Utd side.
Ferguson’s questioning of their professionalism incensed Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan who ended his iconic post-match rant, after his side matched Man Utd's 1-0 win over Leeds, by declaring "I would love it if we beat them [Man Utd]. Love it."
It was not to be for Newcastle, as they missed out on a first top-flight title since 1927. They could only draw their final two fixtures 1-1 against Forest and Tottenham Hotspur and finished four points behind Man Utd, who ended up, despite Ferguson's suggestions, beating Forest 5-0 in their penultimate match.
Liverpool’s title collapse - April/May 2014
Liverpool were five points clear of Chelsea with three matches left and on course to end their long wait for a first Premier League title before two disastrous games in nine days dashed their hopes.
In the first, against Chelsea at Anfield, a slip by Steven Gerrard gifted the Blues their opening goal in an eventual 2-0 win for the visitors. In the second, Liverpool blew a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 at Crystal Palace - a game nicknamed Crystanbul, in reference to the Reds’ identical comeback before going on to win the 2005 UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul.
Those results opened the door for Man City to overhaul Liverpool and win the league by two points.
Bruce’s dramatic double against Sheffield Wednesday - April 1993
A year after a late collapse cost Man Utd the title, they feared history might repeat itself as they toiled against Sheffield Wednesday and trailed 1-0 heading into the final five minutes.
But captain and defender Steve Bruce equalised in the 86th minute before making use of a lengthy period of stoppage time, in part due to an injury to the referee, to head in a 96th-minute winner, sparking wild Man Utd celebrations including from manager Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.
The stunning late turnaround and 2-1 victory saw Man Utd leapfrog Aston Villa to go one point clear and gave them renewed belief at a crucial time of the season before they went on to lift the inaugural Premier League title.
Ortega’s heroics at Tottenham Hotspur - May 2024
The 2023/24 title race effectively came down to a huge one-on-one late in the game between Spurs forward Son Heung-min and Man City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
Had Son scored to cancel out Erling Haaland’s opener and earn Spurs a draw, their biggest rivals Arsenal would have been title favourites and top of the league on goal difference going into the season’s final day.
Instead, Ortega, who had replaced injured first-choice 'keeper Ederson, held his nerve to win his battle with Son, before Haaland scored again and City followed up their 2-0 success at Spurs with a 3-1 win over West Ham United to claim a record fourth successive Premier League crown.
Battle of the Bridge - May 2016
The deciding match of the 2015/16 title race did not involve the eventual winners Leicester City but was instead between Chelsea and Spurs at Stamford Bridge.
A bad tempered but iconic London derby unfolded as Chelsea, who had little to play for after a disappointing season, showed some pride and fight to stop their London rivals winning the league.
The game featured a record 12 bookings and countless flashpoints, reflecting the animosity between the sides, and Chelsea’s comeback from 2-0 down at half-time, sealed by Eden Hazard’s late equaliser in the 2-2 draw, handed Leicester the title.
Macheda’s dream debut - April 2009
Man Utd were in need of a hero after successive defeats against Liverpool, one of their title rivals, and Fulham had seen them surrender top spot - and they found one in Federico Macheda.
The 17-year-old academy graduate was brought on as a substitute shortly after Man Utd went 2-1 down and emerged as their saviour, curling in a brilliant goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to complete their 3-2 comeback win.
After Macheda’s heroics helped Man Utd get back on track and regain pole position from Liverpool, they reeled off six successive wins before a 0-0 draw with Arsenal secured a championship triumph which equalled Liverpool’s record of 18 titles.
Kompany’s crucial Leicester winner - 2019
One of the tightest Premier League title races involved Man City and Liverpool in 2018/19, and Kompany’s long-range screamer in City's 1-0 win against Leicester was arguably the decisive moment.
City needed to win their penultimate fixture against the Foxes to head into the final match of the season, at Brighton & Hove Albion, ahead of Liverpool and in control of their destiny.
It was not until captain Kompany, an unlikely scorer, strode forward and smashed a wonder-goal into the top corner, despite being implored not to shoot by some team-mates, that Man City broke Leicester's resilience before going on to pip Liverpool to the title on the last day by a single point.
West Bromwich Albion’s 'Great Escape' - May 2005
No team had avoided relegation from the Premier League having been bottom at Christmas until West Brom famously became the first club to buck the trend in 2005.
Despite the weight of history against them and still being bottom heading into the final day, Bryan Robson’s Baggies had hope as, for the first time in Premier League history, no team had already been relegated before the last round of matches.
West Brom did their bit by beating Portsmouth 2-0 and, with the three teams above them - Crystal Palace, Southampton and Norwich City - all failing to win, Albion were able to celebrate once news of the other results filtered through to the Hawthorns.
Everton’s final day heroics - May 1994
After 40 consecutive years in the top division, Everton were staring relegation in the face, having dropped into the bottom three for the first time that season following the penultimate round of fixtures and then finding themselves 2-0 down against Wimbledon in their final match.
But they staged a remarkable recovery to win 3-2, courtesy of two Graham Stuart goals, including an 81st-minute winner, and one from Barry Horne, to preserve their Premier League status, finishing just two points above the relegated sides.
Everton’s proud record was on the line once more in 2022/23 but, this time, Abdoulaye Doucoure was their final-day hero, scoring the goal which earned the Toffees a 1-0 victory against AFC Bournemouth to avoid relegation.
Final day drama - May 1999
Man Utd and Arsenal’s battle to be crowned champions went down to the final day and the Gunners had hope when Les Ferdinand put Spurs ahead at Old Trafford.
Briefly, with Arsenal’s match against Aston Villa goalless at the time, the two teams were level on 76 points and had the same goal difference.
But goals either side of half-time from David Beckham and Andrew Cole secured a 2-1 win for Man Utd against Spurs, clinching the title and also the first part of their historic Treble.
Fulham launch Great Escape - April 2008
One of the greatest escapes from Premier League relegation began, fittingly, with a comeback. Fulham kicked off at Man City five points from safety with three matches left and were on the brink of relegation when they fell 2-0 behind inside 21 minutes.
But three goals in the final 20 minutes, including a 92nd-minute Diomansy Kamara winner, turned that deficit into a 3-2 win which kept their survival hopes alive.
Follow-up victories in their final two matches of the season against Birmingham City, who were relegation rivals, and Portsmouth saw Roy Hodgson’s side stay up, just, on goal difference.
Wiltord wins Arsenal title at Old Trafford - May 2002
Arsenal settled the 2001/02 title race in the most satisfactory of ways - by beating their nearest challengers on their own pitch to end their rivals’ hopes and be crowned champions themselves.
An impressive 19-match unbeaten run in the second half of the season saw Arsenal overtake Man Utd and head to Old Trafford in top spot for what had become a title decider, four days after they beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
Sylvain Wiltord’s second-half goal then secured a title and Double-clinching 1-0 victory that has gone down in club and Premier League folklore.
Chelsea edge winner-takes-all game against Liverpool - May 2003
The stakes could hardly have been higher when fourth-placed Chelsea hosted fifth-placed Liverpool on the final day of the season, with just goal difference separating them and a UEFA Champions League place on the line.
Chelsea claimed a 2-1 victory that was memorable for the prize it earned them but also because securing Champions League football was reportedly a factor in billionaire Roman Abramovich’s decision to buy the club in the summer of 2003, a purchase which went on to have a huge impact on the Premier League.
Chelsea make history at Bolton Wanderers - April 2005
Jose Mourinho had a stunning and instant impact at Chelsea following his appointment as manager in 2004, turning the title race in his first season into a procession.
The most memorable moment of Chelsea’s run-in came at Bolton when Frank Lampard scored the two goals that clinched the London club’s 2-0 victory and first league title in 50 years.
As proof of the self-declared 'Special One’s' genius, it was the very game that Mourinho had told his players earlier in the season would be the one where they would seal the league.
Leicester City’s 'Great Escape' - May 2015
The prelude to the greatest Premier League triumph in competition history was Leicester avoiding relegation the previous season.
Having won only four of their first 29 matches, leaving Nigel Pearson’s side seven points from safety, Leicester then won seven of their last nine games during a remarkable run to finish 14th.
Their momentum then continued into the following season when Leicester won the Premier League during a fairytale campaign under Claudio Ranieri.
Tevez saves West Ham - May 2007
After failing to win a Premier League match since mid-December, West Ham went into their final nine matches bottom of the table and 10 points from safety.
What followed was a remarkable turnaround - seven wins in their final nine games, capped by the goal that earned them a 1-0 final-day win at champions Man Utd and secured their safety. It was scored by Carlos Tevez, who moved to Old Trafford on loan the following season.
Arsenal secure title at Spurs - May 2004
Two years after claiming the title at Man Utd, Arsenal were dancing with delight again after winning the league at another of their big rivals, Spurs.
Spurs were initially celebrating after recovering from going 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw thanks to Robbie Keane’s late penalty, but Arsenal had the last laugh.
A point was enough to see the Gunners crowned champions at White Hart Lane and also kept them on course to finish the season unbeaten at the end of their historic 'Invincibles' campaign.
Crouch clinches Champions League football for Spurs - May 2010
Spurs' trip to Man City in their penultimate Premier League fixture of 2009/10 proved to be a decider between the two clubs for the final Champions League place.
The visitors claimed the coveted prize, qualifying for the competition for the first time, thanks to a 1-0 victory secured by Peter Crouch’s late header.
Some of their players then celebrated, unforgettably, by tipping a bucket of water over manager Harry Redknapp during a post-match interview.
Gundogan’s last-gasp heroics - May 2022
For the second time in four seasons, Man City beat Liverpool to the title by a point following run-in drama.
At the end of 2021/22, it came on the final day. When Liverpool equalised against Wolverhampton Wanderers while Man City trailed 2-0 against Villa, the Reds had drawn level on points with Pep Guardiola’s side and a last day turnaround was on.
But Man City scored three goals in five second-half minutes, including two from Ilkay Gundogan, to turn their game around and clinch the title by beating Villa 3-2, rendering Liverpool’s eventual 3-1 win against Wolves irrelevant in the process.
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