The Story of a Premiership Season

March 1998

Alan Nielsen’s third and final goal of the season is enough for Spurs to win the crucial relegation battle with Bolton, although the clubs stay 17th and 19th respectively.

Arsenal draw with West Ham and go above Blackburn, on goal difference, into second place but are still 11 points adrift of the leaders. Manchester United’s advantage at the top is big enough to persuade one Manchester bookmaker to pay up on all bets laid on the team for the Premiership title.

Aston Villa’s Stan Collymore confirms that there was an altercation, between himself and Steve Harkness, after the recent game at Villa Park, accusing his former Liverpool team mate of racial prejudice.

Relegation worries intensify for Tottenham with defeat at Leeds.

Manchester United have their lead, over Liverpool, who beat Bolton, cut to nine points when they lose to Sheffield Wednesday. Wanderers remain 19th.

Arsenal recover to within nine points of Manchester United by winning at Wimbledon because the leaders are held by West Ham, who continue to affect the title race.

The biggest result of the season occurs at Old Trafford where a Marc Overmars goal beats Manchester United and cuts their lead on Arsenal to six points, and The Gunners have three games in hand. Liverpool lose ground when they can only salvage a draw at White Hart Lane with an 89th minute goal from Steve McManaman, but Spurs are still just outside the relegation zone. Barnsley top the basement trio with victory over Southampton, Bolton beat Sheffield Wednesday, but stay 19th and bottom club Crystal Palace lose for the eighth consecutive game, at Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace finally win a Premiership game, for the first time since 24 November, when they beat Newcastle, at St James’ Park. Twenty-year-old, Carlisle-born, Matt Jansen nets for the second consecutive game and his goal proves the winner.

Barnsley lose at home to Liverpool and have three players sent off in the process, Darren Barnard, Darren Sheridan and Chris Morgan. Steve McManaman is again the Reds’ saviour with a last-minute winner. Match referee Gary Willard has to suspend play for a while after angry home fans invade the pitch. Old Trafford’s biggest gate of the season, 55,306, sees United maintain their six point lead at the top but they leave it late, against serial ‘party poopers’ Wimbledon, with Ronnie Johnsen and Paul Scholes goals in the last eight minutes. Bolton beat Leicester but stay 19th. Tottenham win another crucial relegation game when they beat fellow strugglers Crystal Palace, a 10th home defeat that virtually dooms The Eagles to the drop.

Arsenal keep up the pressure on United and move to within three points of the leaders, with two games still in hand, with a fourth successive 1–0 win, over Bolton, that keeps Wanderers 19th, one place behind Barnsley, who stay 18th despite losing at Blackburn. The Gunners also establish a new Premiership record, with an eighth consecutive clean sheet, that also equals the club record, set in 1902–03.

Story of a Premiership Season - March 1998

Story of a Premiership Season -
March 1998