The Story of a Premiership Season

April 2001

Ipswich canter to victory at Southampton on the back of the club’s first hat-trick of the season, from Marcus Stewart, to confirm third place.
John Hartson scores his fifth goal, in four matches, as Coventry beat Leicester to move up one place to 18th.

Manchester City crash to 19th after losing to Everton.

Manchester United stay top but need an 82nd minute Solskjaer winner to beat Charlton. Ipswich stay third after drawing with Liverpool, who are one place behind.

Arsenal crush Manchester City, who remain 19th with relegation looming.

Leeds complete their first double over Liverpool since 1971 with a victory at Anfield, in which Steven Gerrard is sent off.

Bradford get their first victory since New Years Day when they beat Charlton but stay bottom. The next day Manchester City win at Leicester and are 18th.

Manchester United clinch the Premier League championship, for a record third successive season in front of the highest-ever Premiership attendance of 67,637 with a thrashing of Coventry that leaves The Sky Blues one place off the bottom, John Hartson scores another two goals. United also equal Liverpool’s record of seven titles in nine years.

The Mersey derby is marred by disrespect in the minutes-silence to mark the anniversary of Hillsborough. A stormy game, won by Liverpool, sees 12 yellow cards and the dismissal of Igor Biscan, in contentious added time.

John Hartson scores for the fourth consecutive game, taking his tally to six in seven matches, to beat Sunderland, but Coventry stay 18th.

The Manchester derby is overshadowed by Roy Keane’s ‘over-the-top’ challenge that leaves Alf Inge Haaland badly injured, which earns the United skipper his eighth red card in United colours and City 19th.

Arsenal close-in on ‘runners-up’ with victory over Everton while third-placed Ipswich push Coventry closer to relegation with a win that leaves The Sky Blues 18th. Bradford win consecutive games for the first time in the campaign, against Derby, with former ‘Ram’ Ashley Ward netting twice, but The Bantams look doomed in 20th place.

Champions Manchester United complete a British transfer record deal, of £19 million, for PSV Eindhoven’s 24-year-old striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy, on a five-year contract. One year after a cruciate ligament injury threatened his career.

Leeds finalise the £12 million signing of Robbie Keane from Inter Milan who agree to staged payments over a three-year period.

Bradford City bid farewell to the Premier League, after two years, following defeat by Everton. The Bantams, bottom since before Christmas, have been in the relegation zone since mid-September. Coventry drop to 19th after losing to Liverpool, who stay fifth. Gary McAllister is a scorer for the third game running to drop his former club to one place off the bottom. Arsenal stay second after beating Derby, who are just one place above the relegation zone. A Stuart Pearce own goal gives Manchester City victory, and hope, against West Ham, and moves Joe Royle’s team up to 18th. Leeds’ sixth successive victory, over Chelsea, with goals from Robbie Keane and Mark Viduka, in the last four minutes, takes them third.

Leicester’s losing sequence continues to a worst-ever ninth successive defeat, to Newcastle.