The Story of a Premiership Season

October 2002

West Ham lose to Birmingham and stay bottom. Bret Ormerod hits his first two goals for Southampton, in the win over Manchester City, that catapults Saints out of the relegation zone up to 13th.

Kanu hits a brace, for the second successive match, as Arsenal beat Sunderland to stay top. The Black Cats, one place above the drop zone having spent more than £20 million in less than a year, then sack Peter Reid after a seven and a half year tenure. Zola makes his 200th League appearance for Chelsea but Michael Owen is the match-winner with a 90th minute goal for Liverpool that keeps them second. Charlton are beaten by Fulham and stay 19th.

Manchester United score three in the last four minutes to beat Everton, Ruud Van Nistelrooy scores in the last minute for the second game running, and they are fourth.
Howard Wilkinson leaves his post as FA Technical Director to be the surprise successor to Peter Reid at Sunderland.

Roy Keane receives a record £150,000 fine and a five-match ban from the Football Association.
Liverpool’s fifth consecutive victory, with a Salif Diao goal that beats Leeds, takes them top for the first time this season. Ryan Giggs makes his 500th appearance for Manchester United as they draw with Fulham, and stay fourth. Wayne Rooney, at 16 years and 360 days, makes history as the youngest ever Premiership scorer with a screamer that beats Arsenal in the dying seconds, The Gunners drop down to second. Alan Shearer picks on his former club, again, as he scores his 300th club goal, at Blackburn, but Rovers win.

New signing Robbie Keane scores again, twice, to help Spurs beat Bolton and moves them up a place to third.

Sunderland crash to West Ham and drop to one place off the bottom, The Hammers move out of the bottom three for the first time since August. Manchester City drop into the relegation zone, for the first time this campaign, after losing to Chelsea.

Liverpool retain pole position by beating Tottenham, who drop out of the bottom three. Danny Murphy and Michael Owen, with his second penalty of the season, are the scorers. Arsenal lose again, to Blackburn, Edu scores for both sides and The Gunners stay second. Chelsea move up to third with victory over West Brom that plunges The Baggies down to 18th. Manchester United cannot improve from fourth but their draw with Villa does have the consolation of a first Premiership goal from Diego Forlan after nine months and 23 games of trying by the £7.5 million striker.
Manchester City climb two places out of the drop zone, with victory over Birmingham City.

Southampton’s first hat-trick of the season, from James Beattie, helps beat Fulham.
Sunderland, with only their fifth goal of the season, from Michael Gray, draw with Bolton but stay 19th.

Story of a Premiership Season - October 2002

Story of a Premiership Season -
October 2002