The Story of a Premiership Season

January 2004

Yakuba Ayegbeni’s goal at Villa is Portsmouth’s first Premiership goal in 12 hours and 24 minutes but it’s a consolation as Aston Villa net a late Angel winner plunges Pompey to within a point of the bottom three.

Manchester United win at Bolton to take over at the top from Arsenal, who are held by Everton. Tomasz Radzinski cancels out Kanu’s first Premiership goal of the season and in doing so maintains his record of scoring in every game he has faced The Gunners. Bruno Cheyrou’s first Premier League goal sinks Chelsea and revitalises Liverpool’s season, taking them up to fifth.
At the other end of the Premiership Wolves are held by Blackburn, and remain bottom. Leeds crash to Alan Shearer’s 17th goal of the campaign, his 20th Premier League goal against Leeds, easily his best tally against any top flight side. Leeds stay 19th while Portsmouth are 18th. Leicester, who fail to score for the fourth consecutive game, at Southampton, are only outside the drop zone on goal difference.

Alan Shearer’s goal against Leeds is his 237th Premier League goal.
Arsenal’s thrashing of Portsmouth, in which Freddie Ljunberg nets his 50th Premiership goal, keeps them ahead of United but then Fergie’s side fails to convert their game in hand when they are held by Newcastle. It’s the Geordies’ first point at OT since 1998. Afterwards referee Paul Durkin admits he should have awarded The Magpies a penalty when Alan Shearer was felled by United ’keeper Tim Howard.

Wolves stay bottom after losing to Charlton and Leeds are only one place higher after a Robbie Keane goal gives Spurs victory. There are no celebrations from the former Elland Road striker. Leicester stay 18th after they crash to Chelsea and Adrian Mutu scores his first goal in 15 games.

At the top of the table it’s so tight with United and Arsenal level on points, 49, level on goals-for, 40, and goals-against, 14.

The biggest shock of the Premiership season when, before a best-ever Molineux crowd, Wolves beat Manchester United with a Kenny Miller goal, his first in the Premier League, giving Wolves their first top flight win over United for 43 years.

Graham Stuart hits his 50th Premier League goal to give Charlton victory at Everton, Stuart’s old club, 10 years after his brace, on the final day of the season, kept Everton in the top flight.
At the bottom of the table Leicester leapfrog Portsmouth, losers at Bolton, to 18th. Surrendering a 3–1 lead, by conceding twice in the 90th minute, against Middlesbrough, stopped The Foxes from climbing out of the relegation zone. After losing to Southampton, Kevin Phillips’ first Saints goal proves the winner. Leeds are rock-bottom, five points from safety.

Arsenal extend their unbeaten run to 22 games with a controversial victory over Villa. The first of Thierry Henry’s brace comes from a quickly taken free-kick while a disorganised Villa defence await the referee’s whistle, unaware that the Frenchman had asked the official if he could take it quickly. The Gunners now lead second-placed Manchester United by two points and are six points away from third-placed Chelsea, who are held by Birmingham City.

Laurent Robert scores a wonder overhead kick to clinch a Newcastle win over Fulham that takes them fifth.

Kenny Miller nets another goal as Wolves hold Liverpool to stay 19th and extend their unbeaten home record to 11 games.

Arsenal shatter their transfer record in paying Seville £20 million for Jose Antonio Reyes.
Louis Saha is credited with a debut goal in the win over Southampton that takes Manchester United top although Kevin Phillip’s head diverts the Frenchman’s free-kick, wickedly, past Niemi. Ruud Van Nistelrooy also scores to take his United tally to 99 in 122 starts.

Leeds are now six points adrift of safety after losing their eighth ‘must-win’ game, in a row, crashing to Middlesbrough, and United have Paul Robinson sent off. Wolves are 19th but their draw with Pompey puts them level with third-bottom Leicester, who are walloped by Aston Villa, and extend their home winless run, which stretches back to 2 November.

SIDEBAR
It’s more than a decade since the last successful penalty, at Old Trafford, by a visiting player. That was Ruel Fox, in his Norwich days. Since then a couple have been awarded but not converted.

Story of a Premiership Season - January 2004

Story of a Premiership Season -
January 2004