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The new Premier League season has arrived and we cannot contain our excitement. After weeks of agonising wait that was filled with numerous rumours from the transfer market, it is finally time for on-field action. The Premier League has been home to some of the most exciting teams in the history of the game and has established a reputation for itself as an enterprising league, courtesy of numerous nerve wracking matches since its inception.
In this segment, we take a walk down the memory lane to look at 10 of the most exciting games in the history of the Premier League.
#10 Leeds United 4-3 Liverpool (2000-01)
It was not a very long time ago that Leeds United were a force to reckon with. Before the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea began making headways into the League, Leeds had been a regular feature in the UEFA Champions League, until their financial mistakes doomed them to a life in lower divisions of English football.
However, in the 12 years that they were the part of the League, the club was involved in several exciting games but one game, in particular, stands out in the memory of the club’s fans to this day, their game against Liverpool in November 2000. The game began badly for the home side at the Elland Road as Sami Hyypia and Christian Ziege gave the Reds a two-goal lead before the clock had struck the 20-minute mark.
However, thereafter, it was all about Leeds’s latest recruit Mark Viduka, who took the game by the scruff of its neck and turned it around in the favour of the Whites. The Australian brought Leeds back on level terms with goals in the 24th and 47th minute. However, it looked like Liverpool would run away as the eventual winners when Vladimir Spicer restored their lead in the 61st minute.
But, Viduka was not entirely done with tormenting Liverpool as he scored in quick succession in the 73rd and 75th minute to mark his arrival on to one of the toughest stages in world football.
#9 Newcastle United 4-4 Arsenal (2010-11)
Coming into their game against Newcastle United in February 2011, Arsenal were in contention for the Premier League as they seemed to be catching up on the Sir Alex Ferguson led Manchester United. True to their form, the Gunners took the lead very early in the game as Theo Walcott scored within 44 seconds and they looked set to take 3 points away from the St. James Park when further goals from Johan Djourou and Robin van Persie (2) saw them take a comfortable 4-0 lead at the half time.
However, time and again we have been taught that the game of football can turn in a matter of minutes and that was the case in this match as well. Abou Diaby saw red early in the 2nd half and it sparked a revival of unmatched proportions.
Joey Barton scored from the penalty spot on either side of a Leon Best goal to bring Newcastle United within touching distance of a massive come back but the work was not done as they still needed a goal with time running out.
With 3 minutes left for the regular time to get over, an Arsenal clearance fell in the way of an onrushing Cheick Tiote. And the late Ivorian did not disappoint as he gave the footballing world a strike to remember, scoring with a thunderous volley.
While it was the only goal he scored during his time in England, the Ivorian’s strike still brings wide smiles on the faces of millions of Newcastle United fans to this day.
#8 Arsenal 2-3 Leeds United (2002-03)
The stakes were high when Arsenal and Leeds United locked horns in May of 2003. While Arsenal desperately needed to bag all the three points at home in order to remain in contention for the Premier League title, Leeds United, who had fallen prey to financial mismanagement, needed a win to secure their Premier League status for the next season.
With the game being played at the Highbury, Arsenal were believed to be the favourites going into the game. However, it was Leeds who took the lead in the 5th minute when Harry Kewell scored a wonderful goal and thus began a tale that is often recollected by the Leeds faithful. Arsenal equalised through their talismanic striker Thierry Henry but Leeds were in no mood to give up as they restored their lead via deflected free kick from Ian Harte, only for Arsenal to restore parity in the 63rd minute via a Denis Bergkamp goal.
As the game got into its final stages, there were chances at either end of the pitch but neither of the teams were able to grab their opportunities. That was, until, very late in the game, Leeds’s Australian superstar Mark Viduka found the ball at his feet with acres of space to run into.
The roof at Elland Road erupted as he scored in the 89th minute, not only securing his side’s Premier League status but also ending Arsenal’s title run.
#7 Tottenham Hotspur 4-5 Arsenal (2004-05)
The North London derby has acquired the reputation of a derby that, while being feisty, is also laden with goals. That was precisely the case when Tottenham Hotspur hosted their cross-town rivals Arsenal in the November of 2004. With Arsenal looking to retain their League title on the back of an invincible season, Spurs had added incentive to beat the Gunners and it began as per plan for the club as they took the lead via a volley from Noureddine Naybet. It looked like Spurs would go into the break with their lead intact until Thierry Henry put the Gunners on level terms in the injury time of the first half.
Thereafter, Arsenal truly rose to the occasion as goals from Lauren and Patrick Viera gave the Gunners a two goal lead. However, for those who thought that the game was done and dusted when Viera scored, they were proved wrong.
Jermaine Defoe gave Spurs some hope with a goal only for Freddie Ljungberg to restore Arsenal’s two goal lead shortly thereafter.
While Ledley King’s strike brought Spurs within touching distance of an improbable comeback, it wasn’t to be, as Robert Pires’s goal, the 5th Arsenal goal of the evening secured the all important three points for the Arsene Wenger managed unit even though Freddie Kanoute added a fourth for Spurs.
#6 Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle United (1995-96)
The 1996 season will forever be remembered for Newcastle United’s epic fall from grace as they let go of a 12 point lead to concede the title to Manchester United. However, who would have thought that the Red Devils’ biggest rivals Liverpool had a positive part to play in that.
The game, which was played at Anfield, was a classic in every sense and it truly kicked off with Robbie Fowler opening the scoring for the Reds. However, Newcastle quickly equalised via Les Ferdinand in the 10th and before Liverpool could reorganise themselves, they were in the back seat as David Ginola scored just 4 minutes later to give the Magpies the lead.
While Robbie Fowler did score early in the 2nd half to bring parity to the game, it seemed that Newcastle would take the 3 points from the game when Faustino Asprilla restored the lead for Kevin Keegan’s side. But the game was not done yet as Stan Collymore rose to the occasion and made it a game that he will forever be remembered for.
He equalised in the 68th minute and it was not until very late in the game, in fact, stoppage time of the second half, that he truly made the game memorable. After being involved in a one-two with the likes of Ian Rush and John Barnes, the Englishman scored, to hand the Reds the deserved victory at home amidst jubilant scenes at the Kop End.
#5 Tottenham Hotspur 3-5 Manchester United (2001-02)
If there was one emotion that was prevalent amongst the Manchester United faithful during the regime of Sir Alex Ferguson, it was that no game was lost until the final whistle had been blown. However, even the staunchest of Scot’s admirers could be forgiven for believing that the game was well out of their reach at half-time when the side travelled to the White Hart Lane in September 2001.
Spurs began the game very well when they took an early lead through Dean Richards. However, they were not entirely done as they soon turned into Manchester United’s worst nightmare as goals from Christian Ziege and Les Ferdinand meant that they went into the break with a 3 goal lead.
However, Manchester United, who had been thoroughly dominated by the home side in the first half, began the second half with renewed purpose. Even before the millions of football fans watching the game could realise, Manchester United made a very successful comeback through goals from Andy Cole, Laurent Blanc, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Sebastian Veron and David Beckham.
The game marked one of the most important results in the life of Sir Alex Fergusson as it reinstated his status as a manager who could change the course of a game in a matter of minutes.
#4 Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal (2008-09)
Liverpool’s pursuit of the Premier League title has been a long and troubled tale as the once mighty Reds have never managed to lift the piece of silverware since its inception. However, it looked like the Reds were set to win the Premier League title for the first time in 2010-11 under the regime of Rafa Benitez.
When Arsenal visited Anfield late in the season, emotions were at their peak amongst the Liverpool faithful as they were in touching distance of the league title. However, Arsenal and Andrey Arshavin, in particular, had other plans in their mind as they engaged the Reds in a pulsating tie. It was Arsenal who took the lead through Arshavin before Fernando Torres cancelled out their lead before the stroke of half time.
When Yossi Benayoun scrambled home a brave header early in the second half, it looked like Liverpool were going to take the game away from the Gunners. But, Andrey Arshavin yet again came to Arsenal’s rescue, scoring two goals in quick succession. In between subsequent goals from Torres and Benayoun, Arshavin had managed to score yet another goal making the game his own.
While Liverpool did take the lead over Manchester United post the game, Arsenal had dealt a massive blow to their title challenge, a blow which they never truly recovered from.
#3 Liverpool 3-3 Manchester United (1993-94)
The rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool is perhaps one of the most brutal yet entertaining one in the history of the game. The once mighty Reds had found the going tough since the inception of the Premier League and when they hosted Manchester United in January of 1994, it was all about pride for the Reds.
While Manchester United looked set to retain their league title, the Reds were out of contention and given the way the game panned out in the first half, you could be forgiven to believe that the Reds had lost their charm.
The Red Devils went into the break with a massive lead of three goals through strikes from their captain Steve Bruce, Ryan Giggs and Dennis Irwin. Liverpool looked well out of the game at half-time but the equation changed quickly when Nigel Clough managed to claw one back for the Reds in the 2nd half, giving them something to fight for. The momentum was on their side and the Reds were soon rewarded for their efforts when Nigel Clough scored his 2nd of the evening.
But the work was not done yet as the Reds still needed a goal to take something from the game with time running out. When Neil Ruddock scored via a thunderous header with 11 minutes left for the game to end, the home crowd erupted, for not only had they avoided a defeat to their arch-rivals, they had done so in emphatic style.
#2 Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City (2009-10)
It was not very long ago when Manchester City were counted amongst the lightweights in the Premier League. However, that changed when the ownership of the club was transferred to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan as he brought in massive investments into the club. It has paid rich dividends for the club as they have now become an elite club in England and are amongst the feared units in the land.
However, it was not easy for City very early in Sheikh’s regime as they embarked on the journey of establishing their own identity and the perfect way to do so would be getting one up on their cross town rivals Manchester United.
When City visited Old Trafford in September of 2009, words had already been exchanged amongst the managers, Mark Hughes and Sir Alex Ferguson and it was a massive occasion. Wayne Rooney scored early in the game before a mistake from Ben Foster allowed Gareth Barry to equalise. Both the sides were keen to establish their supremacy in the game and a brace apiece from Darren Fletcher and Craig Bellamy meant that the game was heading towards a stalemate.
That was until the former Liverpool hit-man Michael Owen scored one of the most recounted goals in the history of the Premier League late in the injury time of the second half to condemn Manchester United’s cross town rivals to a heart-breaking defeat.
#1 Manchester City 3-2 QPR (2011-12)
The end of the 2011-12 season was a tumultuous affair. Manchester United and Manchester City were locked in an intense battle for supremacy throughout the season and that culminated in a dramatic season finale. While Manchester United’s title hopes rest on them winning their final game against Sunderland and Manchester City dropping points, City were to win their first league title since 1968 if they got all three points from their game, courtesy of a superior goal difference.
It was City who took the lead shortly after the break through Pablo Zabaleta but QPR were not in a mood to make life easy for their hosts as they soon equalised through Djibril Cisse. When Jamie Mackie scored via a header in the 68th minute, it looked like City’s title run had come to a dramatic yet sad end.
With the game heading into extra-time, several Manchester City fans were seen heading out of the stadium and in hindsight, it was a decision that several fans who left would regret. Edin Dzeko equalised for the Citizens in the 2nd minute of the stoppage time but it was believed that it had come too late, especially with the news arriving that United had won their game.
When all hope was lost, City perhaps found their champion in the form of Sergio Aguero. The Argentine found space in the box very late in the stoppage time and beat the onrushing QPR keeper with a powerful drive to send City atop the table and the fans into a frenzy.
