5 memorable final-day Premier League title battles

Manchester City head into Sunday’s home clash with Aston Villa knowing there will be nothing Liverpool can do to deny them a second successive Premier League title if they win.

The Reds, who entertain Wolves, will kick off a single point adrift of Pep Guardiola’s men and poised to take full advantage of any slip-up on what they hope will be a dramatic final day at the end of an intensely hard-fought race for glory.

Here, the PA news agency looks to other Premier League campaigns in which the fight for the silverware went right down to the wire.

Blackburn brought down the curtain on their bid to upset the established order at Anfield holding a two-point advantage over Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. Alan Shearer put them ahead, but goals from John Barnes and Jamie Redknapp, who secured 2-1 victory with a 90th-minute free-kick, left Rovers sweating. However, United could only draw 1-1 at West Ham and the trophy went back to Ewood Park.

Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle had frittered away a 12-point advantage as the Magpies sought their first league title since 1927, but went into the final round of fixtures two behind United. In the event, a 1-1 draw with Tottenham at St James’ Park saw Ferguson’s men cruise to their third Premier League crown in four years with a 3-0 win at Middlesbrough.

United and the previous season’s Double winners Arsenal approached the decisive day of the 1998-99 season with the Gunners just a point worse off and with both sides playing at home. Four days after the Red Devils had leapfrogged Arsene Wenger’s men into first place, Arsenal beat Aston Villa 1-0, but despite having briefly being given hope when Les Ferdinand put Tottenham ahead at Old Trafford, goals from David Beckham and Andrew Cole