Arsenal stuck to the script and booked their place in history on Saturday by becoming the first side in more than a century to complete an unbeaten sweep through an entire league campaign.
A 2-1 win over relegated Leicester ensured Arsene Wenger’s champions finished the season with 26 wins, 12 draws and not a single defeat — a feat that has not been achieved since Preston North End’s ”Invincibles” stayed unbeaten through a 22-match campaign in 1888/89.
”I always had that dream and to fulfil it today is absolutely marvellous,” Wenger said as he basked in the adulation of the Highbury crowd. ”Not to lose a game is absolutely amazing.”
The day’s other big issue was resolved in Newcastle’s favour, a 1-1 draw at Liverpool enough to secure fifth spot and a place in the Uefa Cup as rivals Aston Villa slumped to a 2-0 home defeat to Manchester United.
Chelsea marked what was almost certainly Claudio Ranieri’s final match in charge with a 1-0 win over Leeds, courtesy of Jesper Gronkjaer’s 20th-minute goal.
Ranieri is widely expected to be replaced this summer, although he revealed after the match that he was still waiting to learn his fate.
”I tried to do my best and I think the job was done,” Ranieri said. ”Now what happens I don’t know, I can only pass the ball to [Chelsea owner] Roman [Abramovich].”
Leeds escaped the ignominy of finishing the season bottom of the table. That dubious distinction went to Wolves, whose final game in the top flight ended in a 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham.
Arsenal’s performance at Highbury was far from convincing but that is not what history will record.
Leicester had looked like crashing the party in spectacular fashion after captain Paul Dickov headed them into a first-half lead from a Frank Sinclair cross that German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann badly misjudged.
The goal left Arsenal rattled and they never looked like equalising until Sinclair upended Ashley Cole in the box two minutes after the restart. Thierry Henry slotted the spot-kick low to the right of Ian Walker for his 30th Premiership goal of the season.
That was the cue for normal service to resume and Patrick Vieira booked the Gunners’ place in history by rounding Walker after a sublime through-ball from the outside of Dennis Bergkamp’s right-boot.
Newcastle salvaged something from a miserable season after taking a first half lead at Anfield through Shola Ameobi, who finished well after a strong run and neat pass from Lee Bowyer.
Michael Owen equalised midway through the second half after a superb through ball from England teammate Steven Gerrard but Newcastle held on for the crucial point.
Villa’s dreams of a return to Europe were crushed inside 10 minutes.
Cristiano Ronaldo put United ahead before Ruud van Nistelrooy raced on to a 40-yard ball from Paul Scholes, rounded Thomas Sorensen and tapped the ball into the net.
United finished the game with nine men after Darren Fletcher and Ronaldo got their marching orders but the red cards came too late for Villa to salvage the point that would have put them into Europe.
Blackburn and Birmingham shared the points at Ewood Park, Stern John’s late equaliser cancelling out Andy Cole’s first-half strike for Blackburn.
Fulham secured their highest-to-date Premiership finish — ninth — with a 2-0 win at Bolton, American striker Brian McBride scoring both goals.
Manchester City finally produced a performance worthy of their new stadium as they thrashed Everton 5-1 to leapfrog the Merseysiders and finish the season 17th.
An early double from Paulo Wanchope and a Nicolas Anelka strike put City on track at the break. Kevin Campbell pulled one back for Everton but late goals from Antoine Sibierski and Shaun Wright-Phillips sent City’s long-suffering fans off for the summer in good spirits.
Portsmouth also rounded off their season — and a turbulent week — in style with a 5-1 win over Middlesbrough at Fratton Park.
Nigerian striker Ayegbeni Yakubu needed only 31 minutes to complete his hat-trick and added a fourth seven minutes from time.
But the biggest cheers were reserved for manager Harry Redknapp, who had been on the brink of quitting 24 hours earlier after a row with the club’s chairperson, Milan Mandaric.
Bolo Zenden was Boro’s scorer with Teddy Sheringham notching Pompey’s fourth in his final game for the club.
Charlton finished the season on a high, goals from Jason Euell and Carlton Cole securing a 2-1 win over Southampton and sixth place. David Prutton scored for the visitors.
Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe got the goals for Tottenham that condemned Wolves to finishing rock bottom. — Sapa-AFP