5 Key Premier League Moments that Shaped the Last Decade
The Bloom Moon rises. Manchester City highlights a heart-stopping decade for English Premier League football. | Image: AFP PHOTO/IAN KINGTON
- The last decade in the English Premier League was a significant one that saw the downfall of some histrionic clubs.
- The decade also saw the rise of new superpowers in English football.
- Here are five key moments that saw English football undergo massive twists and turns.
Another roller-coaster decade of Premier League football nears a conclusion. This decade was significant in many ways as it saw the downfall of some historic clubs and the rise of new powerhouses. Along the way, some pivotal moments shaped the current scenario. Here are the top five moments.
5. The Blue Moon Rises – Manchester City Gives Fans a Glimpse of the Future – 2011/12
Over the years, Manchester United had remained the superior team in the city of Manchester. Their domination spanned decades, and Alex Ferguson was the man responsible for inflicting many humiliating defeats on Manchester City.
However, the 1-6 defeat to Manchester City was a pivotal moment as it gave everyone a glimpse of things to come. It was as if City channeled all the frustration of the century in one game and inflicted United’s worst defeat since 1930. It was also the most humiliating defeat of Alex Ferguson’s career.
This was when the blue moon rose, and little did anyone know it was there to stay as City went on to win the Premier League for the first time in their history, and three more league wins followed after that.
4. Alex Ferguson Retires – Manchester United Enter free fall – 2013/14
After the inevitable news of Alex Ferguson retiring hit the news, fans were shocked when it was announced that David Moyes will be the one to succeed the legendary manager. On top of that, it was the fact that he was offered a six-year contract, which left fans baffled.
The Scot came under pressure immediately as Manchester United suffered their worst start ever to a season in his first year. This was the beginning of the end for Moyes as he was sacked in April 2014, with United in 7th place. This officially marked the beginning of a painful period for Manchester United.
3. Liverpool Legend Steven Gerrard misses out on first Premier League title- 2014
The English Premier League trophy had eluded Liverpool for over 25 years. However, it looked like that streak was coming to an end in 2014.
After a string of stunning performances under Brendan Rogers, captain Steven Gerrard had ensured his team had a hand and four fingers on the trophy. They were faced with the task of defeating Chelsea to cement their position on the top of the table.
Right before halftime, Gerrard was ready to pile the pressure on Chelsea with a stunning pass if it wasn’t for the zippy surface underneath. He slipped, and the ball zipped through to Demba Ba, who ran clear to score. Chelsea won that match, and Liverpool finished second in the league.
2. Leicester City Win the Premier League – 2016
No one had foreseen Leicester City winning the Premier League title . Amid the presence of top teams with transfer budgets of hundreds of millions of pounds, the thought of a small team winning the league was incomprehensible. However, Leicester City achieved that in just their second season in top flight football.
Overcoming the odds of 5000-1, Leicester City went on to finish first in the English top division in their entire history. A moment of genius by Eden Hazard at the Stamford Bridge meant Spurs drew 2-2, handing Claudio Ranieri’s team the title.
1. Blue Moon Arrives – Aguero’s Goal Wins City the League – 2011/12
The damning victory over Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United at the Old Trafford had ensured that the ‘Blue Moon’ was on the rise. But this was the moment the Blue Moon finally arrived.
The echoes of Martin Tyler screaming Aguero’s name still ring around the Etihad stadium because of the intensity of the greatest moment in the Premier League history. Sergio Aguero finished clinically and handed Manchester City their first-ever Premier League title, which they won on goal difference over their local rivals, Manchester United.
