The earliest Premier League title win in history and when Liverpool can win the league

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After the two teams immediately behind them drew at the City Ground on February 26, Liverpool are on course for one of the earliest Premier League title wins in history as part of a hugely impressive first season in English football for manager Arne Slot.

Premier League all-time top scorer Alan Shearer called the title for Liverpool on February 22, while attention among many fans has turned to exactly when the apparent formality of their first triumph since 2019/20 will be confirmed.

The Reds will be champions with four matches to spare if they maintain the 13-point advantage they established by beating Newcastle 2-0 on the same evening, extending their unbeaten league run to 24 games.

How does that compare with some of the earliest bygone title wins and when could Liverpool lift the trophy? 101GreatGoals.com has the details.

Earliest Premier League title win in history

Liverpool are chasing their own record, having sealed top spot with seven matches to spare during the 2019/20 campaign under Slot’s predecessor, Jurgen Klopp.

They finished 18 points above second-placed Manchester City and 33 clear of third-placed Manchester United that season, with their only league defeat before winning the title coming at Watford on February 29.

Here are 10 of the earliest previous title wins in the English top flight.

Manchester United, 2000/01: Sheringham stars

After a defeat at Arsenal on October 1, United’s only losses before they won the title with five games to spare in 2000/01 came home and away to Liverpool, ensuring their defeats in their final three games to Derby County, Southampton and Tottenham were irrelevant.

Their third consecutive title under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson ended with the Red Devils 13 points above the second-placed Gunners, with top scorer Teddy Sheringham and fellow striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reaching double figures in the league to give their side a goal difference at least 16 superior to any of their rivals.

Manchester City, 2017/18: Guardiola glory

City had finished third and 15 points behind champions Chelsea in their first season under Pep Guardiola, but their second season under the Spaniard saw them become the first team since United in 2001 to win the title with five matches to spare, moving out of sight on April 15.

A 1-0 win for West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford handed the honours to City, who scored 106 goals, amassed a goal difference of 79 and finished 19 points above their fiercest rivals. City had the miniscule consolation of delaying United’s celebrations with a 3-2 comeback win at Etihad Stadium on April 7.

Man United 1907/08: Red Devils’ first title

Despite losing 1-0 at home to a Notts County side who started the day second-bottom, United became champions with five matches left on April 11 1908 because nearest rivals Newcastle, Sheffield Wednesday and City could no longer catch them, and even a run of one win and three defeats from their final six games saw Ernest Mangnall’s team finish nine points above second-placed Aston Villa.

Two of their heroes also represented their neighbours: Mangnall was United boss from 1903 until 1912, when he started a 12-year reign at City, while top scorer Sandy Turnbull played for the Cityzens between 1902 and joining United in 1906.

Everton 1984/85: Domestic and European silverware

After losing 4-3 at home to Chelsea on December 22 as part of a run of one win in five matches, Everton won 16 and drew two of their next 18 league games to prevail with five matches remaining in 1985, with their decisive 2-0 home win against Queen’s Park Rangers part of sa sequence of five straight clean sheets.

Graeme Sharp top-scored with 27 goals in all competitions as the Toffees finished 13 points above Liverpool and third-placed Tottenham to win the league for the first time in 15 years. Howard Kendall’s team also won the Cup Winners’ Cup, beating Bayern Munich in the semi-finals and Rapid Vienna in the final in Rotterdam.

Man United, 1999/2000: Landslide for Ferguson

They would break the record by eight days the following season, but United won the league on April 22 in 2000, becoming the first team in the Premier League era to triumph with four games to spare with the help of 20 league goals by Dwight Yorke.

A run of one defeat in 22 games and seven consecutive victories allowed them to take the title at Southampton, and they won each of their remaining league matches to come 18 points above second-placed Arsenal with a goal difference of 52 and six fewer defeats than any other side.

Man United, 2012/13: Sir Alex’s swansong

United won the title on exactly the same day in 2013, Premier League Golden Boot winner Robin van Persie scoring a spectacular goal in a 3-0 home win over Aston Villa in Ferguson’s last season in charge.

Ferguson’s final game was a 5-5 draw at West Brom as United won the league for a 13th time under the Scot, beating second-placed City by 11 points and winning five more games than the Cityzens. They are yet to mount a credible title challenge since.

Arsenal, 2003/04: The Invincibles

As well as giving Arsenal the distinction of being the only team ever to go through a Premier League season unbeaten, the 2003/04 season was particularly memorable for Arsene Wenger’s players because they won the title with a 2-2 draw at arch-rivals Tottenham with four games to spare on April 25.

Arsenal all-time top scorer Thierry Henry scored 39 of his 228 goals for the club that season, sending them 11 points clear of Chelsea in the final standings as part of a campaign containing nine straight wins between January 10 and March 28.

Chelsea 2004/05: Mourinho the master

Huge-spending Chelsea always looked likely to win the league in brash Premier League newcomer Jose Mourinho’s first season at the helm, although a midfielder Mourinho had inherited – top scorer Frank Lampard – sealed the title with three games remaining by scoring both goals in a 2-0 win at Bolton Wanderers.

Their only league defeat came courtesy of a goal by future Blues signing Nicolas Anelka at City in October, with Arsenal trailing 12 points in their wake after the final day.

Chelsea 2014/15: Mourinho’s last title

At the end of Mourinho’s second season in his second spell at the club, Chelsea had lost four fewer league games than any of their rivals and become champions with three matches remaining via Eden Hazard’s winner at home to Crystal Palace.

They finished eight points above City before suffering a remarkably swift slump, with Mourinho sacked that December after overseeing nine defeats in 16 games at the start of 2015/16, leaving his side a point above the relegation zone.

Liverpool 1982/83: Paisley’s farewell

Wins became worth three points in England in 1981, and Liverpool looked on course to win the title astonishingly early in Bob Paisley’s final season when they moved 16 points clear of second-placed Watford after their 35th game of a 42-match league schedule.

Leading marksman Ian Rush failed to score at all as Liverpool failed to win any of their remaining seven games, but Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Norwich City on April 30 meant Paisley’s players were champions with three games to spare, ultimately recording a goal difference at least 32 superior to anyone else.

When can Liverpool win the title?

Nearest rivals Arsenal could be in Liverpool on the earliest date Slot’s side could win the title. Arsenal visit Everton on April 5, when Liverpool are at Fulham.

That scenario, however, would require a capitulation by Arsenal, with victory at home to Tottenham on April 26 looking a more realistic date when Liverpool could lift the trophy.

Assuming the remaining results at the top this season are not flawless from Liverpool’s perspective, they could also be confirmed at Chelsea on May 3 or at home to Arsenal on May 10.Mohamed Salah

Liverpool fixtures and title run-in

Here are the games when Liverpool could win the title. Dates are subject to change.

Fulham (A) – April 5
West Ham (H) – April 12
Leicester City (A) – April 19
Tottenham (H) – April 26
Chelsea (A) – May 3
Arsenal (H) – May 10
Brighton & Hove Albion (A) – May 18
Crystal Palace (H) – May 25

Premier League title race: Arne Slot trophies

Slot succeeded former Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat at former club Feyenoord before the start of the 2021/22 season, leading them to third in the top flight and the inaugural Conference League final.

The 45-year-old won the Eredivisie by seven points ahead of PSV in 2022/23 and lifted the Dutch Cup the following season.

He won the Eredivisie Manager of the Year award in both of his campaigns in charge. Feyenoord finished seven points behind PSV in 2023/24, losing two of their 34 league games.

The Dutchman also won the second tier in his homeland as a midfielder for Zwolle in 2001/02 and 2011/12.




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