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How every Premier League season would have finished after gameweek 29: 2007-08

With the Premier League currently suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Sports Mole looks at how the 2007-08 season would have ended after gameweek 29.

With the coronavirus pandemic having wreaked havoc across the sporting calendar for the forseeable future, the remainder of the Premier League season has been left shrouded in uncertainty as the virus sweeps across the globe.

Liverpool looked to be on course to end their 30-year wait for a top-flight title before the league's postponement, and while there is still hope that the 2019-20 season can reach a conclusion, teams are left anxiously waiting as to whether they will be able to take to the pitch again anytime soon.

Some top European leagues have already made the decision to end their campaigns, namely the Eredivisie and Ligue 1, but what would have happened if the 2007-08 Premier League season finished after gameweek 29?


Ryan Giggs and Manchester United lift the 2007-08 Premier League title on May 11, 2008© Reuters

Manchester United successfully retained their Premier League title in the 2007-08 season, finishing the campaign on 87 points, two ahead of second-placed Chelsea on 85.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side also triumphed against the Blues in the Champions League final of the same year, as the Red Devils began to assert their dominance over the English game once again.

However, the story of the season could have panned out much differently if the campaign finished after gameweek 29, at which point Arsenal led the way on 66 points.

Arsene Wenger's men had produced a barnstorming run to the top of the table, but eventually dropped down to third in the final two months of the season, with several fans citing Eduardo da Silva's horrific leg break as the primary reason for their dip in form.

As a result, Chelsea leapfrogged their London rivals into second place after going unbeaten in their final 11 games of the season, while Liverpool held on to fourth to seal a Champions League spot.

Everton, Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers occupied fifth, sixth and seventh respectively after gameweek 29 - standings that remained unchanged at the end of the season. Despite the fact that Portsmouth lost their final four fixtures to finish eighth, their FA Cup triumph gave them a route into the UEFA Cup.

Derby County and Reading in the Premier League on May 11, 2008© Reuters

At the foot of the table, Derby County broke the record that no team would have wanted to break, dropping down to the Championship with the lowest points total in Premier League history.

Paul Jewell's men were already down and out by gameweek 29, as they picked up just one draw from their last 10 outings to finish rock bottom on 11 points.

Fulham and Bolton Wanderers looked set to join the Rams in England's second tier after 29 matches, but both sides produced miraculous escapes to climb out of the relegation zone, with Fulham securing that famous 1-0 win over Portsmouth on the final day of the season.

Reading had enjoyed an impressive maiden campaign in the Premier League the season prior, and looked set to continue their stint in England's top flight after gameweek 29, at which point they occupied 14th.

However, the Royals only registered two wins from their final nine games to drop down to 18th, while Birmingham City fell from 17th to 19th as they made a swift return to the Championship.

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Chelsea celebrate winning the 2005-06 Premier League title
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