2002–03 FA Premier League

Updated on Dec 25, 2023

Edit

Comment

Season 2002–03 Goals scored 1,000		Dates 17 Aug 2002 – 11 May 2003 Matches played 380

Champions Manchester United 8th Premier League title 15th English title Champions League Manchester United Arsenal Newcastle United Chelsea UEFA Cup Southampton Blackburn Rovers Liverpool Manchester City Top goalscorer Ruud van Nistelrooy (25) Biggest home win Chelsea 5–0 Manchester City (22 March 2003) Arsenal 6–1 Southampton (7 May 2003) Relegated Sunderland A.F.C., West Ham United F.C., West Bromwich Albion F.C. Similar 2003–04 FA Premier League, 2001–02 FA Premier League, 2000–01 FA Premier League, 2004–05 FA Premier League, 2005–06 FA Premier League

The 2002–03 FA Premier League (known as the FA Barclaycard Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the 11th season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003.

Manchester United ended the campaign as champions for the eighth time in eleven years – an achievement made all the more remarkable by virtue of defending champions Arsenal having been in the lead by eight points on 2 March. Although this was a season of breaking new English domestic records for the Gunners, and leading at all fronts come the halfway stage, they threw away a priceless lead against Bolton Wanderers and finally surrendered the title with a 3–2 home defeat to Leeds United, in their antepenultimate game of the season. This result all but saved Leeds from relegation. Newcastle United and Chelsea were the remaining two teams, who qualified for the UEFA Champions League at the expense of Liverpool who had to settle for the UEFA Cup; they would be joined in Europe by Blackburn Rovers for their second successive season.

League table

Updated to games played on 11 May 2003.
Source: FA Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
¹Since Liverpool qualified for the UEFA Cup via the league, their place in the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners reverted to the league and was awarded to Blackburn Rovers.
²Since Arsenal qualified for the Champions League, their place in the UEFA Cup as FA Cup winners went to Southampton, who were the FA Cup runners-up.
³Manchester City qualified for the UEFA Cup as Fair Play winners.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Overall

Most wins – Manchester United (25)

Fewest wins – Sunderland (4)

Most draws – Bolton Wanderers (14)

Fewest draws – Leeds United (5)

Most losses – Sunderland (27)

Fewest losses – Manchester United (5)

Most goals scored – Arsenal (85)

Fewest goals scored – Sunderland (21)

Most goals conceded – West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland (65)

Fewest goals conceded – Manchester United (34)

Hat-tricks

⁴ Player scored 4 goals

Scoring

First goal of the season: Michael Ricketts for Bolton Wanderers against Fulham (17 August 2002)

Fastest goal of the season:

Largest winning margin: 6 goals

West Bromwich Albion 0–6 Liverpool (26 April 2003)

Highest scoring game: 8 goals

Manchester United 5–3 Newcastle United (23 November 2002)

Newcastle United 2–6 Manchester United (12 April 2003)

Most goals scored in a match by a losing team: 3 goals

West Ham United 3–4 Leeds United (10 November 2002)

Manchester United 5–3 Newcastle United (23 November 2002)

Bolton Wanderers 4–3 Newcastle United (26 December 2002)

Tottenham Hotspur 4–3 Everton (12 January 2003)

Clean sheets

Most clean sheets: 15

Blackburn Rovers

Fewest clean sheets: 5

Tottenham Hotspur

Discipline

Worst overall disciplinary record (1 pt per yellow card, 3 pts per red card):

Best overall disciplinary record:

Most yellow cards (club):

Most yellow cards (player): 13 – Iván Campo (Bolton Wanderers)

Most red cards (club):

Most red card (player): 3

Franck Queudrue (Middlesbrough)

Most fouls (player):

PFA Players' Player of the Year

The PFA Players' Player of the Year award for 2003 was won by Thierry Henry of Arsenal. This was the Frenchman's first award of the season and he beat off competition from the previous winner Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, in alphabetical order, was as follows:

PFA Young Player of the Year

The PFA Young Player of the Year award was won by Jermaine Jenas of Newcastle United. Wayne Rooney was voted runner-up, and John O'Shea finished third in one of his first full seasons as a United player.

The shortlist for the award was as follows:

Barclaycard Manager of the Year

The award was won by Sir Alex Ferguson for winning his eighth title and regaining the league after a superb second half to the season, involving an 18-match unbeaten run.

Barclaycard Player of the Year

The award was given to Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose form, creativity and goals all helped Manchester United regain the league from Arsenal.

Barclaycard Golden Boot

This award was also won by Ruud van Nistelrooy who scored 25 goals in 38 league matches and 44 in all competitions. He also equalled his record of eight goals in eight successive matches at the beginning of the season, a milestone he had reached the previous season. Van Nistelrooy finished one goal ahead of Arsenal's Thierry Henry while James Beattie managed 23 league goals for Southampton. Since the reduction of the number of games from 42 to 38 in 1996, only Kevin Phillips had scored more Premiership goals in one season – 30 for Sunderland in the 1999–2000 season.

Barclaycard Golden Gloves

The award was given to Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who proved vital in their quest for UEFA Champions League football. He kept twelve clean sheets – the most in the season – and only conceded 35 goals. Viewers of ITV's On the Ball voted Cudicini, ahead of Southampton keeper Antti Niemi, and Blackburn Rovers' Brad Friedel.

Goal of the season

The annual award was won by a wonder goal from Thierry Henry against Tottenham Hotspur, on 16 November 2002, voted by viewers of ITV's The Premiership.

Henry – chance for a break out, Wiltord to his right, Bergkamp to his left...they'll do well to catch up with Thierry Henry though...he's drifted away from Carr – HENRY! What a fabulous solo goal by Thierry Henry. A long distance goal followed by a long distance celebration...and Arsenal are back in the goalscoring business, after their midweek blank. Henry's been short of a goal or two just recently...but look at the confidence as he breaks from inside his own half, shrugging off Etherington, stepping away from Carr and from King...and picking his spot – he had options...but he had eyes for only one thing – the back of Kasey Keller's net. Thierry Henry moves into double figures for the season.

The French striker picked up the ball from his side of the pitch and ran almost 30 yards (27 m), twisting and turning the Spurs defence to unleash a thunderous shot. In celebration, he ran the distance of the whole pitch and skidded in front of the Spurs faithful. The goal proved important as it helped them regain their position at the top of the Premiership from Liverpool.