Goals scored 1,002 | Dates 11 Aug 2007 – 11 May 2008 Matches played 380 | |
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UEFA Cup PortsmouthEvertonTottenham HotspurManchester City Similar 2006–07 FA Premier League, 1998–99 FA Premier League, 2012–13 Premier League, 2011–12 Premier League, 2008 UEFA Champions League F | ||
The best of arsenal 2007 2008 premier league
The 2007–08 Premier League (known as the Barclays Premier League for sponsorship reasons) season was the 16th since its establishment. The first matches of the season were played on 11 August 2007, and the season ended on 11 May 2008. Manchester United went into the 2007–08 season as the Premier League's defending champions, having won their ninth Premier League title and sixteenth league championship overall the previous season. This season was also the third consecutive season to see the "Big Four" continue their stranglehold on the top four spots and places in the UEFA Champions League.
Contents
- The best of arsenal 2007 2008 premier league
- League table
- Results
- Scoring
- Cards
- Average home attendance
- Clean sheets
- Overall
- Home
- Away
- League Managers Association Manager of the Year
- PFA Players Player of the Year
- PFA Young Player of the Year
- PFA Team of the Year
- PFA Fans Player of the Year
- PFA Merit Award
- FWA Footballer of the Year
- Barclays Player of the season
- Barclays Manager of the season
- Barclays Golden Boot Award
- Barclays Golden Glove Award
- Barclays Fair Play Award
- Barclays Premier League Merit Award
- Personnel and kits
- Records
- References
The first goal of the season was scored by Michael Chopra, who scored a 94th-minute winner for Sunderland against Tottenham in the early kick-off. The first red card of the season was given to Reading's Dave Kitson after a challenge on Patrice Evra in their opening game against Manchester United. The first hat-trick was scored by Emmanuel Adebayor in the match between Arsenal and Derby County.
On 29 September 2007, Portsmouth beat Reading 7–4 in the highest scoring match in Premier League history. On 15 December 2007, both Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers) and Marcus Bent (Wigan Athletic) scored hat-tricks during Wigan's 5–3 home win over Blackburn. This was the first occasion in Premier League history that two players on opposing teams had scored hat-tricks during the same match.
On 29 March 2008, Derby County drew 2–2 with Fulham while Birmingham City, who were 17th in the table at the time, beat Manchester City 3–1, to make Derby County the first team in Premier League history to be relegated in March, ending the season with a League record low points tally of just 11.
On 11 May 2008, the final day of the season, Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 2–0 while Chelsea drew 1–1 with Bolton Wanderers, thus crowning Manchester United with their tenth Premier League title, and 17th championship overall, just one behind Liverpool's total of 18. Meanwhile, despite Birmingham beating Blackburn Rovers 4–1 and Reading beating Derby 4–0, both Birmingham and Reading were relegated due to Fulham's 1–0 win over Portsmouth. This meant that Fulham avoided relegation by a goal difference of −22, compared to Reading's −25. On the same day, Middlesbrough beat Manchester City 8–1 to claim the biggest win of the season.
The season was notable for the return of the English league to the top of UEFA's official ranking list, overtaking La Liga for the period from 1 May 2008 to 30 April 2009. This followed the success of English clubs in the UEFA Champions League, with both champions Manchester United and runners-up Chelsea reaching the European Cup final. This was the first time that the English league had topped the UEFA rankings since the events at the Heysel Stadium in 1985.
League table
Source: Barclays Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
1 via 2007–08 FA Cup
2 via UEFA Fair Play ranking (0.8 of a point ahead of Fulham)
3 via 2007-08 Football League Cup
For further information on European qualification see Premier League – Competition
(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.
Results
Source: Barclays Premier League
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For coming matches, an a indicates there is an article about the match.
Scoring
Cards
Average home attendance
Clean sheets
Overall
Home
Away
League Managers' Association Manager of the Year
The LMA Manager of the Year award was won by Sir Alex Ferguson after leading Manchester United to back-to-back league title wins. The award was presented by Fabio Capello on 13 May 2008.
PFA Players' Player of the Year
The PFA Players' Player of the Year award for 2008 was won by Cristiano Ronaldo for the second year in a row.
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 Cesc Fàbregas of Arsenal.
The shortlist for the award was as follows:
PFA Team of the Year
Goalkeeper: David James (Portsmouth)
Defence: Bacary Sagna, Gaël Clichy (both Arsenal), Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidić (both Manchester United)
Midfield: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal), Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Attack: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal), Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
PFA Fans' Player of the Year
2007 winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, was named the PFA Fans' Player of the Year again in 2008. Liverpool striker Fernando Torres finished second, with Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas finishing third.
PFA Merit Award
BBC broadcaster and former England and Blackpool full-back Jimmy Armfield received the PFA Merit Award for his services to the game.
FWA Footballer of the Year
The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award for 2008 was won by Cristiano Ronaldo for a second successive season. The Manchester United winger saw off the challenges of Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and Portsmouth goalkeeper David James, who finished second and third respectively.
Barclays Player of the season
Cristiano Ronaldo won the Barclays Player of the Season accolade for the second season in succession.
Barclays Manager of the season
Sir Alex Ferguson, picked up the Barclays Manager of the Season for the eighth time.
Barclays Golden Boot Award
Cristiano Ronaldo was named the winner of the Barclays Golden Boot Award. The Manchester United winger's 31 goals from 34 league appearances helped see off stiff opposition for this award from Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor and Fernando Torres of Liverpool. This was the first Premier League season that a player has scored more than 30 goals since Alan Shearer's 31-goal haul for Blackburn Rovers twelve years prior.
Barclays Golden Glove Award
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina claimed the Premier League's golden gloves award for the third season in succession. Clean sheets in 18 out of the 38 games meant Reina kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the top flight during the 2007–08 campaign.
Barclays Fair Play Award
The Fair Play Award is a merit given to the team who has been the most sporting and best behaved team. Tottenham topped the Fair Play League, ahead of Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal. The least sporting side was Blackburn Rovers who finished in last place in the rankings.
Barclays Premier League Merit Award
Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese winger, collected the Barclays Premier League Merit Award for reaching 30 league goals this season.
Personnel and kits
In addition, Premier League officials were supplied with new kit made by Umbro, replacing American makers Official Sports, and are sponsored by Air Asia, replacing Emirates. The 2007–08 season saw a new font used for the names on the back of players' shirts.