Season Dates: August 2007 – May 2008
Champions: Manchester United
Top Scorer (Golden Boot): Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – 31 goals
Relegated Teams: Reading, Birmingham City, Derby County
European Qualification:
Champions League: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool
Europa League: Everton, Aston Villa, Portsmouth (via FA Cup win)
Season Overview:
The 2007/08 Premier League season saw Manchester United retain their title, finishing two points ahead of Chelsea in one of the most competitive title races in recent history. Cristiano Ronaldo was the standout player, winning the Golden Boot with 31 goals and leading United to both Premier League and Champions League glory, which saw him win the Ballon d’Or later that year.
Chelsea, under Avram Grant, finished second but lost the Champions League final to United on penalties. Arsenal led the table for much of the season but faded in the final months, while Liverpool secured fourth place. Everton impressed by finishing fifth, while Portsmouth won the FA Cup and earned a Europa League spot.
At the bottom, Derby County endured a historically poor season, recording the lowest-ever points total (11). Birmingham City and Reading joined them in relegation.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
August 2007 – The Season Begins
Manchester United started slowly with two draws and a defeat, while Chelsea and Arsenal impressed early. The hope for the Red Devils is their poor form in August wouldn’t prove costly come the end of the season.
Player of the Month: Micah Richards (Manchester City)
September 2007 – Ronaldo Hits Form
Cristiano Ronaldo found his scoring touch, while Arsenal moved to the top of the table with a few impressive wins, spearheaded by Cesc Fabregas who won the Player of the Month award.
Player of the Month: Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal)
October 2007 – Arsenal Lead the Way
Arsenal extended their lead, while Chelsea struggled under Avram Grant after José Mourinho’s shock departure.
Player of the Month: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
November 2007 – United Chase Arsenal
Manchester United and Arsenal fought for the top spot, while Liverpool remained in contention in the wings. Cristiano Ronaldo, on an individual basis, continued to score important goals and impress.
Player of the Month: Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)
December 2007 – Festive Fixtures Drama
United and Arsenal remained neck and neck, while Chelsea regained momentum as 2007 drew to a close.
Player of the Month: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers)
January 2008 – Title Race Heats Up
Arsenal stayed ahead, but Manchester United closed in after big wins, with Cristiano Ronaldo once again scooping up the Player of the Month award.
Player of the Month: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
February 2008 – Chelsea Join the Race
Chelsea re-entered the title picture after a strong run of form. A draw against Liverpool that month didn’t prove too costly.
Player of the Month: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
March 2008 – Arsenal Collapse Begins
Arsenal dropped crucial points, including a 2-2 draw with Birmingham that saw Eduardo suffer a horrific injury. The match proved costly in terms of their squad and in the title race.
Player of the Month: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
April 2008 – United Take Control
Manchester United defeated Arsenal 2-1 and took the lead in the title race. It very much seemed like theirs to lose at this stage.
Player of the Month: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
May 2008 – United Crowned Champions
A final-day win over Wigan secured the title for United, while Chelsea fell short despite a victory over Bolton.
Season Stats & Key Records
Golden Boot & Top Goal Scorers
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – 31 goals
- Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal) – 24 goals
- Fernando Torres (Liverpool) – 24 goals
Most Assists
- Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal) – 17 assists
- Ashley Young (Aston Villa) – 14 assists
- Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – 10 assists
Golden Glove (Most Clean Sheets)
- Pepe Reina (Liverpool) – 18 clean sheets
- David James (Portsmouth) – 16 clean sheets
- Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United) – 14 clean sheets
Big Matches & Moments
Best Match: Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United (November 3, 2007) – A dramatic battle between title contenders that saw the points shared following a late equaliser from Arsenal defender William Gallas.
Biggest Upset: Derby 1-0 Newcastle (September 17, 2007) – Derby’s only win of the season came against Newcastle, one of the country’s biggest and most historically relevant clubs.
Most Dramatic Match: Chelsea 4-4 Tottenham (March 19, 2008) – A chaotic London Derby with a stunning goal by Robbie Keane ensuring Tottenham didn’t go home empty handed.
Best Goal: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United vs Portsmouth – January 30, 2008) – A stunning free-kick saw David James routed to his spot.
Managerial Changes
- Chelsea – José Mourinho left by mutual consent(September 20, 2007) – replaced by Avram Grant
- Bolton – Sammy Lee left by mutual consent (October 17,, 2007) – replaced by Gary Megson
- Tottenham – Martin Jol sacked (October 25, 2007) – replaced by Juande Ramos
- Wigan – Chris Hutchings sacked (November 5, 2007) – replaced by Steve Bruce
- Birmingham – Steve Bruce signed by Wigan (November 19, 2007) – replaced by Alex McLeish
- Derby – Billy Davies left by mutual consent (November 26, 2007) – replaced by Paul Jewell
- Fulham – Lawrie Sanchez sacked (December 21, 2007) – replaced by Roy Hodgson
- Newcastle – Sam Allardyce sacked (January 9, 2008) – replaced by Kevin Keegan
Transfers & Squad Movement
- Fernando Torres – Atlético Madrid to Liverpool – £26.5m
- Anderson – Porto to Manchester United – £26m
- Nani – Sporting CP to Manchester United – £21m
Awards & Honors
- Premier League Manager of the Season: Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)
- Premier League Player of the Season: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
- Premier League Young Player of the Season: Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal)
European Performance
- Manchester United – UCL Winner
- Chelsea – UCL Final to Manchester United
- Liverpool –UCL semi-finals by Chelsea
- Arsenal –UCL quarter-finals by Liverpool
- Everton – UC Round of 16 by Fiorentina
- Tottenham Hotspur –UC Round of 16 by PSV
- Bolton Wanderers – UC Round of 16 by Sporting CP