Season Dates: August 2009 – May 2010
Champions: Chelsea
Top Scorer (Golden Boot): Didier Drogba (Chelsea) – 29 goals
Relegated Teams: Burnley, Hull City, Portsmouth
European Qualification:
Champions League: Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur
Europa League: Manchester City, Aston Villa, Liverpool
Season Overview:
The 2009/10 Premier League season saw Chelsea reclaim the title under Carlo Ancelotti, breaking records along the way. They set a new league record by scoring 103 goals in a single season, securing the title on the final day with an emphatic 8-0 victory over Wigan Athletic.
Manchester United, aiming for a fourth consecutive title, finished second despite an impressive individual season from Wayne Rooney. Arsenal secured third, while Tottenham edged out Manchester City to claim the final Champions League spot, meaning the London clubs had three of the four spots.
At the bottom, Portsmouth endured a nightmare season, suffering a nine-point deduction due to financial problems, which sealed their relegation. Hull City and Burnley also went down after struggling to compete.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
August 2009 – The Season Begins
Chelsea and Manchester United started strongly, while Arsenal thrashed Everton 6-1 on the opening weekend to signal their intent for the campaign.
Player of the Month: Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)
September 2009 – Chelsea Maintain Their Lead
Chelsea remained unbeaten, while Liverpool struggled with early defeats, but it was Fernando Torres who was able to capture the Player of the Month award.
Player of the Month: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
October 2009 – United and Chelsea Pull Away
Chelsea and United both won key matches, while Arsenal kept pace to remain in the title race at this early juncture.
Player of the Month: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
November 2009 – Title Race Intensifies
Chelsea secured a crucial 1-0 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge which ended up being pivotal at the end of the season in the title race.
Player of the Month: Jimmy Bullard (Hull City)
December 2009 – Festive Period Drama
Chelsea faltered, while United suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Fulham. None of the league leaders looked totally convincing.
Player of the Month: Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)
January 2010 – Spurs and City Battle for Top Four
Tottenham and Manchester City fought for the final Champions League spot, while Liverpool continued to struggle and seemed to be unlikely to finish inside the top four.
Player of the Month: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
February 2010 – Chelsea Stumble, United Take the Lead
Manchester United overtook Chelsea after the Blues dropped points. Were the Red Devils about to get into shape at the right time?
Player of the Month: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham)
March 2010 – Arsenal’s Hopes Fade
Arsenal’s title challenge took a hit after a draw against Birmingham, leaving things to Chelsea and Man United at the top of the table.
Player of the Month: Florent Malouda (Chelsea)
April 2010 – Chelsea Take Charge
Chelsea demolished Stoke City 7-0 and edged United at Old Trafford which ending up being huge for them in the title race.
Player of the Month: Gareth Bale (Tottenham)
May 2010 – Chelsea Crowned Champions
Chelsea secured the title with an 8-0 win over Wigan, breaking the Premier League record for goals scored in a season.
Season Stats & Key Records
Golden Boot & Top Goal Scorers
- Didier Drogba (Chelsea) – 29 goals
- Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – 26 goals
- Darren Bent (Sunderland) – 24 goals
Most Assists
- Frank Lampard (Chelsea) – 14 assists
- Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal) – 13 assists
- James Milner (Aston Villa) – 12 assists
Golden Glove (Most Clean Sheets)
- Petr Čech (Chelsea) – 17 clean sheets
- Pepe Reina (Liverpool) – 17 clean sheets
- Brad Friedel (Aston Villa) – 15 clean sheets
Big Matches & Moments
Best Match: Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City (September 20, 2009) – Michael Owen’s last-minute winner in a thrilling derby saw him immediately prove himself to the somewhat doubtful Man United faithful.
Biggest Upset: Wigan 3-1 Chelsea (September 26, 2009) – Chelsea’s first defeat of the season in shocking fashion against Wigan, but the Blues would get their revenge with a 8-0 win at the end of the season.
Most Dramatic Match: Arsenal 4-4 Tottenham (October 31, 2009) – A North London Derby classic saw a wonder goal from Danny Rose to sink the Gunners.
Best Goal: Maynor Figueroa (Wigan vs Stoke – December 12, 2009) – A stunning goal from inside his own half from Wigan’s full-back.
Managerial Changes
- Portsmouth – Paul Hart sacked (November 24, 2009) – replaced by Avram Grant
- Manchester City – Mark Hughes sacked (December 19, 2009) – replaced by Roberto Mancini
- Bolton – Gary Megson sacked (December 30, 2009) – replaced by Owen Coyle
- Burnley – Owen Coyle signed by Bolton (January 8, 2010) – replaced by Brian Laws
- Hull City – Phil Brown sacked (March 15, 2010) – replaced by Iain Dowie (interim)
Transfers & Squad Movement
- Carlos Tevez – Manchester United to Manchester City – £25m
- Emmanuel Adebayor – Arsenal to Manchester City – £25m
- Joleon Lescott – Everton to Manchester City – £22m
Awards & Honors
- Premier League Manager of the Season: Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea)
- Premier League Player of the Season: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
- Premier League Young Player of the Season: James Milner (Aston Villa)
European Performance
- Chelsea – UCL Round of 16 by Inter Milan
- Manchester United – UCL Quarter-Finals by Bayern Munich
- Arsenal – UCL Quarter-Finals by Barcelona
- Liverpool – UCL Group Stage and UEL Semi-Finals by Atletico Madrid
- Fulham – UEL Final by Atletico Madrid
- Everton – UEL Round of 16 by Sporting CP
- Aston Villa – UEL Play-off Round by Rapid Vienna
