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How every Premier League season would have finished after gameweek 29: 2002-03

How every PL season would have finished after gameweek 29: 2002-03
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Given the current uncertainty over the resumption of the Premier League, Sports Mole takes a look at how the 2002-03 season would have ended after gameweek 29.

With the coronavirus pandemic having brought a halt to the Premier League campaign, Liverpool have been left waiting to find out whether they will be given the chance to end their 30-year wait for a league title.

However, many of the 20 clubs in England's top flight face an anxious wait over their own positions, whether that be to do with European qualification or potential relegation to the Championship.

Of course, the current global crisis has caught everyone off guard, resulting in frequent meetings being held between the powers-that-be at their respective organisations. However, it naturally raises the question of what would have happened in years gone by had the Premier League been ended after gameweek 29?

In early March of the 2002-03 campaign, defending champions Arsenal held a five-point advantage over Manchester United, realistically leaving the Gunners seven victories from nine games off a second top-flight crown in succession.

However, despite a respectable return of 15 points, Arsenal ended the campaign five points adrift of United, who recorded eight wins and a draw from their final nine outings.

While Newcastle United successfully held on to third place, Everton missed out on Champions League qualification after dropping from fourth to seventh, a consequence of only picking up 10 points.

Chelsea benefitted by earning a spot in European football's premier competition courtesy of a last-day triumph over nearest challengers Liverpool, who had to settle for a place in the UEFA Cup.

Blackburn Rovers also edged out Everton for sixth courtesy of a 17-point return, with Charlton Athletic also viewed as the biggest losers over the concluding fixtures after dropping from seventh to 12th.

Despite their resurgence under Sir Trevor Brooking, a period which saw seven points come from the final three matches, West Ham United failed to move out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The Hammers reached a record-breaking 42 points, the highest points total for a relegated team in the Premier League, but West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland remained cut adrift at the bottom.

While the Baggies and Black Cats were only five and seven points from safety after gameweek 29, they ended the campaign as many as 18 and 25 points away from avoiding a return to the second tier.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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