by Patrick » Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:32 am
Roberto Mancini's Manchester City have become only the sixth top flight team to pass 50 points in a season from their first 21 games, since English football began awarding three points, rather than two, for a win in the 1981/82 season. City reached 51 points with victory at Wigan Athletic and have been setting a ferocious pace for most of the season, but can they keep it up until May? talkSPORT takes a look at how the previous five flying front runners fared over the course of a season…
1987/88 SEASON
AFTER 21 GAMES: FIRST - LIVERPOOL WITH 53 POINTS
END OF SEASON: FIRST - LIVERPOOL WITH 90 POINTS
The Reds went 29 games unbeaten from the start of the season and after 21 games led second-placed Nottingham Forest by 10 points, although their challengers had a game in hand. Despite losing a couple of games in spring, Kenny Dalglish's side were never really troubled and coasted to the title nine points clear of Alex Ferguson's Man United.
1993/94 SEASON
AFTER 21 GAMES: FIRST - MAN UNITED WITH 52 POINTS
END OF SEASON: FIRST - MAN UNITED WITH 92 POINTS
Leeds were Man United's closest rivals after 21 games of the 1993/94 season, but were never seriously in the race, being a full 12 points behind the Red Devils at the time having played a game more. Though United would lose three and draw seven of their remaining 21 fixtures (there were 22 teams in the league), they still finished eight points ahead of Blackburn, to give Sir Alex Ferguson his second Premier League title.
2004/05 SEASON
AFTER 21 GAMES: FIRST - CHELSEA WITH 52 POINTS
END OF SEASON: FIRST - CHELSEA WITH 95 POINTS
Arsenal were just five points behind Chelsea after 21 games, but the Gunners began to lose form and drop points as the season reached its climax. Jose Mourinho, in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, led the Blues on a brilliant run, only losing once all season and storming to the Premier League title with the highest points score ever, 12 points ahead of runners up Arsenal.
2005/06 SEASON
AFTER 21 GAMES: FIRST - CHELSEA WITH 58 POINTS
END OF SEASON: FIRST - CHELSEA WITH 91 POINTS
The Portuguese manager continued Chelsea's fantastic form in to the next season and after 21 games the Blues had incredibly only lost one and drawn one, putting them an incredible 14 points clear of nearest rivals Manchester United. Being so far ahead, Chelsea talk their foot off the pedal and would go on to lose four games and draw another three of their remaining fixtures, but the mammoth gap in points meant it was impossible for United to catch them. Even after an impressive run of form towards the end of the season, the Red Devils finished eight points behind the Blues.
2006/07 SEASON
AFTER 21 GAMES: FIRST - MAN UNITED WITH 53 POINTS
END OF SEASON: FIRST - MAN UNITED WITH 89 POINTS
It was a tighter race the following year, but after 21 matches Chelsea were trailing United by five points. Alex Ferguson's side had lost league games to Arsenal and West Ham, while Chelsea had also slipped up twice and were on a run of three straight draws. The Blues picked up their form and after 33 games were only trailing by three points. Mourinho's luck soon ran out, though, and after drawing their last five Premier League games, including the penultimate game against United, he couldn't win a third succesive title. The Red Devils' form also dipped, but even losing their final match at home to struggling West Ham couldn't stop them winning the League by six points.
2010/11 SEASON
AFTER 21 GAMES: FIRST - MAN CITY WITH 51 POINTS
Every previous team to reach over 50 points in their first 21 games has gone on to win the title, so Man City appear to be sitting pretty with less than half the season remaining. In the past, however, teams with that many points on the board haven't had to contend with a foe as formidable as the present Man United team, who sit just three points behind with a record points total for a second-placed side at this stage of the season. Even Tottenham can't be discounted, particularly if they can narrow the five point gap with a win at City this weekend. Still, the blue half of Manchester are the front runners and will have to make the wrong sort of history if they are to be denied the title this season.
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