How every Premier League season would have finished after gameweek 29: 1996-97

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 21 April 2020

Given the current uncertainty over the resumption of the Premier League, Sports Mole takes a look at how the 1996-97 season would have ended after gameweek 29.

With the coronavirus pandemic having brought a halt to the Premier League campaign, Liverpool are yet to discover whether they will be provided with the chance to end their three-decade wait for a league title.

However, the majority 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.

Naturally, 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 raises the question of what would have happened in years gone by had the Premier League been ended after gameweek 29?

Having produced a relentless end to the last campaign, form which helped the club regain the top-flight crown, it came as no surprise when Manchester United continued where they had left off during the following season.

While the Red Devils accumulated just 75 points, they finished seven points ahead of Newcastle United, Arsenal and Liverpool respectively having significantly increased their advantage over the closing weeks.

After gameweek 29, United had been just a point ahead of Liverpool and three in front of Arsenal, who both missed out on Champions League football on goal difference due to Newcastle's storming finish to the season.

Although Sheffield Wednesday were on course for the final UEFA Cup spot in March, the Owls were edged out by Aston Villa, who recorded 15 points from their final nine matches.

Had the season ended early in 1997, Sunderland would have been the main beneficiaries. With eight matches of their schedule left, the North-East outfit were four points ahead of the relegation zone.

However, the Black Cats ultimately dropped down to Division One alongside Middlesbrough with just three points separating the teams between 13th and 19th position.

Nottingham Forest would end the campaign in last place, dropping two places from 18th after picking up just six points from their concluding eight matches.

Southampton were the team to climb out of the bottom three between gameweek 29 and the end of the season, improving from 19th spot into 16th.