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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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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


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