Premier League

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Premier League

Introduction to the Premier League Competition

The FA Premier League represents the pinnacle of English club football. Here, the 20 finest teams in the country take part in the most exciting and demanding league in the world.

Launched in 1992 to improve the standards of football at the highest level and take the game into the 21st century, the competition now attracts a global audience of over 450 million in 150 countries.

The FA Premier League confirmed its status as the very best with more representatives at the 2002 World Cup than any other domestic league. Alongside the overseas stars there are also England's finest; David Beckham, Michael Owen, Rio Ferdinand and Alan Shearer to name just a few.

The FA Premier League is where the stars of the future are groomed. Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe, John Terry and Alan Smith are all crucial members of their respective sides. Add in last season's nail-biting title race where Arsenal held off Manchester United and Liverpool to be crowned champions, and the record numbers that passed through the turnstiles last season will undoubtedly continue.

Premier League Teams

1. Arsenal
2. Aston Villa
3. Birmingham City / Birmingham
4. Blackburn Rovers / Blackburn
5. Bolton Wanderers / Bolton
6. Charlton Athletic / Charlton
7. Chelsea
8. Everton
9. Fulham
10. Leeds United / Leeds
11. Liverpool
12. Manchester City / Man City
13. Manchester United / Man Utd
14. Middlesbrough
15. Newcastle United / Newcastle
16. Southampton
17. Sunderland
18. Tottenham Hotspur / Tottenham
19. West Bromwich Albion / West Brom
20. West Ham United / West Ham

Premier League Top Clubs

Arsenal

Barclaycard Premiership champions Arsenal have treated us to some truly exhilarating football with Arsene Wenger combining the best of British with the top talent from around the world.

Premier League Performance

The current FA Premier League champions are one of the giants of English football and a consistent challenger for top honours. Arsenal, under the leadership of enigmatic Frenchman Arsene Wenger, shook off their 'boring' image and began to serve up some of the most attractive football in the league. Thanks largely to the immense influence of Tony Adams and more recently the astute signings of players such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires, Arsenal have climbed back to the top of the pile. Their rise culminated in a second FA Premier League and FA Cup double in 2002, to add to their 1998 achievement. Three runners-up finishes in the intervening years displays how the North London giants have lived up to their high standards over the last decade. The famous old Arsenal defence has a new look these days, but the replacements, and the recruits to midfield and attack - most recently World Cup winner Gilberto Silva, have done enough to assure fans that they can live up to the achievements of their Highbury predecessors.

Players, Coatches, Manager

DAVID SEAMAN Goalkeeper 1
ASHLEY COLE Defender 3
PATRICK VIEIRA Midfielder 4
MARTIN KEOWN Defender 5
ROBERT PIRES Midfielder 7
FREDRIK LJUNGBERG Midfielder 8
FRANCIS JEFFERS Striker 9
DENNIS BERGKAMP Striker 10
SYLVAIN WILTORD Striker 11
LAUREN Midfielder 12
STUART TAYLOR Goalkeeper 13
THIERRY HENRY Striker 14
RAY PARLOUR Midfielder 15
GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST Midfielder 16
EDU Midfielder 17

PASCAL CYGAN Defender 18
GILBERTO SILVA Midfielder 19
GUILLAUME WARMUZ Goalkeeper 20
JERMAINE PENNANT Midfielder 21
OLEG LUZHNY Defender 22
SOL CAMPBELL Defender 23
RAMI SHAABAN Goalkeeper 24
NWANKWO KANU Striker 25
IGORS STEPANOVS Defender 26
STATHIS TAVLARIDIS Defender 27
KOLO TOURE Defender 28
MORITZ VOLZ Defender 29
JEREMIE ALIADIERE Striker 30
SEBASTIAN SVARD Defender 31

Peter Hill-Wood CHAIRMAN
Arsene Wenger MANAGER

Manchester United

Seven F.A. Premier League titles in 10 years coupled with FA Cup and European glory make the Old Trafford fans hungry for success, and Sir Alex Ferguson has the squad to deliver once again. Ticketmaster.

Premier League Performance

Manchester United has dominated the F.A. Premier League since the inception of the competition in 1992. Sir Alex Ferguson has helped the club set new standards on the field with seven championship victories. The Reds ended a 26-year title wait by lifting the F.A. Premier League trophy in 1993 with Eric Cantona making a telling contribution following his move from Leeds. The mercurial Frenchman went on to forge legendary status at United and many supporters believe he is the greatest player to pull on the shirt - four championships and two FA Cup wins were celebrated during his five-year spell in Manchester. Home-grown talent such as David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have since developed into world-renowned players, and latterly imported stars such as Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy have added the overseas expertise. Old Trafford has grown into one of the most impressive stadiums in the world with a capacity of over 68,000 and the 'sold out' signs go up for most home matches. Ferguson's decision to postpone his planned retirement and stay on as manager delighted the red army, who also celebrated the record signing of Rio Ferdinand following his World Cup exploits with England. Ticketmaster.

Players, Coatches, Manager

FABIEN BARTHEZ Goalkeeper 1
GARY NEVILLE Defender 2
PHIL NEVILLE Defender 3
JUAN SEBASTIAN VERON Midfielder 4
LAURENT BLANC Defender 5
RIO FERDINAND Defender 6
DAVID BECKHAM Midfielder 7
NICKY BUTT Midfielder 8
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY Striker 10
RYAN GIGGS Midfielder 11
ROY CARROLL Goalkeeper 13
DAVID MAY Defender 14
LUKE CHADWICK Midfielder 15
ROY KEANE Midfielder 16
MICHAEL STEWART Midfielder 17
PAUL SCHOLES Midfielder 18
RICARDO LOPEZ Goalkeeper 19
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER Striker 20
DIEGO FORLAN Striker 21

JOHN O'SHEA Defender 22
BOJAN DJORDJIC Midfielder 23
WES BROWN Defender 24
QUINTON FORTUNE Midfielder 25
DANIEL PUGH Defender 26
MIKAEL SILVESTRE Defender 27
KIRK HILTON Defender 28
BEN WILLIAMS Goalkeeper 30
DARREN FLETCHER Midfielder 31
NEIL WOOD Striker 32
LEE ROCHE Defender 34
JIMMY DAVIS Striker 36
DANNY WEBBER Striker 37
MARK LYNCH Defender 38
PAUL TIERNEY Midfielder 39
DANIEL NARDIELLO Striker 40
ALAN TATE Defender 41
KIERAN RICHARDSON Midfielder 42

C. Martin Edwards CHAIRMAN
Sir Alex Ferguson MANAGER

Premier League Articles, News and Features

HENRY GUNNING FOR ROONEY

Wayne Rooney has proved a thorn in Arsenal's side this season but the Barclaycard Premiership champions are gunning for the England striker as they bid to retain their crown.

Current Barclaycard Premiership leaders Manchester United need only to win their last two matches to clinch an eighth crown in 11 years but face a tricky last day trip to face Everton at Goodison Park. Premier League.

Despite subsequent successes, United's failure to capture the championship on the final day in 1995 still resonates.

United face Charlton at Old Trafford first, but Arsenal striker Thierry Henry believes they could come a cropper against Rooney and the Blues.

Arsenal went down 2-1 to David Moyes’ side on Merseyside in October, with Rooney firing home a spectacular last-minute winner - which the youngster followed with a solo effort at Highbury in March.

"We are hoping Everton can do us a favour,” said newly-crowned PFA player of the year Henry. "Rooney has no fear about who he is playing or where.

"He has that lovely arrogance and doesn't worry about the opposition. Rooney respects the opposition and the occasion but doesn't fear it.

"When he plays against great defenders like Marcel Desailly, it's like he's playing in the street. It's not a lack of respect, he just wants to go out and play.

"We still have games and I'm not a guy who likes to give up. I'm also at a club that doesn't give up.

"But we have put ourselves in a position where we have to look at other results to help us," quotes The Sun.

Arsenal end their season with home games against Leeds and Southampton before the last-day trip to relegated Sunderland.