This is the last time that Barclays will sponsor the Prmeir League. Their contract comes to an end this season. Here are a few moments from Barclays premeir League:
Everton v Crystal Palace at Goodison Park. Sunday, April 10, 2005. 73 minutes gone, and Everton were 3-0 up when manager David Moyes decides to throw on youngster James Vaughan. The 16 year old became the youngest player to score in the top flight as he slotted home Everton’s fourth goal in the 87th minute.
Newcastle United v Portsmouth at St. James’ Park. Saturday, February 04, 2006. Charles N’Zogbia puts The Magpies ahead by a goal. Alan Shearer then scores Newcastle United’s second and his 201st goal as he surpasses Jackie Milburn’s all-time scoring record for Newcastle.
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur at Upton Park. Sunday, March 04, 2007. The hosts went in at half time with a 2-0 lead through goals from Mark Noble and Carlos Tevez. Spurs fought back in the second half as Jermaine Defoe converted from the spot and Teemu Tainio made it 2-2. West Ham took the lead again after 85 minutes through Bobby Zamora and it looked as if West Ham had done enough. But Spurs then scored 2 goals in 2 minutes. Dimitar Berbatov equalised in the 89th minute and Paul Stalteri made it 4-3 in the 90th minute giving Tottenham a dramatic win.
Aston Villa v Portsmouth at Villa Park. Sunday, April 22, 2007. Goalkeeper David James kept his 142nd clean sheet as he surpassed David Seamen (141) to go top of the chart. He was also named as Portsmouth’s Player of the Year at the end of the season.
Portsmouth v Reading at Fratton Park. Saturday, September 29, 2007. This is the day on which the world experienced the highest scoring Premier League match in history. At full time, the scoreboard read 7-4 in favour of Portsmouth. There were nine different goal scorers in the match, which is also a joint record in the Premier League with Tottenham v Arsenal in 2004/05 which ended 5-4.
Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic at White Hart Lane. Sunday, November 22, 2009. Jermaine Defoe scored the second fastest hat-trick in the Premier League and also joined the elite group of players who have scored 5 goals in a single match as Tottenham decimated Wigan 9-1. This was Tottenham’s biggest win in history and the first time a team scored 9 goals in a match since 1995 when Manchester United thrashed Ipswich 9-0.
Stoke City v Wigan Athletic at The Britannia Stadium. Saturday, December 12, 2009. The game finished in a 2-2 draw which was said to be uninspiring and boring football, but the moment of the day came when Maynor Figueroa scored from his own half through a quickly taken free kick. That 50-yard strike put Wigan 2-1 ahead only to see Ryan Shawcross make it 2-2.
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur at The Emirates. Saturday, November 20, 2010. The Gunners went in at half time with a comfortable 2-0 lead. The game changed in the 50th minute as Gareth Bale scored to make it 2-1. Rafael van der Vaart then equalized from the spot 17 minutes later and defender Younes Kaboul won the derby for Spurs in the 85th minute. This was Tottenham’s first win at Arsenal in 17 years.
Newcastle United v Arsenal at St. James’ Park. Saturday, February 05, 2011. Goals from Theo Walcott, Johan Djourou and two from Robin van Persie put the Gunners 4-0 up after just 26 minutes. The hosts are left shell-shocked as Arsenal are unstoppable. But the game would start to turn around just 5 minutes after the break as Abou Diaby was sent off for grabbing Joey Barton by the neck and pushing him down to the ground and then shoving Kevin Nolan. Barton then converted two penalties and Leon Best scored to make it 4-3. In the 87th minute, Cheik Tiote smashed an absolutely stunning volley into the back of the net to make it 4-4.
Aston Villa v Arsenal at Villa Park. Wednesday, December 21, 2011. Aston Villa winger pounces to score the 20,000th Premier League goal. It turned out to be Villa’s only goal of the match as they lost 2-1.
Everton v Bolton at Goodison Park. Sunday, January 04, 2012. Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard scores from a 102-yard clearance with the help of strong winds to become the fourth goalkeeper in Premier League history to score after Peter Schmeichel, Brad Friedel and Paul Robinson as David Moyes celebrates his 10th year with the club.
Chelsea v Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Wednesday, May 02, 2012. It was their home ground and naturally Chelsea were favourites to win this fixture. But Papiss Cisse and Newcastle United had other plans. The Senegalese striker put Newcastle in the lead with a beautifully controlled strike. Chelsea tried their best to equalize but they couldn’t break the Magpies’ defence. Cisse made it 2-0 and finished Chelsea off in the 94th minute with an absolutely stunning goal from the left flank giving Newcastle United their first victory at Chelsea in 26 years.
Manchester United v Manchester City. Season 2011/12. City came to Old Trafford full of hope. The past season had seen the blue side of Manchester finish third for the first time in history. But they weren’t satisfied with what they had and aimed for their first Premier League title. With goals from Sergio Aguero, David Silva and doubles from Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko, City thrashed 10-men United 6-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, October 23, 2011. The sky blues completed a double over United on Monday, April 30, 2012 as Vincent Kompany scored the only goal of the match in first half stoppage time. The title was in the hands of Manchester City for the first time on Sunday, May 13, 2012, as two injury time goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero helped City to a 3-2 victory over QPR and ensured that the sky blues won the title on goal difference. This was the first time the Premier League was decided on goal difference.
Stoke City v Southampton at The Britannia Stadium. Saturday, November 02, 2013. Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic becomes the fifth goalkeeper in Premier League history to score a goal after Peter Schmeichem, Brad Friedel, Paul Robinson and Tim Howard as his long pass catches the wind and ends up bouncing over Southampton keeper Artur Boruc and into the back of the net to score Stoke’s opening goal of the match after just 13 seconds.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool at Selhurst Park. Liverpool, this season, were back in the race for the title. With just 3 games to go, they were level on points with Manchester City who had a superior goal difference. Liverpool were 3-0 up by 55 minutes. Just 11 minutes were left on the clock when Damien Delaney scored what seemed to be a consolation goal for Palace. Substitute Dwight Gayle then netted the second goal as Palace were full of hope. Their hard work paid off as complacent Liverpool conceded yet another goal from Dwight Gayle in the 88th minute as the game ended in a 3-3 draw.
These were some (Yes, that’s right, just some) of the great moments in the Premier League under the sponsorship of Barclays. I know I’ve left out many, but if I mentioned them all, then this article would never end.
The contract with Barclays runs out at the end of next season, but the unpredictable, exhilarating, breathtaking football continues…
