Liverpool closing in: The 10 earliest Premier League title wins in history

Liverpool are strolling towards the Premier League title this season, with the Reds barely having to put up a fight as their rivals have been dropping points all year.

Arne Slot is potentially just weeks away from delivering the ultimate prize in his first year in charge, and the speed at which his Reds side are marching to title glory could enter the record books.

There have been several teams throughout the Premier League era who have won the title at a canter, securing the trophy well before the final game. But who has done it the fastest?

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Liverpool are on course to win the title with three matches to spare as it stands, though plenty of title-winning teams have usurped even that level of achievement.

Here are the fastest title wins in Premier League history, ranked by the number of games played and the date these championship wins were confirmed:

10

Man City 2022/23

Title won: 20th May, 35 games played

Manchester City may have been pushed by unlikely title contenders Arsenal in the 2022/23 Premier League season, but the Citizens’ experience paid off in the end as they won with three games still left to play.

City didn’t win the league on the pitch as their third title on the spin was confirmed by a 1-0 defeat for Arsenal at Nottingham Forest, at which point Pep Guardiola’s side had reeled off 12 straight wins.

This Premier League season was affected by the winter World Cup in Qatar, so it was quite a late finish, with the champions even having time to drop five points in their remaining matches.

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9

Man City 2020/21

Title won: 11th May, 35 games played

Another long mid-season winning run helped Man City secure an early title party back in 2021.

15 consecutive victories left City in an imperious position heading into March 2021, with the Citizens 14 points clear before being beaten by closest challengers Manchester United to prolong their wait for the trophy.

In the end, it was a United defeat that confirmed City’s return to the top of the English game after missing out to Liverpool the year before, as Leicester City’s victory at Old Trafford in mid-May handed Guardiola a third English top-flight title.

8

Chelsea 2014/15

Title won: 3rd May, 35 games played

In truth, Chelsea never looked in danger of fluffing their lines in 2014/15, as a spine consisting of Thibaut Courtois, John Terry, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa hauled the Blues to a third Premier League trophy under Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea lost just three times all year (including once after their title victory was confirmed), and their win over Crystal Palace at the start of May ensured they were 16 points clear of third-placed Arsenal, who were their last remaining challengers due to having games in hand.

7

Chelsea 2004/05

Title won: 30th April, 35 games played

Jose Mourinho’s first league title in England was also won with three games to spare, with Arsenal’s Invincibles being put to the sword by the ruthless Blues squad that would end up going unbeaten for 40 games.

Their only defeat that season came on matchday 9 as Man City won 1-0 in October 2004 against a Chelsea side that conceded just 15 goals all year.

Winning by an eventual 12 points, the Blues’ first championship for 50 years was confirmed with a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers in late April.

6

Arsenal 2003/04

Title won: 25th April, 34 games played

It is no surprise that Arsenal’s unbeatable Invincibles side won the Premier League before the month of May, with the Gunners winning the title at the home of rivals Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Their infamous 2-2 draw turned into a party celebration thanks to a result from earlier that day, with closest rivals Chelsea losing to Newcastle at St James’ Park, leaving Arsenal only requiring a point.

Of course, Arsene Wenger’s men avoided defeat in their final four games – despite going behind in two of them – to create further history at Highbury.

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5

Man Utd 1999/00

Title won: 22nd April, 34 games played

Manchester United needn’t rely on an unbeaten run to secure an early title parade, as a rather lacklustre field of challengers saw the Red Devils earn back-to-back titles in record time.

They ended up 18 points clear of runners-up Arsenal and finished the season with 11 straight victories.

The seventh of those – a 3-1 win at Southampton – was the one that confirmed their continued supremacy at the top of English football, with David Beckham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer among the goalscorers that day.

4

Man Utd 2012/13

Title won: 22nd April, 34 games played

Another season where United never looked like loosening their hold on the title occurred 13 years later, when a Red Devils side spearheaded by Wayne Rooney and Golden Boot winner Robin van Persie sauntered to Premier League glory.

Perhaps angered by being denied in the most dramatic fashion by neighbours Man City on the final day in 2011/12, Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season in charge was dominated by his determined side set on revenge.

City could only muster 78 points compared to their total of 89 the year prior, and with the gap as large as 16 points after United’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford, Van Persie’s hat-trick ended up providing a fitting conclusion to a superb campaign.

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3

Man City 2017/18

Title won: 15th April, 33 games played

There was barely any doubt that Man City would win the title in what was Pep Guardiola’s second season in charge – the only surprise was how long they took to get the job done.

Becoming centurions on the final day with a late win over Southampton was the icing on the cake of a marvellous campaign where they won 19 of their first 20 matches.

Just when they were threatening to become invincible, a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool in a Premier League classic merely dented their spirit as the title charge continued.

They could have won the title at home to rivals and closest challengers Man Utd on matchday 32, but a shock 3-2 defeat meant they were made to wait eight more days as United were beaten at home by West Brom to confirm City as champions.

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2

Man Utd 2000/01

Title won: 14th April, 33 games played

Man Utd had the cheek to not only win the Premier League with five games still to play, but also lose their final three matches whilst winning the league by 10 points.

It was by no means a vintage season by United’s standards, with the Red Devils only ending on 80 points – pretty low for a championship-winning side.

But they had no need to take home any more points, having built up a 16-point lead by virtue of their win over Coventry City in April 2001, which was followed by a shock 3-0 defeat for runners-up Arsenal at home to Middlesbrough, which gifted United yet another title.

1

Liverpool 2019/20

Title won: 25th June, 31 games played

Liverpool have the peculiar distinction of winning the Premier League in the fastest time despite taking more days than any of the winners that came before them.

Due to the pandemic, Liverpool’s historic campaign was halted in March 2020, at which point they had virtually sealed the title thanks to 27 wins from 29 matches.

Their long unbeaten start to the season was stopped just a fortnight before the league was postponed, with Watford becoming the first side to beat Liverpool in 45 attempts, winning 3-0 at Vicarage Road.

After the league’s restart, Liverpool only played two more games before they were finally confirmed as champions after Chelsea defeated Man City in June 2020.

Liverpool had a record seven games as champions-elect, collecting the trophy at Anfield in their final home game against Chelsea on 22nd July 2020, bringing the longest Premier League season to a close.

Even this year’s side are unable to win it that quickly, showing just how dominant Jurgen Klopp’s team were in that extraordinary year.