Premier League 2010-11: The story of the season in pictures

The opening weekend, 15 August 2010: Despite having Joe Cole sent off for a challenge on Laurent Koscielny, Liverpool look to have secured three points until a last-minute howler from Pepe Reina allows Marouane Chamakh to equalise. Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

21 August 2010: Karl Henry and Mikel Arteta tussle during Everton's 1-1 draw with Wolves. We would be seeing more of Henry as the weeks went by ... Photograph: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto

28 August 2010: Oof! Tottenham's Peter Crouch controls a high ball against Wigan. But it was a frustrating afternoon for Spurs, who lost 1-0 at the Lane after Hugo Rodallega's late winner Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA

11 September 2010: Manchester United looked to be coasting at 3-1 up against Everton but two late goals pegged them back to 3-3. Here Mikel Arteta celebrates scoring the equaliser in the final minute of stoppage time Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

19 September 2010: Dimitar Berbatov completes his hat-trick as Manchester United win a 3-2 thriller against Liverpool Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

25 September 2010: Tottenham's manager Harry Redknapp gives instructions to Luka Modric but it's to no avail as West Ham inflict a surprise 1-0 defeat on Tottenham at Upton Park Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images

2 October 2010: Wigan's Jordi Gómez is sent flying by Wolves' Karl Henry, who is given a red card. After Wigan's 2-0 win their manager Roberto Martínez says he 'can't remember a worse tackle at the DW Stadium' Photograph: Dave Howarth/PA

16 October 2010: Black clouds gather over Old Trafford. On the pitch a mistake by Edwin van der Sar helps West Brom secure an unlikely 2-2 draw – the only points Manchester United dropped at home all season Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

23 October 2010: Birmingham fans applaud their side's first home goals in the Premier League in 2010-11 as Blues beat Blackpool 2-0 Photograph: Nigel French/PA

30 October 2010: Nani celebrates scoring a controversial goal as the Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes protests. Nani's strike sealed a 2-0 win for Manchester United Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

7 November 2010: Shola Ameobi shields the ball from Arsenal's Jack Wilshere as Newcastle pull off a surprise 1-0 win at the Emirates Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

9 November 2010: Tottenham's Luka Modric runs past Jordan Henderson as Sunderland claim a scarcely deserved point at White Hart Lane Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images

13 November 2010: Birmingham's Ben Foster and Roger Johnson clear the ball after a shot by Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz during the side's 0-0 draw. The Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, was booed off the pitch after his side failed to score for their third successive home game Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

20 November 2010: Dejection from Cesc Fábregas after he misses a good chance. Arsenal blew a two-goal lead at half-time as they lost 3-2 to Spurs Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

28 November 2010: Heurelho Gomes celebrates Aaron Lennon's dramatic stoppage-time winner for Spurs as they beat Liverpool 2-1 to move into fifth in the table Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

4 December 2010: Bolton's Johan Elmander vies with Manchester City's Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany. City had Aleksandar Kolarov sent off in the second half but hung on to the 1-0 lead given them by Carlos Tevez's fourth-minute goal Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

13 December 2010: Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is beaten by a header from Park Ji-sung as United grind out a convincing 1-0 victory Photograph: Jon Super/AP

20 December 2010: Manchester City's Carlos Tevez is surrounded by Everton players. City went into the game as strong favourites, but they were beaten 2-1 at home Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

26 December 2010: Dimitar Berbatov scored twice in a 2-0 win but Manchester United could have scored a hatful against Sunderland Photograph: Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

28 December 2010: Asamoah Gyan and Richard Kingson jump to avoid Craig Cathcart. DJ Campbell grabbed a second-half double as Blackpool won 2-0 and made Sunderland pay for a host of missed chances to secure a fifth away league win ... at this point few thought Blackpool would go down Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images

2 January 2011: A flying Ashley Young is fouled by John Terry. Ciaran Clark scored in stoppage time to earn Aston Villa a draw in a 3-3 thriller and dent Chelsea's title chances Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

5 January 2011: Phil Bardsley celebrates with Titus Bramble after scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 over Aston Villa – a result that heaped pressure on Gérard Houllier Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

15 January 2011: Didier Drogba performs an outrageous piece of skill in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Blackburn. Goals from Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka moved Chelsea back into the top four Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

26 January 2011: Tempers flare between Steven Gerrard and John Pantsil. Pantsil's own goal was the difference as Liverpool won 1-0 to move into seventh under their new manager Kenny Dalglish Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

20 February: West Bromwich Albion's Chris Brunt rues a missed chance against Wolves. But Roy Hodgson's first game in charge of the Baggies had a happy ending as Carlos Vela scored in stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

6 February 2011: One chance, two chances, three chances ... Fernando Torres looks dejected as he lies on the floor during his Chelsea debut. Torres was substituted as his new side lost 1-0 to Liverpool Photograph: Nigel French/PA

12 February 2011: Wayne Rooney scores a brilliant overhead kick to settle the Manchester derby. United won 2-1 and the goal finally got Rooney's season going. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

1 March 2011: Frank Lampard celebrates scoring in Chelsea's come-from-behind 2-1 win against Manchester United. At this stage of the season United were four points clear of Arsenal in second, but they had played a game more. Chelsea were 12 points off top spot Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

5 March 2011: Sunderland looked there for the taking at the Emirates but they were able to hold Arsenal to a goalless draw. Here Simon Mignolet acrobatically saves a free-kick from Samir Nasri Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

19 March 2011: Arsenal's woeful form continued throughout the run-in but they were able to salvage a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns thanks to Robin van Persie Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

2 April 2011: West Ham looked to be inching out of the relegation fight and were two goals up at home to Manchester United. Then it all went horribly wrong as Wayne Rooney's hat-trick lifted United to a 4-2 win Photograph: Sang Tan/AP

10 April 2011: Robin van Persie volleys towards goal at Bloomfield Road. Arsenal's attack was too much for Blackpool as they won 3-1, while Jens Lehmann made his comeback Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

20 April 2011: Gareth Bale flies over Wojciech Szczesny in what was perhaps the best game of the season. Spurs and Arsenal traded goals, but Harry Redknapp's side fought back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

23 April 2011: Lee Bowyer shows his dejection as Liverpool thrash Birmingham 5-0 at Anfield Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

1 May 2011: Theo Walcott misses a chance under pressure from Nemanja Vidic. Arsenal win the match 1-0 as Manchester United's lead at the top is squeezed to three points Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

8 May 2011: Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates victory as the referee blows the final whistle after Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-1. The result leaves United needing one point from their last two games. The 19th league title is in sight ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

15 May 2011: Great picture, meaningless match: Chelsea's Didier Drogba fights for the ball with Newcastle United's Ryan Taylor. Steven Taylor's last-gasp header earned Newcastle a 2-2 draw in an entertaining game Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

22 May 2011: On the final day of the season, a five-way battle to avoid the drop ends with Blackpool and Birmingham being relegated. They will join West Ham in the Championship next season
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

22 May 2011: Manchester United celebrate a deserved 19th league title after their 4-2 win over Blackpool
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian