Premier League: The fight to avoid relegation in 2008-09

16 August 2008: Hull 2-1 Fulham. Hull get off to a winning start after coming from behind in their first ever Premier League fixture. Caleb Folan’s winner 10 minutes from time secured victory after Brazilian striker Geovanni scored his first wonder goal of the season. Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

17 August 2008: Man United 1-1 Newcastle. Kevin Keegan’s side make a promising start after taking the lead through Obafemi Martins against the champions. However, things are far from settled behind the scenes. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

30 August 2008: Middlesbrough 2-1 Stoke. A late winner from Tuncay gives Middlesbrough victory against newly promoted Stoke. This result, following an opening day victory against Spurs, sees Gareth Southgate named as August's Manager of the Month. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

4 September 2008: Kevin Keegan quits after clashing with Mike Ashley as the wheels start to come off at St James’ Park. Keegan was angry about Dennis Wise and Tony Jiminez’s involvement in the club’s transfer policy. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

13 September 2008: Newcastle 1-2 Hull. A Marlon King brace sets Hull on their way to a six-game unbeaten streak as Chris Hughton takes control of first team affairs at Newcastle. In the stands, the fans voice their dissatisfaction at the way the club is being run, amid unfounded rumours of a Keegan return. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

13 September 2008: West Brom 3-2 West Ham. Chris Brunt’s late winner earns West Brom their first victory of the season but the squad’s lack of quality is already telling. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

14 September 2008: An under-fire Mike Ashley announces that Newcastle United is for sale. He also states that he will no longer be attending Newcastle fixtures through fears for his safety. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

26 September 2008: Newcastle announce the surprise appointment of Joe Kinnear as interim manager until the end of October. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images

27 September 2008: Arsenal 1-2 Hull. Geovanni’s stunning 30-yard strike earns the Tigers an unlikely victory in the capital as Phil Brown’s side continue to confound the critics. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

3 October 2008: Joe Kinnear’s expletive fuelled rant at journalists takes the pressure of his under-performing players but does little to quell the unease surrounding Newcastle United. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

18 October 2008: Middlesbrough 0-5 Chelsea. Gareth Southgate insists he can learn from this hiding at the hands of Felipe Scolari’s Chelsea, but the lack of quality in attack is painfully apparent. Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

25 October 2008: Sunderland 2-1 Newcastle. Kieran Richardson’s sublime free-kick s helps Sunderland beat Newcastle for the first time in eight years. This was just the third victory for Roy Keane’s side, who had endured an indifferent start to the season. Photograph: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto

1 November 2008: Man United 4-3 Hull. Goals from Bernard Mendy and Geovanni were not enough for Hull, who started the day in sixth place, as they leave Old Trafford empty handed. Photograph: Michael Regan/Action Images

8 November 2008: Liverpool 3-0 West Brom. Robbie Keane’s first league goals for Liverpool condemn West Brom to the relegation zone where they will stay for the rest of the season. Photograph: Paul Thomas/AP

27 November 2008: Kinnear is named manager of Newcastle until the end of the season after picking up 10 points in eight games. Alan Shearer, however, rejects the chance to join the coaching staff. Photograph: John Giles/PA Wire/Press Association Images

5 December 2008: Roy Keane resigns as Sunderland manager via text message. Sam Allardyce, at this stage still without a club, declares his interest in the job, as coach Ricky Sbragia is named caretaker manager. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

20 December 2008: Hull 1-4 Sunderland. Sbargia gets off to a promising start and the Black Cats follow up their emphatic victory over West Brom with another four-goal haul at the KC Stadium. Sbragia’s reward after is an 18 month contract. Photograph: Christopher Lee/Getty Images

26 December 2008: Man City 5-1 Hull. Things are not looking so great for Hull, however, who follow defeat against Sunderland with a lacklustre showing at Eastlands. Phil Brown is so furious at his side, who trail 4-0 at the break, that he delivers his half-time team talk on the pitch. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images

28 December 2008: Newcastle 1-5 Liverpool. Abysmal Newcastle defending allows Steven Gerrard and Liverpool to waltz to victory on the day that Mike Ashley revealed the club is no longer for sale after failing to find a buyer. Photograph: Nigel Roddis /Reuters

17 January 2009: Hull 1-3 Arsenal. Late goals from Samir Nasri and Nicklas Bendtner sink Hull who are slowly sliding down the league. This home defeat was part of an 11 game run without a win for the Tigers. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

17 January 2009: West Brom 3-0 Middlesbrough. Robert Koran scored twice after Chris Brunt’s opener as West Brom secure another rare victory. Afonso Alves, who has just five goals to his name, misses a host of chances for the visitors. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire/Press Association Images

1 February 2009: Club legend Shay Given leaves Newcastle for Manchester City. Charles N’Zogbia also leaves for Wigan in the January window after falling out with Kinnear, while Kevin Nolan (pictured), Ryan Taylor and Peter Lovenkrands join the club. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images

7 February 2009: Joe Kinnear is rushed to hospital before Newcastle’s 3-2 victory over West Brom before undergoing a triple heart bypass operation. He leaves hospital a week later but does not return to the St James’ Park dugout as Chris Hughton takes the reins once again. Photograph: Ian Horrocks/Newcastle United via Getty Image

28 February 2009: Middlesbrough 2-0 Liverpool. A Xabi Alonso own-goal and a sweet finish from Tuncay offer Boro a lifeline as they look to climb the table. Ultimately, however, this surprise victory seems to confuse rather than inspire. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images

1 March 2009: Hull 1-2 Blackburn. Boos ring around the KC Stadium after Geovanni’s substitution is announced. The Brazilian playmaker reacts by applauding the fans criticising Phil Brown’s decision before sulking on the bench. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

4 March 2009: Newcastle 1-2 Man United. Strikes from Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov pile the pressure on Chris Hughton’s side who are still without a win since Kinnear’s hospitalisation. Photograph: John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images

4 March 2009: Tottenham 4-0 Middlesbrough. A lively Aaron Lennon leads Spurs to victory as Middlesbrough languish in 19th spot. Photograph: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images

14 March 2009: Sunderland 1-2 Wigan. Newcastle old boy Charles N’Zogbia scores the winner for Steve Bruce’s side as Sunderland continue to hover just above the drop zone. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire/Press Association Images

1 April 2009: Alan Shearer is named as Newcastle boss. The Geordie legend, who appoints Iain Dowie as his assistant, takes over with the club in 18th position with eight games to go. Photograph: Craig Brough/Action Images

11 April 2009: Stoke 1-1 Newcastle. After losing 2-0 to Chelsea in Shearer’s first game in charge, Andy Carroll’s late header earns Newcastle a precious point. Photograph: Christopher Lee/Getty Images

25 April 2009: West Brom 3-0 Sunderland. Tony Mowbray’s insistence on playing attractive football pays dividends as Baggies fans begin to dream of another great escape. Sunderland, meanwhile, continue to edge nearer to the drop-zone. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images

3 May 2009: Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle. Joey Barton’s red card leads to a war of words between the player and his manager. Shearer dropped Michael Owen for the game, instead preferring Mark Viduka, but the gamble did not pay off. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

4 May 2009: Aston Villa 1-0 Hull. John Carew’s goal was the difference between the sides but it could have been more if it was not for Boaz Myhill in the Hull goal. Phil Brown’s side, who have not won since December, hover perilously in 17th place. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images

9 May 2009: West Brom 3-1 Wigan. West Brom fans get their calculators out and discover they can still mathematically stay in the league following another great display at The Hawthorns, with Marc-Antoine Fortune and Chris Brunt (pictured) getting the goals. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

11 May 2009: Newcastle 3-1 Middlesbrough. Two goals within the first 10 minutes add to the tension to the mother of all six-pointers at a packed St James’ Park. An inspired Alan Shearer substitution proves the difference as Obafemi Martins scores just seconds after coming off the bench to move Newcastle ahead of Hull and out of the bottom three, albeit on goal difference. Photograph: Tom Jenkins

16 May 2009: Middlesbrough 1-1 Aston Villa. Stewart Downing is stretchered off as Boro concede a late equaliser, meaning they will have to rely on other results to survive on the final day of the season. Photograph: Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty Images

17 May 2009: West Brom 0-2 Liverpool. The day after Manchester United clinch the title, goals from Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt help Liverpool defeat West Brom and send the club back to the Championship. Photograph: Keith Williams/Action Images

18 May 2009: Portsmouth 3-1 Sunderland. Sunderland travel south knowing a victory will see them safe. However, despite taking the lead through Kenwyne Jones, sloppy defending means that the threat of relegation still looms large. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Reuters