Here’s a ranking of ten of the best Premier League champions, considering factors like dominance, points record, style of play, and historical significance.
- Manchester City (2017/18) – The Centurions
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side smashed the record for the most points in a single Premier League season, amassing an unprecedented 100 points in the 2017/18 campaign. City won the league in emphatic fashion, scoring 106 goals, finishing with a staggering +79 goal difference, and winning 32 of their 38 matches. It was a season of complete dominance that set a new benchmark for excellence in English football.
- Arsenal (2003/04) – The Invincibles
Arsène Wenger’s star-studded Arsenal squad, famously dubbed The Invincibles, achieved a feat that remains unmatched in Premier League history: completing an entire 38-game season unbeaten.
Their stylish, fluid brand of attacking football was a joy to watch and is still celebrated as one of the league’s greatest achievements. Arsenal won 26 matches and drew 12, finishing the season unbeaten, a remarkable testament to consistency, resilience, and tactical brilliance.
The squad boasted world-class talent, including Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pirès, Patrick Vieira, and Freddie Ljungberg, players whose brilliance carried the team to this unique and possibly unrepeatable achievement.
- Liverpool (2019/20) – Ending 30-year wait
After a 30-year wait for a league title, Liverpool’s triumph in the 2019/20 Premier League season marked the end of a long and emotional domestic drought. Under Jürgen Klopp, the Reds played relentless, attacking football and clinched the title with a record seven games to spare, the earliest-ever title win in Premier League history by games remaining.
Liverpool dropped just two points in their first 27 matches and finished with 99 points, the second-highest tally in Premier League history. With the electric front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino, plus defensive pillars like Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Klopp’s side proved to be unstoppable.
- Manchester United (2007/08) – Peak Ronaldo Era
The 2007/08 season marked a golden era for Manchester United, driven by the brilliance of a then 22-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo. It was a campaign where the club and its young star hit remarkable heights, clinching the Premier League and Champions League titles. Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions, including 31 in the Premier League, winning the Golden Boot. Even more impressive, he achieved this output primarily from a wide position, showcasing a rare blend of speed, flair, and ruthless finishing.
Ronaldo’s exceptional season earned him the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards, marking a pivotal moment in United’s history.
- Leicester City (2015/16) – Football’s greatest fairytale
In what is widely regarded as one of the greatest sporting stories of all time, Leicester City were crowned Premier League champions on 2 May 2016, finishing top of England’s top flight for the first time in the club’s history. Starting the season as 5,000-1 outsiders, Leicester defied all expectations, losing just three league games. Under the calm leadership of Claudio Ranieri, they stunned the football world with remarkable consistency.
Powered by N’Golo Kanté, Jamie Vardy, and Riyad Mahrez, Leicester outperformed the traditional giants to secure a title that will forever be etched in Premier League folklore.
- Manchester City (2018/19) – The relentless defenders
Defending champions Manchester City clinched their fourth Premier League title and sixth top-flight crown at the end of a breathtaking 2018/19 season. In one of the most intense title races in Premier League history, Pep Guardiola’s side held off a phenomenal Liverpool team to win the title by just one point.
City ended the campaign with 98 points, winning their final 14 league games to fend off Liverpool’s relentless pursuit. The title race was a masterclass in consistency and mental strength, with neither side blinking down the stretch.
- Chelsea (2004/05) – Mourinho’s machine
José Mourinho’s first Premier League title with Chelsea in 2004/05 was a defensive masterclass that redefined success in English football. The Blues conceded just 15 goals all season, a record that still stands, and amassed a then-record 95 points. Chelsea clinched the title on April 30, 2005, with a 2–0 win at Bolton, with Frank Lampard scoring both goals.
Mourinho’s pragmatic brilliance set a new standard in English football, marking the beginning of a new era at Stamford Bridge.
- Manchester United (1992/93) – The birth of a dynasty
The 1992/93 season marked Manchester United’s first campaign in the newly formed FA Premier League and ended their 26-year wait for a league title. It was the beginning of a new era for both United and English football. Despite not topping the table until January, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side powered to the title with a 10-point margin over Aston Villa.
The arrival of Eric Cantona in November was pivotal, as his influence transformed the squad. United sealed their triumph on May 2, 1993, when Villa lost to Oldham Athletic, confirming their first Premier League crown.
- Manchester City (2021/22) – A final-day comeback for ages
Manchester City secured the Premier League title by a single point in dramatic fashion on the final day of the 2021/22 season, staging a sensational 3–2 comeback victory over Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium. Trailing 2–0 with 15 minutes to play, City scored three quick goals to clinch the title in one of the most memorable finishes in Premier League history.
The season also featured Kevin De Bruyne’s unforgettable hat-trick against Wolves, where he scored all three goals with his weaker foot in just 17 minutes.
- Arsenal (2001/02) – Dominant double-winning season
Arsenal’s 2001/02 Premier League campaign was one of dominance, as they claimed the title by seven points over second-placed Liverpool, scoring 73 goals. The team combined skill and physicality to perfection, playing an exciting brand of football that left rivals trailing in their wake. Arsenal also completed the Double, winning the FA Cup to cap off a memorable season.
