The Ultimate Guide to: The Premier League

Amassing an annual viewership of 4.7 billion, The Premier League is the most-watched and celebrated football league in the world. Since its inception in the early ’90’s, the Premier League has grown into a sporting phenomenon, attracting fans through its incredible history, memorable moments, and dramatic finishes over years gone by. In this blog post, Corinthian Sports go through what makes the Premier League so special, and the magical moments that keep fans glued to the action week-after-week!

The Beginning of the Premier League…

Before 1992, English football’s top division was called the Football League First Division. Well-known clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea competed in the first division. With the recent rise of teams such as Manchester City, it is important to remember that the first division still holds a decisive place in mainstream opinions of each football team, as the original teams that were competing in the top division hold the most history and traditions compared to those that have only rose to prominence in the past couple of decades.

However, with rise of increased revenue through sponsorships and television deals, the decision was made to breakaway from the traditional football league and form the Premier League. Unlike the football league (which governed the first division), the Premier League was allowed to negotiate its own contracts independly, which enticed clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and other top teams in England to make the switch as it would ultimately lead to an increase in financial resources for clubs.

In next to no time, the popularility of English football was at a fever pitch. What was once a popular, domestic league had become a global spectacle overnight through the introduction of the Premier League. A higher level of commercialization, financial stability and international appeal meant that the Premier League quickly became one of the most-watched and profitable football leagues in the world and, as such, attracted the top talents from around the globe.

Memorable Moments

The Premier League has served up some iconic moments over the years. Here are our picks of a few:

Manchester City win the league in the last minute (2012): “Manchester City still alive here! Balotelli… Aguerooooo!”, Martin Tyler screamed as Sergio Aguero put his name into the Premier League history books with a last-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers to win Manchester City their maiden Premier League title.

To put it into context, Manchester City went into the last game knowing that the only way they could wrestle the Premier League title away from Manchester United would be to secure all 3-points against Queens Park Rangers. With Manchester United securing a 1-0 victory in their last game, the action panned to Manchester City as they battled for a winning goal in the dying seconds of the game.

The rest, as they say, is history!

Leicester City win the Premier League (2016): In the 2014/15 season, Leicester City were on the verge of relegation and escaped by the skin of their teeth. Being a newly promoted club, this was to be expected. However, with how the season panned out overall, many had Leicester to go back down to the Championship the very next season.

In what is now known to be the biggest underdog story in football history, Leicester City took on the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and more and comfortably took home the 2015/16 Premier League trophy! Imagine being the lucky person to have placed a bet at the start of that season for Leicester to go all the way when the odds were at 5,000/1…

This is what makes the Premier League so special – anything can happen!

The ‘Invincibles’ (2003/04): Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Viera, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell – the list goes on. Arsenal, in the mid-2000’s, had successfully disrupted the dominance of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United and did what no other club had done since the 19th century (nor since) – go the entire Premier League season unbeaten.

Managed by the legendary Arsene Wenger, Arsenal went a total of 49 Premier League games unbeaten and are the only English club to have been commisioned a unique golden Premier League trophy for achievements!

Whilst the argument remains open about the best team to ever play ‘the beautiful game’, you can be certain that Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ side are up there.

Wayne Rooney’s bicycle kick in the Manchester derby (2011): There aren’t many moments that have the great Sir Alex Ferguson leap up from his seat at Old Trafford. However, Wayne Rooney’s sensational bicycle kick against Manchester City certainly got the Premier League’s greatest ever manager up on his feet!

With his back to goal and the ball hanging in the air after a pin-point cross from Nani, Rooney leapt into the air and had the ball explode off of his boot – leaving Manchester City Goalkeeper, Joe Hart, with no chance whatsoever.

Rooney’s famous goal is etched into the history books as one of the Premier League’s most iconic goals and serves as a testament to one of the greatest talents English football has ever seen.

Premier League Records

As of October 2023*

• Premier League all-time top scorer: Alan Shearer (260)
• Premier League title record: Manchester United (12)
• Premier League Ballon d’Or Winners: Michael Owen (2001) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2008)
• Most wins in a single season: Manchester City (2017/18 & 2018/19) and Liverpool (2019/20) – 32 Wins
• Longest unbeaten streak in the Premier League: Arsenal (2003-2005) – 49 Games
• Most Premier League appearances: Gareth Barry (652 appearances)
• Most expensive Premier League player: Enzo Fernandez (£104M)
• Worst Premier League team of all time: Derby County (2007/08) – 11 Points
• Most goals in a single Premier League season: Erling Haaland (2022/23) – 35 Goals

All-Time Premier League XI

From the likes of Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, De Bruyne and more, fans of Premier League football clubs have been blessed to have been able to attract some of the finest players that football has ever produced.

As voted for by over 370,000 football fans across the UK, BBC Sport compiled the best All-Time Premier League XI and it’s fair to say that this team would’ve won it all!

What is the Format of the Premier League?

The Premier League has a very straightforward format, with 20 clubs battling it out each year over a 38-game season:

How many points does each club receive based on each result?: A win in the Premier League gives the club 3 points, a draw 1 point and the losing side gets 0 points.

How do teams make it into the Premier League?: The league below the Premier League is the Championship, in which the top two teams gain automatic promotion into the Premier League, while the third spot is decided in the Championship Playoff final at Wembley Stadium.

How can teams be relegated into the Championship?: If a team finishes the Premier League season in the bottom 3 places, they will automatically be relegated into the Championship where they’ll have to fight back the very next season to get back into the Premier League!

Are there any incentives for finishing high in the Premier League?: Besides finishing 1st and winning the Premiership, absolutely! If a team finishes in the top 5, they will automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Teams that finish 6th and 7th will qualify for the UEFA Europa League and teams that finish 8th will qualify for the UEFA Conference League.

The UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious club tournament in Europe, with the very best teams in the world going toe-to-toe with one another. Qualifying for the Champions League is incredibly difficult as teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and more are always battling it out for top 5 places, let alone the Premiership! –

Want to find out more about the UEFA Champions League? Check out our Ultimate Guide to the Champions League.

The 2023/24 Premier League Season

With the 2023/24 Premier League season well underway, the title-race promises to be a nail-biter as teams including Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Liverpool have already made great starts to their domestic campaigns…

While it is impossible to predict with certainty, many experts and pundits have Manchester City as the frontrunners for the Premier League this season after winning it in 5 of the last 6 seasons. Fresh from winning the treble (The Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup), Pep Guardiola’s men have already established themselves as the team to beat this season.

However, after narrowly missing out on the Premiership title last season, Arsenal are seen by many as the most likely to hoist the trophy away from Manchester City should anyone do so. However, with Spurs and Liverpool having their sights set on glory too, it could be anyone’s this year!

2023/24 Premier League Hospitality Packages

No matter which Premier League club you support, Corinthian Sports is your go-to destination for unforgettable matchday experiences. We offer premium hospitality packages across the top Premier League clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and more. Our hospitality packages also include exclusive access to Champions League games!

So, whether you’re cheering for a title contender or battling against relegation, make your football experience extraordinary with Corinthian Sports.

Interested in 2023/24 Premier League hospitality? Book your tickets now to avoid disappointment!