Premier League season: 1999-2000

The 1999-2000 season was the eighth season of the FA Premier League, then known as the Carling Premiership.The 1998-99 season saw Manchester United lose just three games all season and win their fifth League title alongside the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. It would be hard to match their achievements from the previous campaign after their treble winning season.Alex Ferguson had an impressive squad at his disposal with world class midfielders like David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Roy Keane to compliment the devastating strike force of Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.United withdrew from the FA Cup in order to participate in the FIFA World Club Championship at the request of the FA.It would be Chelsea who went on to lift the FA Cup in the last FA Cup Final held at the original Wembley Stadium.Gianluca Vialli's side beat John Gregory's Aston Villa 1-0 following a goal from Roberto Di Matteo.Leicester City won the League Cup for the second time in four years when Martin O'Neill's team defeated Division One club Tranmere Rovers 2-1. In Europe Man United suffered a 3-2 defeat by Real Madrid in the quarter finals, while Leeds and Arsenal were both eliminated from the UEFA Cup by Turkish side Galatasaray.Arsenal were defeated in the Final while Leeds were knocked out in the semis. Two Leeds fans were stabbed to death before the game. At the bottom end of the table Watford, managed by Graham Taylor, set a record for the lowest number of points acquired in a Premier League season.In their first season in the Premier League they picked up just 24 points.Second from bottom were Sheffield Wednesday, who suffered the worst defeat of the season away at Newcastle United, now managed by Bobby Robson.Wimbledon joined them in dropping down to Division One, both Wimbledon and Wednesday had been Premier League sides since its establishment in 1992.Promoted to the Premier League in their place were Division One champions Charlton Athletic, runners-up Manchester City and Play off winners Ipswich Town.5th place Chelsea secured UEFA Cup football after winning the FA Cup, Leicester City also booked a spot in Europe through their League Cup success.Liverpool who finished in 4th also qualified for the UEFA Cup in Gerard Houllier's first season with the club.2nd spot went to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal and Leeds United under David O'Learys management secured 3rd place, both would play Champions League football in 2000-2001.League Champions were again Man United who ended the season with 91 points and 18 points clear of Arsenal.Top ScorersRankScorerClubGoals1Kevin PhillipsSunderland302Alan ShearerNewcastle United233Dwight YorkeManchester United204Michael BridgesLeeds United19Andy ColeManchester United196Thierry HenryArsenal177Paolo Di CanioWest Ham United168Chris ArmstrongTottenham Hotspur14Steffen IversenTottenham Hotspur14Niall QuinnSunderland14League TablePosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification/relegation1Manchester United3828739745+5291UEFA Champions League 2000–01 1st group stage2Arsenal3822797343+3073UEFA Champions League 2000–01 1st group stage3Leeds United38216115843+1569UEFA Champions League 2000–01 3rd qualifying round4Liverpool38191095130+2167UEFA Cup 2000–01 1st round5Chelsea38181195334+1965UEFA Cup 2000–01 1st round6Aston Villa381513104635+11582000 UEFA Intertoto Cup 3rd round7Sunderland381610125756+1588Leicester City38167155555055UEFA Cup 2000–01 1st round9West Ham United381510135253−15510Tottenham Hotspur38158155749+85311Newcastle United381410146354+95212Middlesbrough 381410144652−65213Everton381214125949105014Coventry38128184754−74415Southampton38128184562−174416Derby County38911184457−133817Bradford City3899203868−30362000 UEFA Intertoto Cup 2nd round18Wimbledon38712194674−2833Relegation to The Football League First Division 2000–0119Sheffield Wednesday3887233870−323120Watford3866263577−4224Video HighlightsManchester United - Road to the TitleWest Ham vs Bradford - Game of the Season

Source: DSG