Champions: Manchester United
Runners up: Newcastle United
Champions League places: Manchester United, Newcastle United
UEFA Cup places: Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Leicester City (League Cup)
Cup Winners Cup places: Chelsea
Promoted (from 1995/96): Sunderland, Derby County, Leicester City
Relegated: Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest
Leading Scorer: Alan Shearer (Newcastle United) 25 goals

Having missed out on the title to Manchester United in the previous season, Newcastle United shelled out a British record £15million on Blackburn Rovers' England striker Alan Shearer. The Magpies were handsomely rewarded for their outlay, with Shearer scoring 25 times in the league to finish as top scorer, ahead of Arsenal's Ian Wright. Italian international Gianfranco Zola made the move from Parma to Chelsea in the close season and he would have a huge impact, helping the club to an FA Cup triumph, and winning the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award.

The season started in spectacular fashion as David Beckham scored from the half-way line in Manchester United's 3-0 win at Wimbledon on the opening day. Neil Sullivan, the Wimbledon goalkeeper, said after the game: "As soon as he brought his foot back I thought: uh-oh he's going to try to do me. I thought I had it covered until the last ten yards. My only consolation is that at least I'll be on telly every week." Beckham won the Professional Football Association Young Player of the Year award later that season and in 2003 his effort was voted Premier League Goal of the Decade.

Newcastle went top of the league in November after a stunning 5-0 win over Manchester United. This was the Red Devils' biggest defeat for 12 years, with the pick of the goals a sublime chip from Newcastle's Belgian international Philippe Albert. Things were to get worse for United in the following match when they were humbled 6-3 by Southampton at The Dell.

Despite Liverpool going top in December after Robbie Fowler scored four in a 5-1 thrashing of Middlesbrough, United's form picked up and by the end of January they were in first place and remained there until the end of the season. They won the title without kicking a ball as closest rivals Liverpool lost to Wimbledon and Newcastle could only draw 0-0 with West Ham on 6th May.

There was controversy at the other end of the table as Middlesbrough were relegated on the final day of the season. They would have finished outside the relegation places were it not for a three-point deduction from the Football Association for cancelling a match against Blackburn in December. Middlesbrough blamed the decision on the absence of 23 players through illness or injury. The club had spent millions on players such as Emerson Moises, Branco, Gianluca Festa and Fabrizio Ravanelli, with the latter scoring 31 goals in all competitions. Nottingham Forest and Sunderland joined Boro in being relegated to the First Division.

Manchester United striker Eric Cantona retired from the game having played a major role in the club's Premier League dominance.

FA Cup Winners: Chelsea [Final - Chelsea 2 v 0 Middlesbrough]
League Cup Winners: Leicester City [Final - Leicester City 1 v 1 Middlesbrough]
[Replay - Leicester City 1 v 0 Middlesbrough]
Champions League Winners: Borussia Dortmund [Final - Borussia Dortmund 3 v 1 Juventus]
UEFA Cup Winners: Barcelona [Final - Barcelona 1 v 0 Paris Saint-Germain]

Blackburn - Ray Harford out, Tony Parkes in

Chelsea - Glenn Hoddle out, Ruud Gullit in

Coventry City - Ron Atkinson out, Gordon Strachan in

Everton - Joe Royle out, Dave Watson in

Leeds United - Howard Wilkinson out, George Graham in

Newcastle - Kevin Keegan out, Kenny Dalglish in

Nottingham Forest - Frank Clark out, Stuart Pearce in, Stuart Pearce out, Dave Bassett in

Southampton - David Merrington out, Graeme Souness in