Champions: Arsenal
Runners up: Liverpool
Champions League places: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United
UEFA Cup places: Leeds United, Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers (League Cup), Fulham (Intertoto Cup), Ipswich Town (Fair Play Draw)
Promoted (from 2000/01): Fulham, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers
Relegated: Leicester City, Derby County, Ipswich Town
Leading Scorer: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 24 goals

Having finished as runners-up to Manchester United in the three previous seasons, this was Arsenal's year - and what a year. The first Barclaycard sponsored Premier League season was to be the most closely-fought campaign in recent history.

Mounting speculation over who would replace Alex Ferguson at the end of the season seemed to distract the United side as they won only six of their opening 15 matches. They did, however, beat Tottenham 5-3 in one of the most dramatic Premier League matches. Losing 3-0 at half-time, United looked dead and buried. But a second-half onslaught fired them to a remarkable victory.

With United falling to ninth place, new challengers for the crown emerged. Liverpool sold legend Robbie Fowler to Leeds for £11million and were further rocked when manager Gerard Houllier suffered a heart attack during their 1-1 draw with Leeds. But, with newly crowned European Player of the Year Michael Owen scoring freely, they were top for the first time in three years.

Newcastle United were confirmed as unlikely title contenders in December. A surprise 3-1 victory at Highbury was swiftly followed by a stunning 4-3 victory over Leeds (who at one point had been leading 3-1).

Manchester United staged a remarkable comeback in the new year and a nine-match winning run saw them storm back up the table. Welcome news that Ferguson was to continue as manager seemed to spur them to victory.

But Arsenal - who had snatched defender Sol Campbell from deadly rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the beginning of the season - were unbeatable. An astonishing run of 13 straight wins propelled them to the title. And victory was made even sweeter when they clinched it with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford in the penultimate match of the season. Arsene Wenger crowed: "We wanted to show a shift in power in the Premier League. We have done it and we deserve it."

At the other end of the table, for the first time ever in the Premier League, all three promoted sides stayed up. Just a year after qualifying for the UEFA Cup and seeing George Burley take the Manager of the Year prize, Ipswich were relegated. With just one win from the opening 18 matches, their fate seemed sealed. But a run of six victories in seven matches lifted them to 12th place and possible safety. However, a second loss of form, culminating in a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool on the last day of the season, sent the Tractor Boys down.

Leicester City got off to a terrible start and never really recovered. A four-month winless run sealed their fate and they were relegated on 6th April after a 1-0 home defeat to Manchester United. Derby County were the other relegated team - seven defeats in their last eight matches consigning them to the drop.

Arsenal won the FA Cup days before taking the title to complete their 'double' and top off a remarkable season for them. The Gunners became the first Premier League side to score in every league fixture as well as not lose an away match all season.

FA Cup Winners - Arsenal [Final - Arsenal 2 v 0 Chelsea]
League Cup Winners - Blackburn Rovers [Final - Blackburn Rovers 2 v 1 Tottenham Hotspur]
Champions League Winners - Real Madrid [Final - Real Madrid 2 v 1 Bayer Leverkusen]
UEFA Cup Winners - Feyenoord [Final - Feyenoord 3 v 2 Borussia Dortmund]

Aston Villa - John Gregory out, Graham Taylor in

Derby County - Jim Smith out, Colin Todd in, Colin Todd out, John Gregory in

Everton - Walter Smith out, David Moyes in

Leicester City - Peter Taylor out, David Bassett in, David Bassett out, Micky Adams in

Liverpool - Gerard Houllier out (sick leave), Phil Thompson in (temp)

Middlesbrough - Bryan Robson and Terry Venables out, Steve McLaren in

Southampton - Stuart Gray out, Gordon Strachan in