Champions: Arsenal
Runners up: Chelsea
Champions League places: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
UEFA Cup places: Newcastle, Middlesbrough (League Cup), Millwall (FA Cup finalists)
Promoted (from 2002/03): Portsmouth, Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Relegated: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United, Leicester City
Leading Scorer: Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 30 goals

The 2003/04 campaign will forever be known as the season of The Invincibles. Arsenal's Invincibles. The Gunners pulled off the stunning feat of becoming the first team since Preston North End in 1889 to go the entire season unbeaten in the league. Suffice to say they won the title, racking up 26 wins, 12 draws, 0 losses and 90 points in the process.

Many were tipping Chelsea for success after new owner Roman Abramovich spent around £100million on players such as Damien Duff, Juan Sebastián Veron and Joe Cole. David Beckham left Manchester United to join Real Madrid in a £25million deal, while the Red Devils were further handicapped by Rio Ferdinand's suspension for the final four months of the season as punishment for missing a drugs test. But as Beckham left, United brought in youngster Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon in one of the most significant transfers in Premier League history.

With French international striker Thierry Henry at the fore, Arsenal powered through the season and sealed the title at White Hart Lane of all places, the home of deadly rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Leading going into the final moments of the match, the Gunners were pegged back by a late Robbie Keane penalty but a 2-2 draw was still enough to claim the championship with four games still to play. "Everybody has to say we're the best team in the country," said the Gunners' Dennis Bergkamp. "The way we've played football is quite exceptional and we have really deserved this."

Arsenal did the double over second-placed Chelsea but the Blues got their own back in the Champions League quarter finals, beating Arsene Wenger's side 3-2 on aggregate. Despite finishing second and qualifying for the Champions League semi-finals, Blues manager Claudio Ranieri was sacked in the close season to be replaced by Porto coach Jose Mourinho. A difficult season for Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier also cost the Frenchman his job, with Rafa Benitez coming in from Valencia that summer.

Manchester United finished third in the league and claimed the FA Cup, beating rivals Arsenal in the semi-finals before easing past Millwall in the final. The 2003/04 season also brought with it the decline of Leeds United who had fallen into severe financial difficulty. The club sacked Peter Reid in November and installed first team coach Eddie Gray as interim manager. Gray too was sacked after failing to save the club from relegation and was replaced by his assistant Kevin Blackwell. "I have had a great life with the club and it's just sad that it has come to this," Gray said. "That's life. I would not agree that it was an impossible task to keep Leeds up. It was difficult but I still enjoyed it and I am sad how it turned out."

After narrowly avoiding the drop the previous season, Leeds went down on 33 points along with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City.

FA Cup Winners: Manchester United [Final - Manchester United 3 v 0 Millwall]
League Cup Winners: Middlesbrough [Final - Bolton 1 v 2 Middlesbrough]
Champions League Winners: Porto [Final - Monaco 0 v 3 Porto]
Uefa Cup Winners: Valencia [Final - Valencia 2 v 0 Marseille]

Leeds United - Peter Reid out, Eddie Gray in

Southampton - Gordon Strachan out, Paul Sturrock in

Tottenham - Glenn Hoddle out, David Pleat in