2000–01 FA Premier League

Eight titles and a roar at Old Trafford: United's crown, clinched in front of their own faithful.

The 2000–01 Premier League season was the 9th campaign of the rebranded top-flight and is remembered as a season in which Manchester United reasserted their dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson, clinching their 8th league title at Old Trafford in front of a delirious home crowd. Arsenal, armed with the newly arrived Dennis Bergkamp, mounted the strongest challenge but fell ten points short in what became the prelude to their legendary 'Invincibles' run two years later.

The season also saw Leeds United deliver a stunning dark-horse campaign that kept the title race alive into the spring, only to be the team on the pitch when United sealed the crown. At the bottom, Southampton, Coventry City, and Ipswich Town were sent down, capping a turbulent year for all three clubs.

Last updated 2026-10-03 from the source article.

Quick Facts

Competition

FA Premier League

Dates

19 August 2000 – 19 May 2001

Winners

Manchester United
7th Premier League title
14th English title

Relegated

Manchester City
Coventry City
Bradford City

Best goalkeeper

Fabien Barthez
Paul Jones
Sander Westerveld (14 clean sheets each)

Facts from the source article.

Background

By the summer of 2000, Manchester United had become the defining force of the Premier League era. Sir Alex Ferguson's side had won five titles in the six years since the league's rebranding, and the 2000–01 campaign was expected to be another march to the top. Yet the narrative was complicated by Arsenal's relentless upward trajectory. Arsène Wenger had added the Dutch maestro Dennis Bergkamp in the summer transfer window, giving his side a creative spark that had been missing. The North London club were hungry, and for much of the autumn and winter, the title race was a genuine two-horse affair.

Leeds United, under David O'Leary, were the season's great surprise. A club that had been in and out of the bottom half in previous years suddenly possessed a physical, relentless identity that made them nearly impossible to beat. They sat in the top three for long stretches of the season and were the team United had to beat on the day the title was decided. The irony was not lost on anyone: the very match that crowned Manchester United was the one that ended Leeds' hopes.

The final stretch of the season was a masterclass in pressure management. United, who had slipped behind Arsenal in the early stages, found a second gear in the spring. The 4-2 victory over Leeds at Old Trafford on a warm April afternoon was not merely a result; it was a statement. The crowd of over 70,000 erupted as the final whistle blew, and for a few minutes, the stadium was a cauldron of noise. United had done it again, and the gap to Arsenal, now ten points with several games remaining, was insurmountable. It was the 8th league title in the club's history and a reminder that, in this league, the reds of Manchester remained the benchmark against which all challengers were measured.

Did You Know?

Dennis Bergkamp's arrival at Arsenal in the summer of 2000 was a pivotal signing that helped set the stage for the club's subsequent 'Invincibles' season two years later.
Liverpool won the FA Cup in the same 2000-01 season, defeating Arsenal 2-1 in the final at Wembley.
Manchester United's 2000-01 title was their 8th top-flight league championship, extending their record of domestic league titles in English football.