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From Tylers Column

Time on top

Hi Martin, Manchester City have consistently been in the title race this season, but it seems as if they have always been playing catchup. If they were to win the league, would that be a record for least amount of time spent at the top of the league? Thanks, David, USA

MARTIN SAYS: According to Opta, Manchester City have completed just 10 days on top of the Premier League table this season - and assuming they get a point against Aston Villa on Wednesday night and go on to win the league they will have spent just 15 days on top of the table. As you suspect, this would be the fewest days a team has led the league and won the title - by far! It will also be the first time in Premier League history that the title-winner went top during the final week of the season.

The previous low is the 30 days that Manchester United spent on top of the Premier League in their title-winning season of 2002/03. In nine of the last 10 Premier League seasons, the eventual champions spent more than 100 days on top of the table - so this would be a very different achievement for Man City.

Out of interest, Liverpool have so far spent 58 days on top of the table (so far), while Chelsea have been top for 64 days and Manchester United for two days. The side that has spent the most time on top of the Premier League this season is Arsenal, who have led for 128 days this term.

How long has each Premier League champion spent on top of the table?

Season Champions Days leading Times went top Last day went top
1992/93 Man Utd 68 5 10-Apr
1993/94 Man Utd 261 2 23-Aug
1994/95 Blackburn 168 4 08-Mar
1995/96 Man Utd 46 3 23-Mar
1996/97 Man Utd 105 3 29-Jan
1997/98 Arsenal 55 3 18-Apr
1998/99 Man Utd 92 4 09-May
1999/00 Man Utd 179 6 29-Jan
2000/01 Man Utd 240 3 14-Oct
2001/02 Arsenal 46 7 21-Apr
2002/03 Man Utd 30 2 12-Apr
2003/04 Arsenal 215 9 01-Feb
2004/05 Chelsea 192 3 06-Nov
2005/06 Chelsea 256 1 24-Aug
2006/07 Man Utd 249 4 22-Oct
2007/08 Man Utd 83 7 15-Mar
2008/09 Man Utd 123 5 10-May
2009/10 Chelsea 203 9 25-Apr
2010/11 Man Utd 166 3 16-Jan
2011/12 Man City 173 6 30-Apr
2012/13 Man Utd 190 2 24-Nov

SKY kept plugging this, but we were favourites for many more weeks, so there are other factors. Latterly it was games in hand, earlier it was 2 daft losses whilst manager and team were still getting used to each other. That sort of put us in a false low.

What matters is who's on top at the end ...

Biggest reason for this though is the games in hand, we were always two or three games behind the rest for second part of the season and I. The first half we lost those away games early on and then all the back to back wins came in the middle part so it's all skewed a bit ... but who cares ...

Hi Martin, you are a cunt.

i love coming from behind

john@staustell wrote:SKY kept plugging this, but we were favourites for many more weeks, so there are other factors. Latterly it was games in hand, earlier it was 2 daft losses whilst manager and team were still getting used to each other. That sort of put us in a false low.

surely the rag treble winners in 99 saw them have many games in hand too?

I think its an astonishing stat, I didnt realise we were at summit for so few games

This season the league is as follows

Top of the PL this season:
Arsenal 128
Chelsea 64
Liverpool 59
Man City 11
Man Utd 2

We've clearly got big form on coming from behind very strong at the end.

The annoying thing is all these twats in the media kept telling us before every game we were going to slip up.

They kept saying this on NBC last night.

But i don't know how many of them know this, but City is the english team that had the most games played this season. In front of the likes of Chelsea or Arsenal.

Fair enough, I concede the 'Most days at the top when it doesn't matter and you don't win it' trophy to Arsenal.

If they win the FA Cup they can call it a double.

Was mentioned on BBC commentary during the Villa game, great stat.

In League Two, Bristol Rovers were relegated after being in the bottom 2 for all of about an hour (the last one) during the season.

PeterParker wrote:They kept saying this on NBC last night.

But i don't know how many of them know this, but City is the english team that had the most games played this season. In front of the likes of Chelsea or Arsenal.

Pretty obvious this is why we have been behind all season. We were busy winning the League Cup, & competing in the FA Cup & Champions League. If Liverpool had been doing the same, they would have finished 5th.

We had three games in hand at one stage, of course we were off the pace.

Non-story but leave them at it, we're top now and that's all that matters.

Sunderland at home was postponed as well due to high winds. That will have contributed to the build up of games.

Aslong as we're top after 38 games that is all that matters. Tyler and his cronies can fuck off.

Nigels Tackle wrote:i love coming from behind

Too much information, Nigel, I fear.

john@staustell wrote:We've clearly got big form on coming from behind very strong at the end.

The annoying thing is all these twats in the media kept telling us before every game we were going to slip up.

I think this is why if we win the league this year it is such a significant achievement. Games in hand is one thing but the pressure to win those games is something we've had to carry for most of the season. The dippers couldn't carry the pressure of being top (with the title in their hands) for as much as one game.

Nigels Tackle wrote:i love coming from behind

Best way to do it. You get the best view.

Now that that's out the of the way. Another interesting note is that we have been the bookies favorites almost all year besides after the slip up at the dippers. And then what it was only a weak after their game at Chelsea we became the odds on favorite again

couldn't give a flying duck if we hadn't been on top all year, it only matters on sunday who is top of the league.

Blue Oli wrote:couldn't give a flying duck if we hadn't been on top all year, it only matters on sunday who is top of the league.

At 5 o'clock

Nigels Tackle wrote:i love coming from behind

I prefer being on top.