English Premier League Season Review 2005-2006 Part 3

After a slow start to the new campaign, Liverpool secured 10 consecutive victories to move into third place at the turn of the year. One of those wins was against Wigan, who finished 2005 in the top six despite a dip in form, with summer-signing Peter Crouch ending an 18-match wait for his first Liverpool goal.

Another English striker who secured a summer move was Michael Owen and Newcastle United’s new signing scored a hat-trick in a 4-2 triumph over West Ham United in December. He netted seven goals in 11 league matches during an injury-hit first season on Tyneside.

Strike partner Alan Shearer became the club’s all-time top scorer in a 2-0 triumph over Portsmouth in February and he scored his 260th and final Premier League goal in a Tyne-Wear derby victory against Sunderland in April before retiring. His tally remains the highest in the competition’s history.

At the turn of the year, Chelsea were 11 points clear at the top, with Man Utd and Liverpool their nearest rivals. A record 164 consecutive Premier League appearances for Blues midfielder Frank Lampard ended on 28 December when he was ruled out with a virus but he picked up from where he left off and scored 16 league goals overall.

January moves for Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra galvanised Man Utd and, despite David Bentley scoring a hat-trick in Blackburn Rovers’ win against them in February, they reduced the gap to only seven points in the title race. However, a surprise goalless draw for the Red Devils at home to Sunderland in April put Chelsea on the brink of the title.

Their second Premier League crown was sealed against Man Utd at the end of the month. William Gallas and Ricardo Carvalho scored either side of a wonderful solo effort from Joe Cole as they lifted the trophy at Stamford Bridge with two matches to spare. They also equalled their own record of 29 league wins with that triumph.

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