100 defining moments of the football season 2007/08

100 defining moments of the football season 2007/08By John Ley
Last Updated: 9:22am BST 30/05/2008
A remarkable 2007-08 campaign saw a prodigal son return, a city united in grief half a century on and Manchester United clinch a Premier League and Champions League double. John Ley concludes his four-day review with the top 25
100 defining moments: 100-75
100 defining moments: 74-50
100 defining moments: 49-26
25. Styles victim Top referee Rob Styles is forced into an embarrassing apology to Liverpool for wrongly awarding Chelsea a penalty for their equaliser in the 1-1 at Anfield.
24. Pay bonanza The Premier League wage bill tops £1 billion for the first time, according to Deloitte's annual review of football finance.
23. Avram grunt Avram Grant, unhappy that Sky have forced his club to play on a Thursday, offers the written press a succession of one-word answers after the game at Everton. When asked what pleased him about the 1-0 win, he pauses for eight seconds before replying: "I don't know".
22. Terry's gold John Terry's season finishes with joy. Tormented by his penalty miss in the Champions League final, he gets the England captaincy and responds with a goal in the 2-0 win over the USA.
21. Jinxed? Wayne Rooney breaks a bone in his foot in the opening game of the season, against Reading. The Manchester United striker misses five weeks, including England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia.
20. Sven to go? Sven-Goran Eriksson takes Manchester City into the Uefa Cup but is still set to leave, with club owner Thaksin Shinawatra seemingly unhappy with the season. Mexico looks his next port of call.
19. United Manchester rivals United and City unite in tribute to the victims of the Munich air tragedy, 50 years on. Immaculately behaved City fans see their side complete their first double over United since 1970.
18. Moscow mayhem Problems on and off the pitch ahead of the Champions League final, with fans initially struggling to get visas and the pitch, a grass one replacing the plastic surface, settling badly.
17. Heaven and Hull After 108 years, Hull are up with the big boys, thanks to a 39-year-old former brickie and frozen pea packer. Dean Windass, Hull born-and-bred, nets the play-off final winner against Bristol City.
16. Harry hooked Harry Redknapp is arrested as the City of London police look into suspicions of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. Redknapp later wins a case against the police relating to flaws in the arrest warrant.
15. Viva Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick against Portsmouth in January is, according to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, the best the Premier League has seen. Ronaldo scores 42 goals in a remarkable season for the Portuguese.
14. Omer goal Omer Golan is an unlikely English hero when the Israeli steals a last-minute goal against Russia to keep England's Euro 2008 qualifying hopes alive - briefly.
13. Pitch battle Chelsea beat Manchester United in the Premier League then, after the match, United's reserve players clash with groundstaff. United full-back Patrice Evra is alleged to have been verbally abused. An FA hearing is due.
12. Fabio's task Fabio Capello is told to take England to a major semi-final - or better - by 2012 as the Football Association announce their 'Vision 2008-12' strategy.
11. Spurs shame Spurs officials are pictured in talks with Sevilla coach Juande Ramos. Martin Jol is replaced three weeks later, after the Uefa Cup tie against Getafe.
10 Final tribute Frank Lampard takes Chelsea to the Champions League final with a 98th-minute penalty against Liverpool, in his first match back since the death of his mother.
9. Chiming success Portsmouth cap a remarkable season of FA Cup shocks by winning the trophy for the first time since 1939, beating Cardiff 1-0. But players Glen Johnson and Jamie Ashdown have their medals stolen.
8. Calm down... Liverpool's American co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett see public slanging matches, funding issues, fan protests, failed takeovers and speculation over the future of manager Rafael Benitez contribute to another disappointing season at Anfield.
7. Brolly wally The end is nigh for Steve McClaren. The 'Wally with the Brolly' stands in the rain of Wembley as England fail to reach the European Championship finals. Croatia beat them 3-2 and McClaren is sacked.
6. Simply the best Sir Alex Ferguson claims, in November, that he has the best squad of his 21 years in charge. As ever the Scot is proved right, with United winning the Premier League for a record 10th time. Oh, and they win the Champions League as well.
5. Fog on the Tyne Prodigal son Kevin Keegan is back at Newcastle. Keegan later claims the club is a "million miles" from the top four and that he would never be able to deliver Champions League football to St James' Park.
4. Italian job Just 26 days after Steve McClaren is sacked, Fabio Capello is unveiled as England manager.
3. No one special Jose Mourinho leaves Chelsea after three years and six trophies. Chelsea later admit to an "irretrievable" breakdown in relations. But replacement Avram Grant lasts just eight months, dismissed three days after the Champions League final.
2. Are you sure? The Premier League reveal a plan to extend the season by one game - to be played abroad. The "international round" idea is castigated - but it remains on the table.
1. Super Tsars Manchester United are European champions in Moscow. Frank Lampard cancels out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener for United and in the penalty shoot-out Ronaldo and John Terry miss before Edwin van der Sar saves from Nicolas Anelka.