Final day kings - Who has the best record in the last Premier League game of the season?

It’s crunch time in the Premier League. This Sunday marks the final games of the season. Both Manchester City and Arsenal can still win the title, but the Gunners will need Pep Guardiola’s team to drop points at home to West Ham, whilst beating Everton at the Emirates themselves. Aston Villa have already now wrapped up the fourth Champions League spot, whilst Luton are all but relegated. The Hatters would need to win, hope Nottingham Forest lose, and would need a 12 goal difference swing. 

So historically which teams have the best records on the infamous final day of the Premier League season. Which sides can hold their nerve at the very conclusion. Of course, some teams have had nothing to play for on the final day down the years, meaning they may have lacked the motivation to get the result. Conversely, it could lead to playing with more freedom. Here at Transfermarkt, we have calculated the best average points per game records of all teams that have spent ten or more seasons in the Premier League since the re-format in the 1992/93 season.

The teams with the best points per game record on the final day in the Premier League

The team with the strongest points per game record in the last game of the Premier League season is Arsenal, with the Gunners boasting a 2.37ppg record. Although all three of their Premier League titles in 1998, 2002 and 2004 were actually wrapped up before the final day. In 2006 they famously pipped North London rivals Tottenham to fourth place amidst ‘Lasagna gate’ chaos, as Arsène Wenger’s team beat Wigan 4-2 at the final game at Highbury, whilst Spurs lost 2-1 at West Ham. The Gunners will be hoping West Ham can do them another favour this Sunday.

In second place is Manchester United with 2.30ppg from their final day fixtures in the Premier League down the years. The Red Devils have won just three of their 13 league titles on the final day - in 1996, 1999 and 2008. They also famously missed out despite winning their final game in the 2011/12 season 2-0 against Sunderland, as their rivals Man City came from behind to beat QPR 3-2 in the most dramatic of circumstances. In third place is Chelsea with 2.00ppg on the final day, with the only one of their five titles wrapped up in the last game coming in the 2005/06 season, as they pipped Man United to retain the Premier League.

In fourth is Liverpool with 1.93ppg on the final day. However, their maiden title in 2020 was wrapped up long before the last game. In fifth is a more surprising name in Stoke City - the Potters have 1.70ppg from their 10 seasons in the top-flight. Sixth place goes to the 1994/95 champions Blackburn, who won it on the final day that year despite losing 2-1 to Liverpool. In seventh is Leeds also with 1.67ppg from their 15 seasons in the Premier League. Eighth spot goes to current champions Man City with 1.64ppg, with Newcastle in ninth with 1.63ppg, and Tottenham completing the top 10 with 1.60ppg.