Nine times football clubs needed a favour from their biggest rivals as Arsenal fans all become Tottenham supporters
ARSENAL’s hopes of ending their long wait to lift the Premier League trophy are in the hands of bitter rivals Tottenham – who they’ll be praying do them a massive favour this week.
Mikel Arteta‘s troops currently top the Prem table with 86 points, a solitary point ahead of defending champions Manchester City.
City, however, have a game in hand on the Gunners – who ensured the title race would go down to the final game of the season with a 1-0 win over Manchester United last Sunday.
The opponents for the Sky Blues’ crucial game in hand are none other than Arsenal‘s fiercest rivals Spurs.
Spurs have the extremely rare opportunity to help their sworn enemies win the title in their final home match of the season.
They’ll also have the chance to secure Champions League football if fourth-placed Aston Villa fail to beat Liverpool this evening.
It’s truly incredible that Spurs could essentially make or break Arsenal’s title hopes.
But it’s not the first time a team’s hopes of glory, or indeed survival, have rested on the shoulders of their bitter rivals.
Man Utd needing Liverpool to beat Blackburn to win 1994/95 Premier League title
United’s hopes of winning a hat-trick of Premier League titles went down to the final day of the season, in which they went toe-to-toe with Blackburn Rovers.
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Sir Alex Ferguson and his troops needed a final-day favour from bitter rivals Liverpool to stop Rovers from winning an unlikely title.
The Reds did their part to ensure the trophy went to Old Trafford, running out 2-1 winners at Anfield. United, however, stumbled at the final hurdle – drawing 1-1 with West Ham at Upton Park.
Scotland needing England to beat Holland by four goals to reach KO stages of Euro 96
After salvaging their hopes of reaching the last 16 with a win over Switzerland, Scotland needed a massive favour from the Auld Enemy.
The Tartan Army needed the late Terry Venables‘ troops to beat the Netherlands by four clear goals in order for them to reach the knockout stages of the tournament.
And they were on course for an unlikely qualification when the Three Lions raced to a 4-0 lead. But a late consolation goal from Patrick Kluivert saw the match finish 4-1 and knocked The Scots out on goal difference.
Arsenal needing Spurs to draw with Man Utd to win 1998/99 Premier League title
The 1998/99 title race went right down to the wire, with Arsenal needing an average Spurs side to do the seemingly impossible and win at Old Trafford to hand them the league.
Les Ferdinand gave the visitors an unlikely first-half lead and the Gunners hope of winning back-to-back titles.
But Spurs ended up folding, with goals either side of half-time from David Beckham and Andy Cole guiding United to their first of what would be three trophies that season.
Man Utd needing Leeds to beat Arsenal to win 2002/03 Premier League title
Arsenal were right on the heels of United when they welcomed Leeds to Highbury in the spring of 2003.
The Old Trafford faithful hoped and prayed that their rivals would be able to get a result and derail the Gunners’ bid to retain the Prem title.
And get a result they did, with the relegation battlers running out 3-2 winners to boost their survival hopes and put a nail into the coffin of the hosts’ title bid.
Southampton needing Portsmouth to win to stay up 04/05
Southampton entered the final day of the 2004/05 season with a small chance of staying in England‘s top flight.
That chance, however, hinged on their fierce rivals Portsmouth – who were mathematically safe – beating the relegation-threatened West Brom.
Pompey failed to deliver the result they wanted, suffering a 2-0 defeat that was applauded by both sets of fans after the final whistle.
Estudiantes needing Gimnasia to beat Boca Juniors to 2004/5 Premiera Division
Estudiantes’ hopes of winning the Primera Division hinged on Argentine giants Boca Juniors failing to match their final-day result against Giminasia.
The match was sensationally ABANDONED at half-time after the referee claimed he’d been threatened by Gimnasia’s president.
The rearranged second half was equally marred in chaos as days before the game, Gimnasia’s ultras invaded the club’s training ground and demanded they lose.
They ended up losing the match 4-1, which led to a play-off between Boca and Estudiantes – which the latter went on to win anyway.
Roma needing Lazio to beat Inter to win 2009/10 Serie A title
Roma went toe-to-toe with Inter for the Scudetto in the 2009-10 campaign but ended up needing a favour from their local rivals Lazio to get their hands on the title.
But Lazio ultras made it clear to the team that they didn’t in any way shape or form want them to aid their nemesis’ title bid, singing: “If you win we’ll beat you up.”
They also unfurled banners ordering the players to “Get out” of Inter’s way – despite being embroiled in a relegation battle.
Lazio ultimately played kingmaker and ensured Roma didn’t win the league as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Nerazzuri.
Man Utd needing Liverpool to beat Chelsea to win 2009/10 Premier League title
United were left needing a massive favour from their arch-rivals in their penultimate game of the 2009/10 season against Chelsea.
The Merseysiders would halt Chelsea’s charge to the title if they could take any points off Carlo Ancelotti‘s troops.
But they were unable to do United a favour, with a slack backpass from then-Reds skipper Steven Gerrard allowing Didier Drogba to score the first two crucial goals to keep Chelsea a point clear of the Red Devils.
Chelsea would go on to seal the title on the final day with a whopping 8-0 victory over Wigan.
Boca Juniors needing River Plate to win 2021/22 Primera Division
Boca Juniors were left needing their eternal rivals River Plate to do a job on Racing Club on the final day of the 2021/22 season to get their hands on the Primera Division title.
And they were left praying for a River win after they could only muster a 2-2 draw with Independiente.
Boca fans had their heads in their hands when Racing were awarded an 89th-minute penalty with the scores level at 1-1.
But they were left buzzing when Racing missed the crucial spot kick.
And they were sent into a state of ecstasy when River bagged a 95th-minute winner to hand them the title.
