FA Premiership review (Part 1)

When Chelsea were crowned champions after a lapse of 50 years last month, it was the first time since the 1990s that England has had three different champions in the same number of seasons.

Chelsea followed Arsenal (2004) and Manchester United (2003).

The last time there was a repeat of such sequence was in the early nineties - Arsenal (1991), Leeds (1992) and Man. United (1993).

The record for the longest sequence of different champions is seven years. It occurred twice - 1959 to 1965 and 1967 to 1973.

Wolves (1959), Burnley (1960), Tottenham (1961), Ipswich (1962), Everton (1963), Liverpool (1964), Manchester United (1965); and Manchester United (1967), Manchester City (1968), Leeds (1969), Everton (1970), Arsenal (1971), Derby (1972), Liverpool (1973).

Chelsea made sure that the title stays in London and claimed it in record style - their total of 95 points was the best ever in the Premiership.

They also set a modern era defensive record of 15 goals against (in 38 matches), bettering the 16 conceded by Liverpool (in 42 games) in 1978-79.

Chelsea did a double when earlier in the season they won the League Cup. The FA Cup went to London as well, this time to Arsenal after their win over Manchester United.

Chelsea and Arsenal will be the automatic representatives in the Champions League and they will be joined by Manchester United and Everton as England will have four contestants for the fourth year running.

Champions Cup holders Liverpool are still waiting to know if they will be given the chance to defend the title or play in the UEFA Cup next season.

Next season, the UEFA Cup will welcome Bolton for the first time (as sixth placed) and Middlesbrough (finished seventh).

The trophies

Champions League: Liverpool.

Premier League champions: Chelsea.

FA Cup: Arsenal.

League Cup: Chelsea.

Community Shield: Arsenal.

Football League title: Sunderland.

LDV Vans Trophy: Wrexham.

Conference title: Barnet.

The awards

Manager of the Year: Jose Mourinho (Chelsea).

League Managers Ass. Manager of the Year: David Moyes (Everton).

Football Writers Footballer of the Year: Frank Lampard (Chelsea).

Premiership Player of the Year: Frank Lampard.

PFA Player of the Year: John Terry (Chelsea).

PFA Young Player of the Year: Wayne Rooney (Man. United).

Premier Golden Boot Award: Thierry Henry (Arsenal).

Premier Golden Glove Award: Petr Cech (Chelsea).

Champions League top scorer: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Man. United).

UEFA Cup top scorer: Alan Shearer (Newcastle).

Top scorer in Europe: Thierry Henry (Arsenal).

Top scorers

25 goals Henry (Arsenal)
21 goals Johnson (Crystal Palace)
14 goals Pires (Arsenal)
13 goals Lampard (Chelsea), Hasselbaink (M'boro), Yakubu (Portsmouth), Defoe (Tottenham)

PFA select XI

1. Petr Cech (Chelsea)

2. Gary Neville (Man. United)

3. John Terry (Chelsea)

4. Rio Ferdinand (Man. United)

5. Ashley Cole (Arsenal)

6. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

7. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

8. Arjen Robben (Chelsea)

9. Thierry Henry (Arsenal)

10. Andrew Johnson (Crystal Palace)

11. Shaun Wright-Phillips (Man. City)

Active leading scorers

The hot shots in the Premiership - since the inauguration of the Premier League to the end of season 2004-05.

1. Shearer (Newcastle) - 250

2. Cole (Fulham) - 177

3. Fowler (Man. City) - 153

4. Henry (Arsenal) - 137

5. Yorke (Birmingham) - 122

6. Hasselbaink (M'boro) - 116

7. Giggs (Man. United) - 87

7. Scholes (Man. United) - 87

9. Bergkamp (Arsenal) - 85

10. Solskjaer (Man. United) - 84

10. Phillips (Southampton) - 84

Dudek 'cannot imagine' leaving Liverpool

Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek cannot imagine leaving Anfield after his penalty shootout heroics helped the team to Champions League victory last week.

"With this medal around my neck I cannot imagine that I would have to leave this club," Dudek told weekly Przekroj in an interview.

"With that final I fulfilled many people's expectations of me and for sure that will in some way be remembered," he said when asked if his performance against Milan in the Istanbul final had saved his neck at Liverpool.

Dudek's "spaghetti legs" antics on the goal line yielded two penalty saves and a missed spot-kick in the shootout that Liverpool won 3-2 to settle the final following a 3-3 draw after extra time. He also made an astonishing double save from striker Andriy Shevchenko in extra time.

Liverpool, however, are widely reported to be close to signing goalkeeper Pepe Reina from Spain's Villarreal, which could mean selling the 32-year-old Polish international two years before the end of his contract.