Manchester United had to relinquish their crown to neighbours and rivals Manchester City last season.
While United fans were rejoicing at Sunderland, since City were losing their last match at home to QPR 2-1 with only two minutes to go, the story had a different ending as Roberto Mancini’s team found the strength to score twice in added time to dethrone United on goal difference.
United were chasing a record 20th English league crown as City went on to claim their first ever Premier League title and their first championship in 44 years.
The Citizens were also one of the 22 members in the inauguration of the Premier League in the early 1990s but their status stretch to 15 seasons.
City beat United twice in 2011-12, including that famous 6-1 drubbing handed to the Red Devils at Old Trafford. City had signalled their intentions right from the early stages of the campaign when they registered seven wins and a draw, a positive sequence that was last achieved way back in 1897.
Alex Ferguson had to deal with an injury crisis at Old Trafford last season but he did not bring this as an excuse to the team’s failure. He relied mostly on his know-how and experience that had pre-viously saw him walking through the championship path on 12 occasions.
In March and April, it appeared as if Mancini had lost his plot as in a span of five league matches City only won once and lost twice.
The Carlos Tevez case also threatened to hamper City’s cause but when the Argentine returned to the fold, City embarked on a flourishing finish.
On the continent, both Mancunian teams had a campaign that they would rather forget.
In fact, City and United failed to progress to the knock-out stage of the Champions League and then performed badly in the Europa League and got knocked out by Sporting Lisbon and Athletic Bilbao, respectively.
On the domestic scene, the Blues reached the semi-finals of the League Cup where they lost to eventual winners Liverpool. In the FA Cup, United eliminated City 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium but in the fourth round the Reds lost to Liverpool at Anfield.
United’s outing in the League Cup lasted until the quarter-finals as they fielded another ‘reserve’ side and went down 1-2 to Crystal Palace at home.
Premier League 2011-12
Manchester City
August
Home vs Swansea 4-0 (Dzeko, Aguero 2, Silva).
Away vs Bolton 3-2 (Silva, Barry, Dzeko).
Away vs Tottenham 5-1 (Dzeko 4, Aguero).
September
Home vs Wigan 3-0 (Aguero 3).
Away vs Fulham 2-2 (Aguero 2).
Home vs Everton 2-0 (Balotelli, Milner).
October
Away vs Blackburn 4-0 (Johnson, Balotelli, Nasri, Savic).
Home vs Aston Villa 4-1 (Balotelli, Johnson, Kompany, Milner).
Away vs Man. United 6-1 (Balotelli 2, Aguero, Dzeko 2, Silva).
Home vs Wolves 3-1 (Dzeko, Kolarov, Johnson).
November
Away vs QPR 3-2 (Dzeko, Silva, Toure).
Home vs Newcastle 3-1 (Balotelli pen, Richards pen, Aguero).
Away vs Liverpool 1-1 (Kompany).
December
Home vs Norwich 5-1 (Aguero, Nasri, Y. Toure, Balotelli, Johnson).
Away vs Chelsea 1-2 (Balotelli).
Home vs Arsenal 1-0 (Silva).
Home vs Stoke 3-0 (Aguero, Johnson).
Away vs West Brom 0-0.
January
Away vs Sunderland 0-1.
Home vs Liverpool 3-0 (Aguero, Y. Toure, Milner pen).
Away vs Wigan 1-0 (Dzeko).
Home vs Tottenham 3-2 (Lescott, Balotelli pen, Nasri).
Away vs Everton 0-1.
February
Home vs Fulham 3-0 (Aguero pen, Baird og, Dzeko).
Away vs Aston Villa 1-0 (Lescott).
Home vs Blackburn 3-0 (Balotelli, Aguero, Dzeko).
March
Home vs Bolton 2-0 (Steinsson og, Balotelli).
Away vs Swansea 0-1.
Home vs Chelsea 2-1 (Aguero pen, Nasri).
Away vs Stoke 1-1 (Y. Toure).
April
Home vs Sunderland 3-3 (Balotelli 2, 1 pen, Kolarov).
Away vs Arsenal 0-1.
Home vs West Brom 4-0 (Tevez, Aguero 2, Silva).
Away vs Norwich 6-1 (Tevez 3, Aguero 2, Johnson).
Away vs Wolves 2-0 (Aguero, Nasri).
Home vs Man. United 1-0 (Kompany).
May
Away vs Newcastle 2-0 (Y. Toure 2).
Home vs QPR 3-2 (Zabaleta, Aguero, Dzeko).
Manchester United
August
Away vs WBA 2-1 (Rooney, Reid og).
Home vs Tottenham 3-0 (Welbeck, Anderson, Rooney).
Home vs Arsenal 8-2 (Welbeck, Young 2, Rooney 3, 1 pen, Nani, Park).
September
Away vs Bolton 5-0 (Hernandez 2, Rooney 3).
Home vs Chelsea 3-1 (Smalling, Nani, Rooney).
Away vs Stoke 1-1 (Nani).
October
Home vs Norwich 2-0 (Anderson, Welbeck).
Away vs Liverpool 1-1 (Hernadez).
Home vs Man. City 1-6 (Fletcher).
Away vs Everton 1-0 (Hernandez).
November
Home vs Sunderland 1-0 (Brown og).
Away vs Swansea 1-0 (Hernandez).
Home vs Newcastle 1-1 (Hernandez).
December
Away vs Aston Villa 1-0 (Jones).
Home vs Wolves 4-1 (Nani 2, Rooney 2).
Away vs QPR 2-0 (Rooney, Carrick).
Away vs Fulham 5-0 (Welbeck, Nani, Giggs, Berbatov, Rooney).
Home vs Wigan 5-0 (Park, Berbatov 3, 1 pen, Valencia).
Home vs Blackburn 2-3 (Berbatov 2).
January
Away vs Newcastle 0-3.
Home vs Bolton 3-1 (Scholes, Welbeck, Carrick).
Away vs Arsenal 2-1 (Valencia, Welbeck).
Home vs Stoke 2-0 (Hernandez pen, Berbatov pen).
February
Away vs Chelsea 3-3 (Rooney 2 pens, Hernandez).
Home vs Liverpool 2-1 (Rooney 2).
Home vs Norwich 2-1 (Scholes, Giggs).
March
Away vs Tottenham 3-1 (Rooney, Young 2).
Home vs WBA 2-0 (Rooney 2, 1 pen).
Away vs Wolves 5-0 (Evans, Valencia, Welbeck, Hernandez 2).
Home vs Fulham 1-0 (Rooney).
April
Away vs Blackburn Rovers 2-0 (Valencia, Young).
Home vs QPR 2-0 (Rooney, Scholes).
Away vs Wigan 0-1.
Home vs Aston Villa 4-0 (Rooney 2, 1 pen, Nani, Welbeck).
Home vs Everton 4-4 (Rooney 2, Welbeck, Nani).
Away vs Manchester City 0-1.
May
Home vs Swansea City 2-0 (Scholes, Young).
Away vs Sunderland 1-0 (Rooney).