Final table (top seven)
1st Man City..........87pts
City's formidable home form proves the difference as they reclaim the title and Manuel Pellegrini celebrates his first season with the championship crown. They see out the season with a perfect home record, Chelsea the only one of their top-seven rivals still to visit the Etihad. Back-to-back away losses at Arsenal and Liverpool trigger fears of a late stutter, but they recover to confirm their title with a final-day victory over West Ham.
2nd Chelsea.........85pts
The Chelsea of old under Jose Mourinho shines through as the season draws to its close and they finish the campaign just two points shy of the champions. February's defeat at the Etihad proves costly, as does a late-season reverse at Liverpool, but they still take the race to the wire.
3rd Liverpool........82pts
The return of Daniel Sturridge, allied to Luis Suarez's unrelenting brilliance, sees the Reds win the next six, including victory in the Merseyside derby. A string of away draws curtails their title challenge but still they finish just five points adrift of the winners and claim third position ahead of Arsenal.
4th Arsenal...........81pts
With their squad stretched as the season gathers pace and European football returns, the Gunners' title aspirations fade. They do enjoy a home victory over Man City and are beaten just twice - at Liverpool and Stoke - between now and the end of the season, but Arsene Wenger's wait for a fourth title is extended to at least 11 years.
5th Spurs..............70pts
The top four prove too strong for the other challengers and crucial defeats against rivals Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool do for their Champions League ambitions. Still, though, Tim Sherwood's boys do enough to hold off Man Utd and Everton to take fifth position and Europa League qualification - they're sure to be thrilled with that...
6th Man Utd..........68pts
Inconsistency continues to plague United's title defence and the now customary defeat by their city adversaries sparks yet more talk of crisis for David Moyes. They do win the last three to take sixth position ahead of Everton, but will that be enough to earn Moyes another season at Old Trafford?
7th Everton...........66pts
Draws prove the Toffees' undoing as their failure to turn one point into three sees their Champions League hopes slip away. It's still a respectable return for Roberto Martinez in his first season at Goodison Park, although they are pipped to sixth by former boss Moyes.
