Chelsea are about to win the English title for the sixth time — the fifth in the Premier League era to go with that famous 1955 triumph — if not today, then possibly on Monday or the following weekend. The Blues need only three points from the final three games (and even fewer if Spurs drop points in the meantime), so it would take something quite tremendous for Conte & Co to not get to lift the trophy on the final matchday, just as we did in 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2015.
Let’s re-live the title-clinching wins for those.
2005:
Chelsea ended 50 years of hurt with an absolutely dominant first season in English football for José Mourinho and the budding “Old Guard”. Frank Lampard’s double at Bolton on the final day of April got the Blues over the line — so far the only one of Chelsea’s Premier League title to be clinched away from Stamford Bridge. Chelsea can make West Brom today the new Bolton, 2005!
2006:
Almost exactly one year later, on the second-to-last day of April, Chelsea clinched back-to-back titles with an impressive 3-0 dismantling of Manchester United at the Bridge. Joe Cole scored a tremendous goal, one of his best in a Chelsea shirt, as did Ricardo Carvalho of all players. William Gallas got the party started, which lasted long into the night.
2010:
Carlo Ancelotti’s first season saw Chelsea set a new record for goals scored, but the title still came down to the final day. Or at least the first six minutes of the final day, when Anelka scored. Wigan were reduced to 10 on the half-hour, which opened the floodgates for a famous 8-0 win.
2015:
A scrappy Eden Hazard goal in a tightly contested match completed Chelsea’s wire-to-wire victory by a “country mile” as Martin Tyler called it in commentary. It looked like the beginning of a new dynasty, but instead turned into a warning to never take anything for granted and to enjoy the good times while they last.