There’s a good reason why the English Premier League is often talked of as the greatest professional league in football. If you were lucky enough (or unlucky enough depending on your team's fortunes) to bear witness to 90 minutes of the most amazing topsy-turvy minutes of football in which 10 games took place, relegation fates were decided, European prospects were confirmed and Champions were crowned, you too would undoubtedly have been seduced by the Premier League’s lucrative charms. If you missed it, you genuinely missed out on some monumental sports history.

The fixtures ended spectacularly, with Sergio Aguero sealing Premier League glory with a vicious strike from close range. It was a moment that brought sheer delirium to the tens of thousands of people packed into Etihad Stadium, the very same moment that stunned the Mancunian contingent at the Stadium of Light into silence. A moment that ended what was perhaps the greatest title race the Premier League has ever seen.

For Manchester City, the achievement is simply monumental. A first top flight league title in 44 years reduced to tears those who had followed the club from a time where they were closer to non-league status than Premier League status. Whatever money was spent was irrelevant, because for City fans watching Aguero grab it with the last kick of the season, watching Mike Summerbee carry the trophy to the centre of the pitch, watching Vincent Kompany raise that very trophy to the heavens was simply priceless.

Financial Fair Play may eventually crash the party, with City set to spend big once more and an ever expanding wage bill City will be aware of the difficulty they face in balancing the books come the end of next season, but for now, City reign supreme, no matter how tight the margin by which they won as worthy champions of England. Roberto Mancini aims to build a dynasty at the club, and with his first title under his belt, this could be the end of “typical City”.

Manchester United will contemplate a season of what-ifs. The usual doom and gloom that follows a trophyless season, the first time Old Trafford has seen one in seven years (not including the Community Shield) will suggest United are on the decline and that without some big money spent in the summer United won’t be back to fight again. Such arguments ignore however that with what many are calling one of the worst United squads in the Premier League era, United still won 89 points, the highest ever for a team that hasn’t won the Premier League. And that was without Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher, not to mention the other host of injury problems they faced throughout the season. 2011/12 will ultimately be considered a failure, particularly given the eight point lead they blew with six games remaining, but with a couple of astute signings and the return of those who missed large parts of this season through injury, they will surely be back to contest the title once more.

The race for Champions League qualification was equally thrilling, with the third and fourth positions being keenly contested between Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea at different points of the season. Newcastle, though the most unlikely at the start of the season, fell just short despite a sterling season, which will perhaps be remembered as Alan Pardew’s finest in his management career to date. With pride restored in the Toon Army and the Magpies looking like a proper Premier League outfit once more, ready to make waves at the top of the table, Pardew has done a magnificent job in in building a squad that could look to go one further next year.

Arsene Wenger too deserves a massive amount of credit for his work this season. Losing Fabregas and Nasri will undoubtedly have hurt the Gunners, and to not have their best midfield prospect in Jack Wilshere for the entire season only compounded issues. If you asked most people in September, I doubt many would have taken Arsenal’s chances of finishing third very seriously. But Robin Van Persie was absolutely phenomenal, reaping the benefits of remaining injury free for the season, whilst Alex Song proved himself a quality midfielder, rising to the challenge of filling the void by so many departing/injured stars. It is another season without a trophy at the Emirates, but given the horrendous start to the season, finishing third is no failure for Wenger’s men.

That is particularly true when third comes at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Redknapp’s outfit stumbled into the top four on the final day. Another side who probably weren’t favourites to take out a top four spot, though they were always considered contenders, Tottenham’s season has proven a relatively successful one, despite some torrid dips in form that almost cost them Champions League football next season. How early their involvement in Europe’s top club competition will be remains to be seen, but just being involved should do wonders to their chances of holding onto some of their best talent, particularly Luka Modric and Gareth Bale, who aren’t short of admirers.

Not so lucky was Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea outfit. They might negate the need for top four qualification with a win in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, but nevertheless a sixth place finish represents a terrible season in the Premier League in another year riddled with unwanted controversies and instability. Andres Villa-Boas was sacked on March 4 after a shocking 1-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion, which left the club in fifth place. That would worsen under his replacement, di Matteo, but an FA Cup victory and an appearance in the Champions League final, which could yet culminate in victory, have lessened the blow on the North London club. Di Matteo’s fate will remain uncertain, even if he does bring Abramovich the European title he so desperately craves, but whatever the outcome, Chelsea will have to get their house in order as early as possible to give the management every chance of an improved campaign next season.

Stay tuned for part two - Midtable Mediocrity