The 2004–05 FA Premier League (known as the FA Barclays Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was the 13th season of the Premier League. It began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season. Chelsea won the title with a then-record 95 points, which was previously set by Manchester United in the 1993–94 season, and later surpassed by Manchester City in the 2017–18 season (100), securing the title with a 2–0 win at the Reebok Stadium against Bolton Wanderers. Chelsea also broke several other records during their campaign, most notably breaking the record of most games won in a single Premier League campaign, securing 29 wins in the league in home and away matches, which was later surpassed by them in the 2016–17 season. br br The Moment That Happens During The Season. br Chelsea First Title In 50 Years. br Arsenal Win The FA Cup. br Manchester United Signs Wayne Rooney. br Everton Qualify For The Champions League. br Liverpool Win The Champions League. br Tottenham Appoint Martin Jol. br Southampton, Crystal Palace And Norwich Are Relegated. br West Brom Survive After Being Bottom In Christmas. br br Summary br br Arsenal were the favourites to defend their title after finishing the previous season unbeaten. Still, they also faced competition in the form of regular challengers, such as Manchester United and Chelsea, the latter under the new management of Portuguese José Mourinho, who had just won the UEFA Champions League with Porto. Liverpool also had a new manager in Spaniard Rafael Benítez, who had just won La Liga and the UEFA Cup with Valencia and was expected to challenge for the title too. Another managerial change at a club aiming for the top was at Tottenham Hotspur, who appointed Jacques Santini, who had just led France to the quarter-finals of the 2004 European Championship. br br At the other end of the table, amongst those tipped for relegation were Norwich City, Crystal Palace, and West Bromwich Albion, having all just been promoted from the First Division (rebranded this season as the Championship). Everton, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth were also tipped to struggle, the first three finishing just outside the relegation places the previous season and Portsmouth being in their second season. br br Arsenal's record-breaking unbeaten streak of 49 games ended on 24 October 2004, when Manchester United beat them 2–0 at Old Trafford.