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At one stage this season, Arsenal looked dead and buried.

Tottenham were comfortably ahead in the race for UEFA Champions League football, the Gunners had dipped as low as eighth in the English Premier League table and many had already concluded that the race for the top four was done.

But one man formed the basis of Arsenal's resurgence, and that man was Laurent Koscielny.

The Frenchman finished the 2011-12 season very strongly and looked a certainty to man the centre of Arsene Wenger's defence come the start of 2012-13.

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The 2012-13 English Premier League season is over following a frantic final day. Manchester United are champions, while Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal rounded out the top four.

Tottenham Hotspur narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification, and that could cast doubt on Gareth Bale's future at the club. Whether he stays or goes, though, the 2013-14 Premier League season should once again produce plenty of excitement.

What will happen between now and next May? Keep reading for our bold predictions.

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The English Premier League season has come to a close and fans all over the world are constructing their Team of the Season.

We've made ours in a 4-2-3-1 formation and based it solely on performances this season in the 38 league games—the only ones that count.

Take a browse and see how we'd line up. Does yours differ? Detail yours in the comments below!

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The English Premier League season is over, and after 38 games, we've deduced who the tactical geniuses of 2012-13 are.

There are those who do things by the book of basics—Sam Allardyce, for example—and as effective as they are, the five managers we've selected have really stood out.

Who joins Sir Alex Ferguson in the list of tactical geniuses?

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Chelsea took third, Arsenal finished fourth and Tottenham missed out once again. The title was long since decided and the relegation race complete, but the final day of the English Premier League season brought the drama as expected.

With their victories over Everton and Newcastle, respectively, Chelsea and Arsenal clinched Champions League qualification for next season. Arsenal will have to negotiate a qualifying tie, but that won't matter to happy Gooners after Sunday's tension.

Keep reading for a rundown of the day's action.

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English Premier League final day

Full time scores

Chelsea 2-1 Everton

Liverpool 1-0 QPR

Man City 2-3 Norwich

Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal

Southampton 1-1 Stoke

Swansea 0-3 Fulham

Tottenham 1-0 Sunderland

West Brom 5-5 Man United

West Ham 4-2 Reading

Wigan 2-2 Aston Villa

Get involved on Twitter: Use the hashtag #breplfinalday

 

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In a recent sit-down with CNN's Pedro Pinto, Mario Balotelli indicated he was happy with his new life at AC Milan and relieved to have left Manchester City and English football behind.

When asked whether he was given a rough ride during his time in the Premier League, Balotelli replied, "yes."

"But I'm not here to talk about if I'm unfairly treated," the 22-year-old continued. "I don't care. I'm out from England, I'm happy that I'm out from England. That's it."

Balotelli went on to say he felt, "alone," during his time at City. That's changed since his move to Milan, and his sense of wellbeing has coincided with a fine start to his career there.

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St Totteringham's Day has come late this season. Based on what happens on Sunday, and with a lot more than just the bragging rights of North London at stake, it might not come at all.

For the uninitiated, St Totteringham's Day is celebrated by gloating Arsenal fans to mark the point they move beyond the reach of great rivals Tottenham in the Premier League table. 

Such has been Arsenal's dominance over Spurs recently that the Gunners have indulged this celebration for the last 17 years in a row. Not since the 1994-95 season—when Arsenal fired George Graham and were in pre-Arsene Wenger turmoil—have Tottenham finished above them in the league.

Imagine how hard that must be for long-suffering Spurs fans. Imagine the perennial glee of Arsenal supporters, whose every retort to mockery from the enemy begins with a reference to the last time Spurs finished above them in the table.

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Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting CP in 2003. As a precocious teenager, he had run rings around United in a friendly, which convinced Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him.

From his debut at Old Trafford, it was obvious United had a potential star on their hands.

Ronaldo would go on to win three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a Champions League title under Ferguson. Between 2006 and 2009, he was close to unstoppable, scoring goals freely and earning a host of individual accolades—most notably the 2008 Ballon d'Or.

In 2009, unable to resist the temptation of joining his boyhood heroes, he moved to Real Madrid for a record £80 million. 

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David Beckham will retire at the end of the season, bowing out as a French champion with Paris Saint-Germain and bringing to a close a remarkable playing career.

Beckham began his club career at Manchester United, where he achieved success under Sir Alex Ferguson and was part of the all-conquering, treble-winning team in 1999.

From there, it was Real Madrid, where he linked up with the likes of Raul and Zinedine Zidane. As he had at United, he said goodbye after a title-winning season.

His next stop was America and a sensational move to L.A. Galaxy. Beckham was tasked with invigorating the U.S. game and unquestionably played his part in building football's profile and that of MLS during his time there.

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