[2] However, Bob Paisley's men are still top of the First Division on goal difference after Manchester United are held to a 1–1 draw by Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.

Manchester United maintain their title push with a 1–0 home win over Tottenham, as do Watford by beating Stoke City by the same scoreline at Vicarage Road.

[13] 20 November 1982: The FA Cup first round ties produce giant-killing victories against Football League opposition for non-league sides Altrincham, Boston United, North Shields, Bishop's Stortford and Slough Town.

[22] 25 November 1982: Derby County are fined £10,000 and "warned as to their future conduct" by the Football League over breaches of two regulations relating to illicit negotiations with Roy McFarland, who resigns his post as player-manager at Bradford City to return to the club for a second spell as a player.

[23] 27 November 1982: The First Division title race sees Liverpool maintain their four-point lead over Watford, as Bob Paisley's team triumph 3–0 at home to Tottenham and Graham Taylor's side beat Arsenal 4–2 at Highbury.

The gap between Liverpool and Manchester United at the top of the First Division remains three points wide after Bob Paisley guides his team to a 3–1 home win over Watford, and Ron Atkinson watches his side put four without reply past Notts County at Old Trafford.

[30] 18 December 1982: Liverpool extend their lead of the First Division to five points with a 4–2 away win over Aston Villa, while Manchester United can only manage a goalless away draw with Swansea City.

[35] 1 January 1983: Alan Ball, aged 37 and the only England World Cup winner still playing, leaves Southampton on a free transfer and signs a contract with Bristol Rovers.

[38] 15 January 1983: Liverpool maintain their 10-point lead over their nearest title rivals Manchester United and Nottingham Forest by beating West Bromwich Albion 1–0 at The Hawthorns.

At the other end of the table, fallen giants Derby County show no sign of improvement as they remain bottom of the division and are now eight points adrift of safety.

[43] 6 February 1983: Watford keep up the pressure on Liverpool with a 3–1 away win over Swansea City, who finished sixth in the First Division last season but are now just one point and one place outside the relegation zone.

[46] 20 February 1983: Liverpool's hopes of a unique domestic treble are ended when they suffer a shock 2–1 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup fifth round.

[38] 26 February 1983: Arsenal goalkeeper Pat Jennings, 37, becomes the first footballer to appear in 1,000 competitive games in England, reaching the milestone in a 0–0 league draw with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

[50] 1 March 1983: Peter Beardsley leaves Manchester United and returns to Vancouver Whitecaps on a free transfer, having only made one appearance for the Old Trafford club.

[38] 22 March 1983: Manchester United keep their slim hopes of catching Liverpool alive by beating West Ham 2–1 at Old Trafford, as do Watford with a 2–1 home win over Birmingham City.

[2] Queens Park Rangers have overhauled Wolverhampton Wanderers at the top of the Second Division, while Fulham remain third but still under pressure from a determined Leicester City side.

[61] 2 April 1983: Liverpool take another step towards title glory by beating Sunderland 1–0 at Anfield, although Manchester United keep up the pressure with a 3–0 home win over Coventry City.

[62] 4 April 1983: Tottenham give their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Cup a huge boost by beating Arsenal 5–0 in the North London derby at White Hart Lane.

West Ham's resurgence continues with a 5–1 away win over Swansea City, which puts them firmly back in the hunt for a UEFA Cup place and deepens the home side's relegation worries.

Manchester United drop two points when Southampton hold them to a 1–1 draw at Old Trafford, but Watford help delay Liverpool's wait for the title by beating West Bromwich Albion 3–1 away from home.

[67] 19 April 1983: Manchester United's 2–0 defeat at Everton means that Liverpool now need just one point from their final five league games to be sure of the title, while the win is also a boost to Howard Kendall's team in their challenge for a UEFA Cup place.

A Second Division promotion crunch game at Craven Cottage sees Leicester City beat Fulham 1–0 and cut the gap between third and fourth place to just two points.

Nottingham Forest move closer to securing a UEFA Cup place with a 2–1 away win over Manchester City, which leaves the hosts on the brink of the relegation zone.

Tottenham Hotspur book another European campaign, this time in the UEFA Cup, with a 4–1 home win over Stoke City ensuring a fourth-place finish for Keith Burkinshaw's team.

Luton Town pull off a remarkable escape from relegation when a late goal from Yugoslav defender Radomir Antic gives them a 1–0 away win over Manchester City and sends the hosts down after 17 years in the First Division.

In the Selhurst Park clash, Crystal Palace beat Burnley 1–0 to send their Lancastrian opponents down to the Third Division at the end of a season where two good cup runs took their strain on a side which couldn't repeat the same form in the league.

[83] 26 May 1983: Manchester United thrash Brighton & Hove Albion 4–0 in the FA Cup final replay to lift the trophy on legendary former manager and current director Sir Matt Busby's 74th birthday.

[citation needed] Manchester United won their first major trophy under Ron Atkinson's management by beating Brighton 4–0 in the FA Cup final replay after a 2–2 draw in the first match.

The final relegation place was decided in dramatic fashion at Maine Road, where Luton Town had to beat their hosts Manchester City to stay up and send the home side (who had never been in the relegation zone at any point of the season until then, and had been safely in mid-table until the controversial sacking of manager John Bond in February, leading to a disastrous run of results under replacement manager John Benson) down.

Bolton Wanderers, Rotherham United and League Cup semi-finalists Burnley ended the season relegated, while Chelsea narrowly avoided the drop, as did Derby County after the return of former coach Peter Taylor to the club as manager.