▁ 1 7 th ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 – 9 2 ▁season ▁– ▁their ▁first ▁top ▁flight ▁campaign ▁for ▁almost ▁ 7 0 ▁years   – ▁and ▁secured ▁their ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁Premier ▁League . ▁They ▁surv ived ▁on ▁goal ▁difference ▁on ▁the ▁last ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 – 9 3 ▁with ▁a ▁remarkable ▁ 4 – 3 ▁home ▁win ▁over ▁South am pton , ▁their ▁surv ival ▁also ▁boost ed ▁by ▁an ▁earlier ▁ 1 – 0 ▁away ▁win ▁over ▁A ston ▁Villa ▁– ▁a ▁victory ▁which ▁handed ▁the ▁title ▁to ▁Old ham ' s ▁local ▁riv als ▁Manchester ▁United . ▁However , ▁ 1 9 9 3 – 9 4 ▁brought ▁another ▁battle ▁against ▁re leg ation ▁and ▁this ▁time ▁the ▁Lat ics ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁win ▁it . ▁They ▁were ▁rarely ▁outside ▁the ▁bottom ▁three ▁all ▁season . ▁Another ▁away ▁win ▁over ▁South am pton ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁lifted ▁the ▁Lat ics ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁re leg ation ▁zone ▁and ▁a ▁ 4 – 1 ▁home ▁win ▁over ▁Q PR ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁game ▁put ▁them ▁three ▁points ▁clear ▁of ▁the ▁drop ▁zone ▁with ▁two ▁games ▁in ▁hand . ▁However , ▁a ▁late ▁Manchester ▁United ▁equal iser ▁put ▁their ▁FA ▁Cup ▁dream ▁on ▁ice ▁in ▁the ▁W emble y ▁semi - final ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁tr ounced ▁three ▁days ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁Maine ▁Road ▁re play . ▁The ▁Lat ics ▁failed ▁to ▁win ▁any ▁of ▁their