Harri Roblin

This has arguably been one of the Premier League’s most exciting and eventful seasons. A three-horse title race occurred, with Liverpool eventually falling off to leave the ever-present Manchester City and Arsenal to battle it out. The Europa and Conference League spots went down to the final day. One final twist to the tail in a Man United FA Cup final win meant Newcastle would spend next season out of Europe despite finishing 7^th. At the bottom, it was a story of points deductions. Everton and Forest sustained substantial deductions due to breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules. They both managed to survive, with the three promoted sides returning to the Championship.
I am going to explore each team’s season and review them. This will involve grading them from A to E and supplying the rationale for each.

Arsenal – B

2^nd Place, 89 points

It was another nearly season for Arsenal. A point tally of 89 was their highest since the Invincible season in 2003/04. Mikel Arteta has proved the doubters wrong and shown that last season was no fluke. The signing of Declan Rice was crucial to their success and any early season doubts about Kai Havertz have been silenced. It feels harsh not giving this Arsenal side an A, conceding the least goals and scoring the second most. However, the level they have reached means nothing but a Premier League title is a disappointment. Losing to Fulham and West Ham twice will be the results where Arsenal hold the most disappointment this season.

Aston Villa – A

4^th Place, 68 points

This Aston Villa side has been transformed with Unai Emery at the helm. When Gerrard was sacked in October 2022, they remained out of the relegation zone by only goal difference. Less than two years on, they will now be playing Champions League football. One of the main reasons for this is the form of Ollie Watkins. Emery has a knack for getting the best out of strikers, with Watkins finishing the Premier League season with 19 goals and 13 assists. It will be interesting to see how the squad copes with the increased schedule of Champions League football. Newcastle showed the toll this can take on a team this season. The Villa board have shown they are open to spending, and a strong summer of acquisitions will be required to sustain their form.

Bournemouth – B

12^th Place, 48 points

The summer sacking of Gary O’Neil was controversial after he kept them comfortably in the Premier League last year. When Iraola started the season nine games without a win, the pressure on the board only increased, and most were calling the decision a disaster. However, their loyalty to Iraola paid dividends, and the results improved once his system was fully implemented. This ultimately ended with a 12^th-place finish while playing free-flowing attacking football. Dominic Solanke is rumoured to have a release clause of £65 million, which might interest several of the Premier League’s top clubs after he spearheaded the Bournemouth attack with 19 goals.

Brentford – C

16^th Place, 39 points

After a top half finish in the Premier League last season, a regression to 16^th is disappointing for a Brentford side that has not lost any of their key players. However, Thomas Frank would have been pleased just to survive in the Premier League when put into context. The drama and lengthy ban of Ivan Toney almost certainly made the team worse. Combining this with Brentford having the third-worst injury record in the league, including long-term issues to two key players in Bryan Mbuemo and Rico Henry, makes this an okay season. Ivan Toney has openly voiced his desire for a move this summer, so Brentford will have a hard job on their hands in replacing him.

Brighton – C

11^th Place, 48 points

Brighton would have snatched your hand at an 11th-place finish a few years ago, but it can only be seen as slightly disappointing in their current situation. Coming into this season, they were preparing for Europa League football, which allowed them to attract big names like Ansu Fati and João Pedro. Robert De Zerbi is also one of the best emerging managers in the Premier League. However, he could not string together the consistency he would have liked, which caused an underwhelming season. The lack of European football might be able to change this next season, and De Zerbi will have to find a consistent starting XI if he wants to return to their old form.

Burnley – D

19^th Place, 24 points

Burnley served as a reminder that it is challenging to transition into the Premier League as a possession-based side. Vincent Kompany was often accused of being naïve and lacking a Plan B. They arguably were one of the best sides in Championship history, and with a further investment of around £100 million, most had them down to survive. They did not put up much of a fight and ended the season getting relegated comfortably, even with the points deductions to other teams. A disappointing season for Vincent Kompany still led to him getting hired as the Bayern Munich manager. It will be interesting to see if his style of play will look better with a greater resource of players. With the right appointment of manager, Burnley has the ability to come back up.

Chelsea – C

6^th Place, 63 points

The high turnover of players and the billion pounds spent in the last two years by Todd Boehly has caused Chelsea to have a bloated squad. You can tell it has a lot of quality; it just requires refining and the right manager. Mauricio Pochettino started to look like the right man for the job, which made their decision to sack him confusing. They had picked up 15 points from a possible 15 at the end of the season and it was the first time Chelsea had looked like a team for a while. Maresca now has a large job on his hands as an unproven Premier League manager to continue their progress. Players like Cole Palmer, a fully fit Nkunku and Enzo Fernández will undoubtedly help him achieve this. The future is bright at Chelsea.

Crystal Palace – B

10^th Place, 49 points

The resurgence of Crystal Palace under Oliver Glasner has been nothing short of inspired. Despite the stability he brought previously, reappointing Roy Hodgson in 2023 lacked ambition in the eyes of many, but the excitement surrounding Crystal Palace now is hard to ignore. They picked up the 7^th most points in the second half of the season, and possession-based football under Glasner thrived. Having two of the best attacking players in the league, Eze and Olise, helped unlock defences, while the emergence of Wharton in midfield has provided real balance. Their form has been rewarded with four English players called up for the Euros this summer. The only factor that would stop them from kicking on next season would be their inability to keep players. Both Eze and Olise have £60 million release clauses, while big clubs are already circling Wharton. If their core is kept together, they could be a potential dark horse to qualify for European football next year.

Everton – B

15^th Place, 40 points

Surviving in the Premier League was a success for Everton with their 8-point deduction. Their form at Goodison Park is what kept them out of trouble. The highlight of their home form was a win against their rivals, Liverpool, a feat they have not achieved at home since 2010. There is light at the end of the tunnel despite their ongoing financial difficulties. Their new stadium will be ready at the end of this year, which could act as a resurgence for the club. Everton’s owner, Farhad Moshiri, is currently trying to sell the club, and there seem to be several suitors. A fresh start under new ownership is needed as the relationship between fans and owner seems completely broken. They have arguably been one of the most mismanaged English clubs by ownership in recent years.

Fulham – B

13^th Place, 47 points

Marco Silva has made Fulham a solid Premier League side since their promotion in the 2021/22 season. The sale of Aleksandar Mitrović to Al Hilal at the start of the season raised eyebrows due to their reliance on his goalscoring. The rise of Rodrigo Muniz has alleviated these fears, with him totalling ten goals this season. He also still has much more room to grow at 23 years old. Defensively, the loss of Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer to Chelsea is huge and will be key to replace going forward. Overall, it was a good season with a few big scalps, including Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United.

Liverpool – B

3^rd Place, 82 points

With their initial start to the season, Jurgen Klopp seemed to be on course for a possible fairytale ending with a Premier League win. However, costly defeats to Everton and Crystal Palace meant they eventually fell off. Their attack kept up with both Arsenal and Man City, but defensive reinforcements might be needed this summer to improve their solidity. With several of their key players ageing, a reset under new manager Arne Slot might be in order. Two gems were unearthed in Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah. Combining these with players like Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, and Trent Alexander-Arnold creates a promising young core. Links surrounding Mohammed Salah to Saudi Arabia for £200 million could come to fruition to fund large spending in the summer for Liverpool.

Luton Town – C

18^th Place, 26 points

After being promoted through the playoffs, Luton Town were most people’s favourites to go back down. They ended up showing the most fight of the promoted sides, even if it was to no avail in the end. They were part of some high-scoring games this year, and Rob Edwards often played an entertaining brand of cross-heavy football. Having only spent around £20 million over the season, they should be able to keep the majority of their team, improving their chances of returning to the Premier League. They have several proven Championship players, including Chiedozie Ogbene, Ryan Giles and Tahith Chong. Their two standout performers were Kaminski and a revitalised Ross Barkley, who they will do well to keep this summer. Barkley already seems on his way to Villa Park.

Manchester City – A

1^st Place, 91 points

It is hard to describe the ability of this Manchester City side under Pep Guardiola. Man City are doing Man City things, winning their last nine games and earning their sixth Premier League title under Guardiola. The return of Kevin De Bruyne was a massive reason for bridging the gap to Arsenal. This feels like the first year Phil Foden has been the main man in that City team, and he was rewarded with a Footballer of the Year award. Haaland was also crowned the Golden Boot winner with 27 goals, even after a lengthy two-month injury. With next year probably being Guardiola’s last, it is hard to look past them for the title.

Manchester United – E

8^th Place, 60 points

This is Manchester United’s worst finish in the Premier League era, and it made for pretty grim viewing. Consistent injuries for Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire have meant that the United defence has never been consistent. This has culminated in fourteen different centre-back combinations. As a result, they have faced nearly the most shots in the entire league and have looked frail throughout. On top of this, the relationship between the board and fans is still fragile even after INEOS have come in as part owners, and Old Trafford is in major need of a revamp. Their FA Cup final win did provide some respite, but they need significant investment for further success next season. The main positive is they have a promising young core, with players like Garnacho, Mainoo and Hojlund stepping up into prominent roles this season.

Newcastle United – C

7^th Place, 60 points

Manchester United winning the FA Cup to qualify for Europe might be a blessing in disguise for Newcastle. This means they will be without European football next year, and the increased schedule was a factor they struggled with last season. Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles went down with cruciate ligament injuries, while the team had the worst injury record in the league. The season-long suspension of Sandro Tonali due to betting was also a huge blow. This will be similar to a new signing next season. If Newcastle’s key players remain fit and stay at the club, they could easily push for the top four again next season.

Nottingham Forest – D

17^th Place, 32 points

Nuno Espírito Santo did an excellent job steadying the Nottingham Forest season after the dismissal of Steve Cooper in December. They have a lot of attacking talent, especially in Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has had a resurgence in his career this season. Chris Wood also deserves a mention, who notched 14 Premier League goals. Their main struggle is the fact they kept one clean sheet in the last six months. They conceded the most set-piece goals in the league, a factor that must be improved. With the number of players they have signed since being promoted, it is important they make limited acquisitions to provide stability for the squad. Overall, Premier League survival was a success with their point deduction.

Sheffield United – E

20^th Place, 16 points

Sheffield United had a disappointing season, evidenced by their unwanted record of conceding the most goals in a Premier League season at 104. They also scored the least goals and have limited to be optimistic about. Gustavo Hamer is undoubtedly a good player, and if they can keep him in the Championship, his time at Coventry showed he is elite at that level. A much needed reset of their team has already begun. George Baldock, Chris Basham, Oliver Norwood, and Wes Foderingham have all been released, each of whom has been at the club for a significant period. They are sticking with Chris Wilder, whose record of two promotions with the club will keep fans hopeful of a return to the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur – B

5^th Place, 66 points

Tottenham had a great start to the season, and the whole Premier League was raving over their new manager, Ange Postecoglou. He set the team up to play a high-pressing, possession game. Spurs made some outstanding signings, with the highlights being Vicario, James Maddison and Micky van de Ven. Unfortunately, the intensity of their game plan eventually caught up with them, with several of their key players being injured for a lot of the season. This eventually caused them to drop off and miss out on Champions League football. Things still look promising under Ange, and with more depth next season, they might be able to sustain their good early-season form for longer.

West Ham United – C

9^th Place, 52 points

West Ham has some of the best attacking talents in the league, with Bowen, Kudus and Paquetá being one of the most exciting trios to watch. However, the story of their season was conceding too many goals. They conceded the most after the three relegated sides, even with the best injury record in the league. West Ham will hope that Julen Lopetegui can firm up the defence next season. The possible impending lengthy ban for Paquetá is worrying for West Ham. His brilliance has been shown with Man City’s interest in him, so losing him would be a huge blow.

Wolverhampton Wanderers – B

14^th Place, 46 points

Many people predicted that Wolves would go down at the start of the season. Appointing Gary O’Neil was a great move, with Wolves securing safety early. At one point, a possible push for Europe was on the cards, but unfortunately, their form dropped off. Their biggest scalp was beating Man City, and the squad has great potential. Wolves are at their best when Pedro Neto is fit, but over the last few seasons, he has struggled with injuries. João Gomes is a real prospect in their midfield, a defensive monster in the 99^th Percentile for tackles compared to other midfielders in the Premier League.