Manchester City roared back into form with a 6-0 thrashing of Ipswich, while Nottingham Forest’s unlikely title challenge goes on after a 3-2 victory over Southampton took Nuno Espirito Santo’s men level with second-placed Arsenal.
– ‘We are worst team in history of Man Utd’: Amorim –
Ruben Amorim made the astonishing admission that his Manchester United flops are the worst team in the club’s history after Sunday’s dismal 3-1 defeat against Brighton.
United crumbled to a sixth loss in 11 Premier League games since Amorim arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
“We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United,” Amorim said after his side’s wretched display at Old Trafford.
“I know you want headlines but I am saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go: your headlines.”
Man UTD legend passes away aged 84 | 00:39
Amorim’s side are languishing in 13th place and although they are 10 points above the relegation zone, they are far from certain to avoid being dragged into the survival struggle on the evidence of Sunday’s display.
Yankuba Minteh set the tone for United’s moribund performance with an early opener for Brighton.
Bruno Fernandes equalised with a penalty before half-time, but second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter left United in turmoil.
United have suffered six home league defeats this season, their most from their opening 12 matches of a season since 1893-94.
They have also lost 10 of their 22 league games this season, the earliest into a top-flight campaign that they have hit double figures for defeats since 1989-90.
“Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me. We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that,” Amorim said.
While United have not been dragged completely into the fight for survival just yet, Amorim must find a way to get results to avoid the pressure on him becoming intolerable.
The 39-year-old arrived at United in November, hailed as one of Europe’s brightest young coaches.
But his preferred 3-4-3 formation is not suited to the players in United’s squad.
Yet, while he admitted he is only thinking of avoiding relegation now, the Portuguese coach refuses to change his philosophy.
“I am not going to change, no matter what. I know we can succeed but we need to survive this moment. I am not naive. We need to survive now,” Amorim said.
United’s latest calamity came on the day the club paid a sombre tribute to Denis Law after their legendary striker passed away aged 84 on Friday.
Postecoglou: ‘Spurs need reinforcements’ | 01:11
– ‘Everybody is underperforming’ –
Law is immortalised in a statue of United’s ‘Holy Trinity’ alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best outside Old Trafford.
Fans laid scarves and flowers at the statue in tribute to the third highest scorer in United’s history and took part in a minute’s applause for Law prior to kick-off.
What transpired after that would have shocked Law to his core as Amorim’s team once again failed to live up to the storied history of the 20-time English champions.
“In nine games in the Premier League, we won two,” Amorim said. “Everybody here is underperforming, no matter what the circumstances.
“We are underperforming and have to accept that. It’s unacceptable to lose so many games, for any Premier League club, imagine Manchester United.
“So it’s a really hard moment but we have to continue, we have to continue, there is no other way.”
United have lost six of their last seven league games against Brighton in an indication of how far they have fallen since last winning the title in 2013.
Amorim’s side host Rangers in their next game on Thursday in the Europa League, with the manager desperate for a positive result to change the mood.
“I knew it was going to be hard to put a completely new idea in the moment, but when you lose games and don’t win three games in a row it becomes really hard,” Amorim said.
“So that’s why I’m telling we are going to suffer because I will continue to do the same.
“I am just here to help my players, but we need to understand we are breaking all the bad records.”
Haaland signs monster deal with City | 01:21
– Foden stars as Man City hit Ipswich for six –
Phil Foden struck twice as Manchester City climbed to fourth in the Premier League with a 6-0 rout of struggling Ipswich on Sunday.
Foden netted either side of Mateo Kovacic’s eye-catching goal as City blew Ipswich away with three first-half goals at Portman Road.
Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland and James McAtee netted after the interval as City enjoyed their biggest league win this season.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won three of their last four league games as they begin the long climb back to respectability after a dismal start to the season.
Sterner tests lie in wait for City, including a vital Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday and looming Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal.
But this was the kind of confident display City used to make look routine during their march to four successive English titles.
Winning is almost certain to prove beyond them as they trail leaders Liverpool by 12 points.
Guardiola will settle for restoring City’s pride this term as he rebuilds a team that suddenly grew old and inconsistent before his eyes.
Haaland, who has scored 112 goals in just 127 appearances for City, this week committed himself to the club until 2034 when he signed a new nine-and-a-half year deal.
But Kyle Walker was again absent from the City side amid reports that AC Milan are ready to bid for the unsettled England right-back.
In City’s first visit to Portman Road for 23 years, the champions emphasised how powerful they can still be at peak form.
– Ruthless City –
Haaland scored a hat-trick when City beat Ipswich 4-1 in August and he threatened to net in the opening moments in Suffolk.
Kovacic’s pass split the Ipswich defence and sent Haaland clean through on goal, but the Norway striker’s shot was pushed away by Christian Walton.
Kovacic fired wastefully over after a flowing move carved open the Ipswich rearguard again.
Omari Hutchinson almost put Ipswich ahead against the run of play with a stinging strike from just inside the area that hit Haaland and flashed just over.
But City’s pressure was rewarded in the 27th minute when Doku and Kevin De Bruyne combined to set up Foden for a clinical close-range finish.
Foden turned provider as ruthless City doubled their lead three minutes later. Kovacic strode onto Foden’s pass on the edge of the area and smashed a superb low strike past the flat-footed Walton for his first goal since October.
Guardiola’s men were rampant and they struck again three minutes before half-time.
Set free by Doku, De Bruyne raced into the area and cut the ball back for Foden, whose shot from five yards evaded Walton’s weak attempted save.
The England forward’s fifth goal in his last four games maintained his recent improvement.
City have scored 25 first-half goals in 22 games, more than any other team in the Premier League this season.
Ipswich were powerless to stem the tide. Doku danced through their defence to score City’s fourth with a low shot that hit Dara O’Shea on its way past Walton in the 49th minute.
City showed no mercy and Haaland joined the party in the 57th minute. Jack Clarke conceded possession and Doku teed up Haaland to drill past Walton for his 22nd goal in all competitions this season.
McAtee came off the bench to bag City’s sixth in the 69th minute, the 22-year-old looping a header over Walton from Kovacic’s cross.
Forest were equally rampant in the first 45 minutes to cut the gap on leaders Liverpool to six points and consolidate their lead in the race for a place in the Champions League next season.
Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood netted before the break. Southampton salvaged some pride in the second period through Jan Bednarek and Paul Onuachu but they remain on course for an immediate return to the Championship, 10 points adrift of safety.
Liverpool moved a step closer to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title as a 5-0 thrashing of West Ham opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
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Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota were on target for the rampant Reds in east London as they ended the year as huge favourites to deliver just a second league title in 35 years.
Nottingham Forest are the surprise closest challengers in second, but Arsenal and Chelsea can close the gap when they are in action later in the week.
Arne Slot has repeatedly stressed nothing can be won yet with Liverpool still one game shy of the halfway mark in the Premier League.
But the Dutchman’s succession of Jurgen Klopp continues to look flawless after a 23rd win in 27 matches in all competitions.
Slot was able to recall Diaz, who had been rested for the 3-1 win over Leicester on Boxing Day, and it was the Colombian who opened the floodgates on 30 minutes at the London Stadium.
Diaz’s intended pass into Curtis Jones rebounded back into his path off a West Ham defender and he dispatched his shot low into the corner.
Mohammed Kudus was inches away from an equaliser when his effort came back off the post.
Spurs blow golden chance to down Wolves | 00:49
But another heavy home defeat puts Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui back under pressure after a four-game unbeaten run.
Two goals in four minutes just before half-time killed the game as a contest. Salah’s delightful turn helped tee up Gakpo to roll in his ninth goal in 14 games.
The Egyptian then curled in at Alphonse Areola’s near post, with some help from the West Ham goalkeeper, to hit the 20-goal mark for the eighth consecutive season since joining Liverpool in 2017.
Speculation over Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Virgil van Dijk’s futures has not derailed Liverpool’s flying start under Slot.
All three could discuss a move to a foreign club on a free transfer next season within days, but remain focused for the moment on winning a second Premier League title together.
Rumours over Alexander-Arnold’s potential move to Real Madrid have resurfaced again in the Spanish media over the past week and the England international showed why he is a man in demand with a thunderous strike that deflected in off Max Kilman.
Jota’s appearance as a substitute was further evidence of the extra firepower Liverpool enjoy over their title rivals.
The Portuguese set the seal on a dominant win with the finish for the fifth goal, but had another sumptuous Salah assist to thank for it.
Salah jinked his way beyond three West Ham defenders before laying the ball to Jota for his 13th Premier League assist of the season to go with 17 goals in 18 games.
EPL powerhouses fail to fire | 02:11
‘JUST RELIEF’ FOR PEP
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said relief was his overriding emotion after a 2-0 victory at Leicester secured just a second win in 14 games for the crisis-hit English champions on Sunday.
Savinho and Erling Haaland struck either side of half-time as City ended a run of eight away games without a win.
The performance was still far from the standards that Guardiola’s side have set in winning an unprecedented four consecutive English top-flight titles.
But the effusive celebrations of Haaland’s header 16 minutes from time showed that three points was all that mattered for the visitors to at least temporarily halt their remarkable slump in Guardiola’s 500th game in charge “It is not enjoyable right now, it is just relief. We have done incredible things for many years,” said Guardiola.
Arsenal keep pressure on Liverpool | 01:27
“We have done a lot of things that will be in the memory forever and maybe this period, which feels like a 100 months, will make us realise how nice it was and hopefully we can come back, maybe not be what we were but more close than now.” “Today we won and this is what we needed for our minds and souls.” Victory lifts City up to fifth but they are still 14 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
After a bright start to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reign, Leicester have lost their last four to fall into the bottom three.
The Foxes were left to rue not taking their chances to inflict more misery on a City side still showing a clear lack of confidence.
Any time the home side crossed into City territory in the first half they appeared a major threat.
Jamie Vardy would surely have won a penalty had he not strayed offside before being brought down by Stefan Ortega, while James Justin’s header hit the post after a goalmouth scramble.
City, though, got the crucial opening goal on 21 minutes.
Jakub Stolarczyk should have done better than to parry Phil Foden’s long-range effort into the path of Savinho, who swept the rebound into the roof of the net for his first City goal.
Chances continued to come and go for Leicester early in the second half. Justin should have levelled but his mishit finish from close range allowed Manuel Akanji to clear off the line.
Vardy then had the biggest chance to level when he prodded over Stephy Mavididi’s brilliant in-swinging cross.
“We created those moments in a great way, there was some excitement going on,” said Van Nistelrooy, himself a prolific goalscorer in his playing days.
“As a striker, you know you need a bit of luck in taking those chances, but that is where the game is decided.” However, Leicester were hit by a City sucker punch to end the defending champions’ miserable run on the road.
Savinho was the creator this time as his cross perfectly picked out Haaland who powered home his 19th of the season, ending a four-game goal drought for the Norwegian.
“It’s always a relief when you score, it was an important goal to go 2-0 up,” said Haaland.
“It’s been a difficult time, now it’s New Year’s — five or six days till the next game. It’s the longest time in a long period so we can rest a little bit.”
FOREST MOVE TO SECOND, SPURS DRAW
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest beat Everton to win their fifth straight Premier League match, leapfrogging Chelsea and Arsenal.
Chris Wood chipped over Jordan Pickford for the opening goal in the 15th minute after being set up by Anthony Elanga.
Wood turned provider for Forest’s second, which came just after the hour mark when Morgan Gibbs-White lashed home to make it 2-0.
Nuno refused to get carried away, saying: “We are enjoying it, we are especially enjoying because our fans are enjoying with us.
“Nothing changes, we cannot change. We have to realise we didn’t achieve anything.”
Injury-hit Spurs were on track to end a torrid December on a high after first-half goals by Rodrigo Bentancur and Brennan Johnson cancelled out Hwang Hee-chan’s brilliant opener for Wolves.
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min also squandered a 43rd-minute penalty, but it did not appear to be too costly until substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen smashed home in the 87th minute.
“I’m the person in charge, so of course it hurts,” said Postecoglou, whose team have won just one of their past seven Premier League matches.
“When I see how hard they are trying, it hurts even more because you want them to get a reward and I think today they deserved a reward for their efforts.”
New Wolves manager Vitor Pereira remains unbeaten, with two wins and a draw in his first three matches in charge.
Crystal Palace won just their second home league game of the season, seeing off bottom club Southampton 2-1, thanks to goals from Trevoh Chalobah and Eberechi Eze.
Dango Ouattara scored an 89th-minute leveller as Bournemouth drew 2-2 at Fulham. Chelsea and Manchester United are in action on Monday, with Arsenal travelling to Brentford on Wednesday.
Phil Foden shone in the absence of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne as the England international’s hat-trick handed Manchester City a thumping 4-1 win over Aston Villa.
The champions responded emphatically to questions over their ability to win the biggest games to move to within one point of leaders Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
City had not beaten a side in the Premier League’s top five in six attempts this season prior to the visit of fourth-placed Villa to the Etihad.
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Phil Foden celebrates after scoring. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
But Pep Guardiola showed faith in the depth of his squad by leaving Haaland and De Bruyne on the bench for the full 90 minutes ahead of a hectic schedule in their defence of three competitions.
Guardiola has hailed Foden as the best player in the English top-flight this season and the 23-year-old backed up his manager’s words by taking his goal tally for the season to 21.
City were beaten 1-0 by Villa when the sides met in December, but that was their last defeat as Guardiola’s men are now unbeaten in 24 games.
Jeremy Doku was one of those to return to the City side among four changes and the Belgian rewarded his manager with his brightest display in a City shirt for months.
Doku was the creator for the opener as he skipped past Lucas Digne and his cross was swept high past Villa’s stand-in goalkeeper Robin Olsen by Rodri.
Villa’s normal number one Emiliano Martinez was just one of a host of key absences for the visitors.
Top scorer Ollie Watkins was sidelined by injury, while captain John McGinn was suspended.
Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey were also left on the bench by Unai Emery as the Spaniard appeared to prioritise his side’s upcoming games as more realistic bets to get the points they need to secure Champions League football.
Douglas Luiz reacts following a missed chance. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
However, Jhon Duran showed he is an able deputy to Watkins as the Colombian swept home a fine equaliser after exchanging a one-two with Morgan Rogers.
By contrast, Julian Alvarez failed to take his chance to shine in his preferred position with Haaland rested.
The Argentine World Cup winner was denied by Olsen from a narrow angle and then saw a header tipped over by the Swedish goalkeeper.
However, City did restore their lead before half-time to calm the rising tension among the Etihad crowd thanks to Foden’s first.
His free-kick sneaked through a hole in the Villa wall caused by Nicolo Zaniolo jumping out of position to leave Olsen unsighted.
City’s number two ‘keeper Stefan Ortega is enjoying a rare run in the side due to Ederson’s thigh injury.
And the German was needed to make a vital save after the break to deny Villa levelling for a second time through Douglas Luiz.
Manchester City made a statement. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Foden made the points safe when he swept in Rodri’s pass off the inside of the post.
And he completed his hat-trick in style by blasting into the top corner from outside the box.
Liverpool can retake top spot when they host bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Thursday.
But City will be quietly confident of becoming the first side to ever win four consecutive English top-flight titles with the worst of their run-in now cleared.
Guardiola’s men have just one more match against a top-six opponent, away to Tottenham, in their final eight games of the season.
Defeat leaves Villa still just two points above Spurs in the race for a top-four finish, having played a game more.
ARSENAL GO TOP WITH WIN OVER LUTON
Elsewhere, Arsenal coasted to a 2-0 win over struggling Luton to dislodge Liverpool from the top of the Premier League table, once again edging ahead in a thrilling three-way title tussle.
Gunners captain Martin Odegaard opened the scoring midway through the first half and an own goal just before the break gave the much-changed home side a cushion.
The result lifts Arsenal to 68 points — one ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who host bottom side Sheffield United on Friday.
“We want to be at the top — winning our games is the only thing we can do,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told the BBC.
“We managed to rotate and freshen the team up a bit,” he added.
“Those who came in did really, really well.”
Arsenal went top with the win. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Arteta’s men, with top-scorer Bukayo Saka absent, dominated possession in the opening stages at the Emirates but created few clear-cut openings in front of an expectant crowd.
But they broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, courtesy of a sweet left-footed strike by Odegaard.
Emile Smith Rowe, who has been a peripheral figure this season, dispossessed the dawdling Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu inside the visitors’ half.
He fed Odegaard, who played a one-two with Kai Havertz before stroking the ball home for his 10th goal of the season.
Arsenal doubled their lead in the 44th minute thanks to an own goal from Luton defender Daiki Hashioka, who turned into his own net following more good work down the left by Smith Rowe.
The home side, playing in second gear, had just three shots on target in the first half but were well worth their lead.
The bulk of the second half was flat, although Luton came into the game more, probing for an opening to haul themselves back into the contest.
Arteta brought on midfielder Declan Rice and forward Eddie Nketiah, introducing Gabriel Martinelli with 15 minutes to play.
Martin Odegaard celebrates scoring Arsenal’s first goal. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Arsenal substitute Takehiro Tomiyasu went close, bending one just wide, and Nketiah forced a save from the scrambling Thomas Kaminski in the closing minutes.
They were unable to score a third but saw the game out with few alarms. The Gunners, who have not been crowned English champions since 2004, set the pace for the bulk of last season before flagging as the finishing line approached.
But, adding steel to their style, they have now won nine of their past 10 league games, with the only blip in that sequence a goalless draw against City on Sunday.
Arsenal, who have conceded just four goals in the league in 2024, travel to Brighton on Sunday before hosting Villa on April 14.
In between those matches they welcome Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Defeat for depleted Luton leaves Rob Edwards’ side third from bottom of the English top flight, three points from safety, and facing an immediate return to the Championship.
Brentford drew 0-0 with Brighton to edge further clear of the drop zone.
All I want for Christmas is: Declan Rice to stay healthy
We saw how fragile Arsenal looked towards the end of last season when defensive midfielder Thomas Partey got injured.
Since moving to Arsenal for the measly sum of $AUD200 million, Declan Rice has been indispensable in the Gunners’ midfield and has started all 16 of their league fixtures.
Should anything happen to Rice, how big will the drop-off be?
Partey himself has missed a large chunk of action this season due to a groin and hamstring injury but when he did play at the start of the season, he lined up in the unusual position of right back.
Essentially, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta needs both Rice and Partey fit if they are to go one better than they did last season.
Declan Rice has been one of Arsenal’s best since moving from West Ham United. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ASTON VILLA
All I want for Christmas is: To make away trips fun again
Aston Villa’s home form is superb.
In fact, it’s perfect with 15 consecutive league wins at Villa Park stretching back into last season.
But away from home, it’s a different story.
From the eight away games Villa have played this season, they have won three (Chelsea, Tottenham and Burnley).
A 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest coupled with draws against Wolves and Bournemouth could prove costly at the end of the season in Villa’s quest for a spot in the Champions League.
Even just the slightest improvement on their travels this season could be enough for Villa.
BOURNEMOUTH
All I want for Christmas is: Dominic Solanke’s purple patch to continue
Many felt Liverpool had completed a highway robbery when they sold Dominic Solanke to Bournemouth in January 2019 for $AUD34 million.
After all, Solanke had just one Premier League goal and assist to his name at Liverpool.
But the 26-year-old has finally proving his worth as Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth revolution continues to pick up momentum.
Solanke scored six Premier League goals in 33 games last season, but it’s taken just 16 matches to eclipse that figure as he has eight goals to his name already this campaign.
Additionally, Solanke has never gone longer than two games without a goal, which puts him on pace for 15 goals or more.
If the Chelsea academy product can maintain that rate for the rest of the season, Iraola and the Cherries will be safe from relegation well before the season’s end.
BRENTFORD
All I want for Christmas is: Ivan Toney’s ban to hurry up and finish
Many feared what would become of Brentford this season with Ivan Toney suspended until January 17 next year for several breaches of the FA’s betting rules.
In Toney’s absence, winger Bryan Mbuemo has largely shouldered the goalscoring burden with seven, three fewer than Toney had at this stage last season – but suffered a bad ankle injury that will see him out ‘for weeks’.
But it’s not just goals that Toney brings to this team.
It’s his ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play, his defensive work and his cool-as-you-like penalties.
Rival clubs are already weighing up bids for Toney in January but if Brentford can hold onto him for the rest of the season at the very least, the Bees could make a push for the Europa Conference League.
Ivan Toney’s suspension for breaching betting rules will expire in January. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BRIGHTON
All I want for Christmas is: A new young gun to come out of nowhere and blitz the Premier League
Brighton have lapped up a first-ever venture into European football and are just one win away from sealing a spot in the knockout stages of the Europa League.
But the extra games on the continent coupled with the demands of the Premier League have taken a toll on the squad.
The Brighton physios have been forced to work overtime with the amount of injuries to key players in the squad.
But every time the Seagulls are forced to dip into their reserves, it always seems as if they can spawn some youngster from nowhere.
Last season it was teenage duo Julio Enciso and Evan Ferguson who shot to prominence, with the former scoring wondergoals from all ranges while Ferguson continues to dazzle up top.
So if Brighton are going to find some form and compete in the Premier League and Europa League, they’ll need a young gun to burst onto the scene.
BURNLEY
All I want for Christmas is: No more schoolboy errors at the back
It’s been a baptism of fire for Burnley boss Vincent Kompany in his first season as a Premier League manager.
After decimating the Championship with the Clarets last season, Burnley have failed to replicate their dominance in the top flight and have won just two of their 16 games.
They’ve also conceded an alarming 34 goals, the worst figure in the league.
What’s most concerning is the relative ease with which opposition teams have scored against Burnley as an alarming stat proves they constantly shoot themselves in the foot.
Per the Premier League’s stats section, Kompany’s side have made four errors which directly lead to a goal, the second-most in the league.
It happened once again in the 1-0 defeat to Wolves when Burnley coughed the ball up close to their 18-yard box and quickly led to a Hwang Hee-Chan goal.
Strangely enough, the team with the most errors directly leading to a goal is league leaders Arsenal with five.
The frailties at the back will undoubtedly irk Kompany, one of the most dominant defenders to have played in the Premier League.
But he must find a way to get his players to remain focused for the entire 90 minutes because they will continue to get punished time and time again.
CHELSEA
All I want for Christmas is: Nicolas Jackson to stop missing sitters
Every football fan knows the feeling of watching a player miss an opportunity when it seemed easier to score.
So our thoughts go out to Chelsea fans who have watched Nicolas Jackson spurn chance after chance since moving from Villarreal in the summer for $57 million.
Per the Premier League’s stats site Jackson is fourth in the charts for most big chances missed, behind only Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez and Ollie Watkins.
Jackson has become a focal point for derision from rival fans given he has more yellow cards (seven) than he has goals (six).
Even then, three of those goals came against a nine-man Tottenham side in the wild 4-1 win.
If Jackson can finally put away his chances, Chelsea fans can start to dream about Europe again.
Well, maybe just the Europa Conference League.
Nicolas Jackson has more yellow cards than goals since moving to Chelsea. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CRYSTAL PALACE
All I want for Christmas is: To break up with Roy Hodgson … for good
Roy Hodgson is the ex Crystal Palace just can’t quit.
A boyhood Palace fan, Hodgson was on the club’s books as a youth player but never quite made it into the first team.
But he would get a crack at managing the club he supported in 2017 and led the Eagles to their highest points tally in a single Premier League season in the 2018/19 campaign with 49 points.
However, the style of football Palace played wasn’t exactly endearing as Hodgson left on his own accord at the end of the 2020/21 season.
Patrick Vieira came but eventually left with Palace hurtling towards relegation.
Like a knight in shining armour, Hodgson returned to save the day with five wins and three draws in the 10 games he had in charge and keep Palace up while earning a one-year deal in the process.
Yet things are slowly starting to turn toxic once again at Selhurst Park as Palace struggle to find rhythm, although constant injuries to star duo Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise have not helped.
If Hodgson is to leave his job earlier than anticipated, the Palace top brass must find a replacement that represents a departure from the 76-year-old’s footballing ethos.
And if things turn sour once again, Hodgson cannot be called upon to save the day once more.
Let the man enjoy games from the Selhurst Park terraces rather than the dugout.
EVERTON
All I want for Christmas is: Survival
After 12 games, Everton were sitting reasonably comfortable on the table and looked destined for a season of mediocrity which, after two years of near-misses with relegation, was not the worst.
But then everything changed when the Premier League deducted 10 points from the Toffees for one breach of its profit and sustainability rules.
The deduction also dropped Everton right back into the relegation fight, although there’s still plenty of time for Sean Dyche’s side to claw themselves away from danger – and a chance that the deduction will be reduced or completely overturned.
In fact, most bookies are confident Everton can preserve their record of being in every Premier League season since its inception as the three promoted clubs still remain favourites for the drop.
Although the Everton faithful will forever be flipping off those who made the decision to give them the 10-point penalty, survival this season would be the ultimate middle finger.
FULHAM
All I want for Christmas is: A sword to fend off clubs interested in Joao Palhinha
Without star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, Fulham have simply not looked the same threat they did last season.
Now, imagine if they had lost both Mitrovic and defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha in the summer?
Bayern Munich were on the verge of signing the Portuguese star on deadline day but the move collapsed at the final hour and Palhinha ended up signing a new deal with Fulham in September.
Reports say the German giants will try their luck again in January while other Premier League clubs are rumoured to be interested in Palhinha.
Either way, Palhinha’s departure would leave a gaping void in Fulham’s midfield that will be extremely costly to replace, if even possible.
Joao Palhinha will be the subject of intense speculation during the January transfer window. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
LIVERPOOL
All I want for Christmas is: A new pair of shooting boots for Darwin Nunez
Manchester City signed Erling Haaland last year for €60 million and got 50 league goals in 50 games. Liverpool signed Nunez for €75 million (plus €25m in add-ons) and got 13 goals in 43.
Sure, he’s progressed plenty in his second season, with better pressing, more calmness in attack and a selfless approach that has earned him a handful of assists.
But he’s the number nine for a team supposedly in the title hunt – and he just can’t score consistently.
He’s got four goals in 15 appearances this campaign, but that’s come from 45 shots. He’s missed 15 ‘big chances’ and has hit the woodwork five times already, three ahead of the next player.
And his expected goals (xG) is 8.95 – meaning he’s scored around five goals fewer than he statistically should, by far the worst differential of any striker (Chelsea’s maligned Nicolas Jackson has a margin of 3.31, with six goals from 9.31 xG).
Nunez changed his hairstyle, but what he really needs is some new shooting boots.
LUTON TOWN
All I want for Christmas is: Their ‘Maradona’ to save them from relegation
The first priority of any team in the Premier League is to stay there – but we thought it’d be too simple to just say that Luton want survival for Christmas. How can they make it happen?
They need a touch of class to go with their hard work.
So often in recent weeks they’ve played exceptionally and challenged top teams but failed to get real rewards for their efforts. They led both Arsenal and Manchester City before falling to defeats – not even draws. In fact, six of their eight defeats since September have come by a single goal, showing they are competing well but just not quite getting over the finish line.
But if someone is going to stand up and become a hero, it’s probably going to be Ross Barkley.
Teammate Andros Townsend recently told talkSPORT of Barkley’s form: “Honestly, they’ve been some of the best midfield performances I’ve seen in my career.
“It’s just unbelievable – the calmness, the ability to get the ball off the back four and knock it past some of the world’s best midfielders without a care in the world.
“We saw yesterday against Man City, Maradona was in the midfield to set up our goal – honestly, it’s been a joy to watch…He’s been absolutely incredible and he’s been an absolute joy to play with, but a joy to watch as well.”
Sometimes promoted teams feel like they need a miracle to avoid relegation. For Luton, they might just need Barkley to play like Maradona.
MANCHESTER CITY
All I want for Christmas is: A proper left-back
They want Rodri to play every game, since they lose without him. They want Erling Haaland to get fit and get back to the ridiculous scoring ways of last season. But perhaps the most obvious weakness in the City side this season has been the lack of a genuine left-back. In the last 18 months they’ve lost Oleksandar Zinchenko, João Cancelo and Benjamin Mendy, as well as Aymeric Laporte – a left-sided centre-back who deputised at fullback. Nathan Ake and recent signing Josko Gvardiol have been deployed at the position this season, but both are better in the centre of defence. While Gvardiol is an extremely talented defender and a good signing, City probably would have been better off spending his £77 million transfer fee on a genuine left back.
Gvardiol is a centre back by trade but has often been forced to line up at left back for City. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
MANCHESTER UNITED
All I want for Christmas is: The old Marcus Rashford back
After Marcus Rashford hit a career-best 30 goals in all competitions last season, manager Erik ten Hag claimed that the local hero was capable of hitting 40.
He was handed a whopping new contract and became one of the club’s highest paid players – but he’s repaid the faith by scoring just two league goals so far this season.
Ten Hag made one of the boldest calls of his United career by dropping him – then winning – against Chelsea, after Rashford had a stroppy reaction to being substituted after a dismal showing at Newcastle.
United are last in their Champions League group, out of the Carabao Cup already, and in sixth in the Premier League – but with just 18 goals from 16 matches, which is just one more than 18th-placed Luton Town, for example.
What they wouldn’t give for Rashford to be the player he was last year – or the player they are paying over 300,000 pounds (A$575k) a week.
Until then, they’ll just have to hope that midfielder Scott McTominay continues his shock scoring streak. He bagged two against Chelsea and should have made it three, but his six goals make him United’s top scorer (all comps).
All that from a player Ten Hag was ready and willing to sell in the off-season.
NEWCASTLE
All I want for Christmas is: Some fit players
The doctors and physios at Newcastle probably need a holiday. They might just be the busiest people in the Premier League given how many injuries the club has been hit with this season. In fact, you could probably field a strong XI of injured players most weeks!
It’s forced Eddie Howe to name fielded the same 10 outfield players for five-straight matches, and a 4-1 hammering from Spurs exposed their tired, worn-out team.
The Magpies been struggling at almost every position. Goalkeeper Nick Pope will be out for at least four months, which will likely push them into the transfer market for reinforcements with Aaron Ramsdale a possibility.
Blows to Sven Botman and Dan Burn have left them short at centre-back, while Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak have hardly played a game together up front. And injuries in the midfield have combined with a long-term betting ban for Sandro Tonali to leave them short in the centre of the park. A move for Man City’s Kalvin Phillips has been mooted. When they’ve got the manpower, Newcastle are well in the top-four hunt. But right now, they just need a fit player or two.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side have been crippled by injuries this season. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)Source: AFP
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
All I want for Christmas is: To rebound from ‘rock bottom’
When Forest slumped to a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Fulham last week, manager Steve Cooper looked like he would be axed. So far, it hasn’t happened – and when given the chance to prove he deserves to stay in the job, his team rebounded with a 1-1 draw against Wolves. Cooper made seven changes to his line-up and reverted to a back five, and his players responded with a gritty, united effort.
Scorer Harry Toffolo said after the game: “We love the gaffer … I love working for him as do all the players and I think it showed today.”
It’s unclear whether the Wolves game was just a stay of execution for Cooper. But after four straight losses, they’ll be wishing that they’ve seen the worst of it, and that they can now turn the corner.
As Martin Keown said on BBC: “I think sometimes when you reach rock bottom, it looks like they have, then you start to climb out. Let’s hope their performances improve.”
SHEFFIELD UNITED
All I want for Christmas is: A couple of dollars (or a new owner)
The Blades have been hamstrung this season by a lack of cash, plain and simple. Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been looking to sell the club for months but despite interest from American Henry Mauriss and Nigerian Dozy Mmobuosi, he hasn’t been able to get a deal done. Prince Abdullah has also sold his French club and is attempting to sell his stake in a Belgian club as well.
Last year, Sheffield United failed to pay some suppliers for months and also copped a transfer embargo, while in the off-season they sold two of their best players – Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye. As other promoted clubs spent big to reinforce their squads, Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom instead ended up with a side that was worse than the year before. Heckingbottom has since been sacked and relegation looks all-but certain. Chris Wilder might pull off a miracle – but the real change needs to happen at the ownership level.
TOTTENHAM
All I want for Christmas is: A magical health potion.
We could wax lyrical about the magic that Ange Postecoglou has wrought at Spurs this season (and we have!).
But a raft of injuries proved devastating and led to a November slump. With no fit centre-backs, Spurs were forced to field a defensive line with four full-backs in two consecutive matches. In fact, they were without 11 first-team players for the match against Manchester City.
The biggest blows were serious injuries to new signings James Maddison and Micky van de Ven, both of whom were in contention for early signing-of-the-season honours after hot starts to the campaign. Manor Solomon and keeper Guglielmo Vicario are other big Postecoglou signings to have suffered injuries this year.
Spurs are desperate for Van de Ven and Maddison to come back (likely January), but will also dive into the January transfer window for reinforcements.
What they really need is their new signings – whoever they are – to stay fit.
How Postecoglou could do with a magical health potion to get the likes of James Maddison and Micky Van de Ven back on the park. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WEST HAM UNITED
All I want for Christmas is: The next Michail Antonio
West Ham have infamously struggled for years to sign a decent striker, with their list of number nines over the years a revolving door of failures. Most recently it was Gianluca Scamacca, who left after just one season – and wasn’t replaced in the off-season.
There’s currently a real lack of proven centre-forward talent around, which is causing problems for plenty of Premier League sides. Chelsea are still desperate for a scorer, Spurs didn’t replace Harry Kane, and Man Utd spent big on the gifted but unproven Rasmus Hojlund.
33-year-old Antonio has just two goals in 12 appearances this season.
Jarrod Bowen, normally a winger, has been pushed into the striker position to fill the void left by Antonio’s slumping form.
26-year-old Bowen has bagged nine goals in 15 league games, but West Ham are still in the hunt for a striker so they can shift Bowen back to his natural position on the flank.
Moyes said last month: “There’s not really been a good market (of strikers) out there to buy and probably people have written that we need a new striker. Dead easy to say, dead hard to find to get someone who will work for you immediately …
“It’s hard to get exactly what you want, centre-forwards especially. That’s why I hope if we can’t find it, Jarrod (Bowen) might help fill the gap going forward.”
Manchester United won’t extend French striker Anthony Martial’s contract, which concludes at the end of this season. West Ham have subsequently been linked to a January transfer offer – but will he be the one to end the Hammers’ striker signings curse?
WOLVES
All I want for Christmas is: A new contract for Hwang Hee-Chan…and more goals
Go back to the start of the season. Who predicted that a Wolves player would be top five in the scoring charts at this point of the campaign?
Hwang Hee-Chan has got eight goals already, putting him behind only Jarrod Bowen (nine), countryman Son Heung-min (10), Mohamed Salah (11) and Erling Haaland (14). That’s as many goals as he scored in his first two Premier League campaigns combined.
And in the last three Premier League seasons, no Wolves player has scored more than six goals in a campaign.
Credit to Wolves manager Gary O’Neill for giving the striker plenty more minutes, while his teammates deserve credit for improved supply of balls into the area for ‘The Bull’ to pounce on.
“His numbers are really impressive,” O’Neill said. “Will he continue to score at this rate for the rest of the season? It would be an incredible effort to do so.
“When the ball falls to Channy in the penalty area, I have a really good feeling that the ball is going to end in the back of the net. It is no fluke.”
His contract runs until 2026, but Wolves already are in talks over an extension and a pay upgrade for the 27-year-old.
After a loan move from RB Leipzig was made permanent in January 2022 for just £14m, Wolves have well and truly nabbed a Christmas bargain.
Manchester City won the title (again), two of the traditional ‘Big Six’ crashed and burned in emphatic fashion as three teams secured European football for the first time in at least 13 years.
We also had to wave goodbye to a former Premier League champion as a sleeping giant also slept-walked their way to the Championship.
There was a lot to love about the season at all ends of the table, but who stood out for all the right and wrong reasons?
Foxsports.com.au analysed EVERY team’s season in the annual Premier League Report Card!
Five league crowns in six seasons: Pep Guardiola’s City side are well and truly a Premier League dynasty. And they’re not done yet, with an FA Cup final and Champions League final still to play and a historic treble up for grabs.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Pep’s men, giving the Gunners a huge lead in the Premier League race before hunting them down at the death. But when the pressure was on, City delivered the kind of faultless winning streak that has characterised their dominance of the English game in recent years.
Erling Haaland scored goals for fun in the greatest debut season in Premier League history – scoring a record 36 league goals at the tender age of just 22.
His price tag of £51.2m seems farcically good value, especially given the expenditure of some of City’s rivals this season. But he’s not the only bargain City snared – with centre-back Manuel Akanji’s £15m fee a bargain-basement price.
Indeed, City even made an estimated £50m transfer profit this year, thanks to big sales like Raheem Sterling to Chelsea, and Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal.
City remain a class above their opposition.
Manchester City defended their Premier League crown. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
2. Arsenal
Grade: A
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has overseen gradual improvements from his team ever since he returned to the club, but no-one could have seen the Gunners mount a serious title challenge this season.
The Gunners were top of the table for all but eight rounds this season but couldn’t quite hold on to their position as the inevitable Manchester City leapfrogged them in the closing weeks.
Although the end of the campaign is tinged with sadness given what could have been, it’s been a tremendous season.
Arteta’s side blew every pre-season expectation of the water with their final ladder position as the plaudits never stopped rolling in for one of the youngest teams in the Premier League.
Most pleasing was the emergence of 21-year-old winger Bukayo Saka.
The Englishman, operating on the right flank, tore opposition back lines apart time and time again and finished with 14 goals as well as 11 assists.
Another star who matured rapidly was Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegian was handed the skipper’s armband at the start of the season and finished joint-top scorer for the Gunners with 15 and provided seven assists.
Although the Gunners wobbled with three wins in their last nine, it should not be how their season is remembered.
With a return to the Champions League secured, there’s no ceiling in sight for this fresh-faced Gunners squad in the near future.
Arteta has got Arsenal back in the Champions League. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
3. Manchester Utd
Grade: A-
Talk about a change in mood.
Manchester United’s season began in a dark, gloomy corner of a room as they lost 2-1 at home to Brighton on the opening day, only to follow that up with an embarrassing 4-0 loss to Brentford six days later.
After two games, the Red Devils were rock bottom of the ladder as the excitement surrounding Erik ten Hag’s appointment rapidly dissipated.
But the hard-nosed Dutchman quickly turned their fortunes around, as some big wins over the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal got their season back on track.
Despite the surge up the ladder, a Cristiano Ronaldo-sized storm was brewing in the background and exploded during the mid-season World Cup break.
The Portuguese superstar left no stone unturned in a revealing interview with Piers Morgan which forced the club to part ways with their former prodigal son.
Perhaps United have Morgan to thank for that interview because once Ronaldo waved goodbye to Old Trafford and said hello to Saudi Arabia, the Red Devils’ fortunes changed dramatically.
Marcus Rashford went on a run of 10 league goals in as many games, with one of those proving to be the winner in a heated Manchester derby victory.
Ten Hag also helped United end their wait for a trophy as he oversaw a victory over Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
Eight wins in their last 11 games ensured a third-place finish for the Red Devils and a return to the Champions League
Summer signings Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez proved to be absolute masterstrokes as they were vital to United’s season, but it was the resurgence of Rashford that was most impressive.
The forward looked like a man reborn under Ten Hag and, if he can continue such form next season, United could be a serious title contender.
Marcus Rashford was a player transformed under Erik ten Hag. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
4. Newcastle
Grade: A
In the space of two seasons, Newcastle United fans have gone from fearing Championship away days to dreaming of Champions League trips to Madrid and Paris.
Toon boss Eddie Howe has overseen a stunning turnaround at the club in which they finished in the top four and made it to a cup final.
The club recruited wisely in the summer with the arrivals of Sven Botman, Nick Pope and Alexander Isak to name three.
But Howe’s remarkable ability to take some of Newcastle’s existing players to new levels that made them almost feel like new signings.
Joelinton, a £40m laughing stock of a striker, has transformed into a barnstorming midfielder while Callum Wilson smashed in 18 league goals and earned an England recall.
The Magpies’ backline proved to be the equal-best in the competition alongside Manchester City, conceding a measly 33 goals all season.
Yet Howe’s side were all-action in attack with 68 goals scored to give them the third-best goal differential.
Perhaps the best example of Newcastle’s ruthlessness going forward arrived during their 6-1 victory over Tottenham in which Howe’s side scored five in the first 21 minutes.
With Champions League football secured, there’s expectation Newcastle will once again make bigger waves in the transfer market.
But this season has proven Howe’s side will be a force to be reckoned with going forward in a major warning sign to the Premier League’s elite.
Newcastle have returned to the Champions League after two decades away. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
5. Liverpool
Grade: D
In a parallel universe, Liverpool sign Darwin Nunez and address their pressing need for a midfield refresh as they mount yet another title challenge.
Instead, the Reds did snap up Nunez from Benfica, but failed to sign a new midfielder in what has since proven to be one of the biggest mistakes during Jurgen Klopp’s time in Liverpool.
Even then, Nunez was sent off in just his second Premier League game after Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen goaded him to the point where the Reds star felt compelled to headbutt his rival.
It was rather symbolic for Liverpool’s season, as they failed to find much of a rhythm, if at all, until it was far too late.
Granted, crippling injury issues hampered the Reds’ campaign as talismanic winger Mohamed Salah came to grips with life without Sadio Mane on the left flank.
But the critics who pointed to Klopp’s infamous seventh season syndrome were vindicated as Liverpool slumped to their lowest points total in seven years amid embarrassing defeats to the likes of Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Bournemouth.
Although the Reds were unbeaten in their last 11 games and won seven of those, it papered over a significant amount of cracks that surfaced in a season to forget but was somehow good enough to seal a Europa League spot.
A highlight of Liverpool’s season has certainly been the positional change of Trent Alexander-Arnold in the latter stages of the campaign, as his hybrid midfield and defensive role worked wonders.
Whether we see more of that next season remains to be seen, but if Liverpool fail to enact the midfield refresh it so desperately needs in the off-season, treacherous waters lie ahead in Merseyside.
It was a season to forget for Liverpool. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
6. Brighton
Grade: A+
The Seagulls soared this campaign, with sixth place guaranteeing them European football for the first time in the club’s history! But it’s how they achieved such a lofty finish that makes this season so impressive – racking up a huge net profit on transfers around £80m.
In the off-season, they sold Marc Cucurella to Chelsea for £56m and Yves Bissouma to Spurs for £25m among a raft of big-name departures, while Leandro Trossard left for Arsenal in January for £21m.
And yet, Brighton’s incredible scouting team did it again, landing affordable signings who soon established themselves in the Premier League. The biggest outlay was £15m for left-back Pervis Estupinan, for example!
Brighton faced all sorts of problems this season, from midfielder Enock Mwepu being forced to retire with a heart condition, to losing manager Graham Potter to Chelsea in September.
But in true Brighton fashion, they overcame the obstacles and somehow looked even stronger – new manager Roberto de Zerbi implemented a thrilling attacking style of play that delivered in spades: their 72 goals was more than Manchester United (58) and Newcastle (68), for example.
They’ll lose more big players this off-season, of course. But it’s been a season for the ages – bring on Europe next time around.
Kaoru Mitoma has emerged as one of the breakout stars this season. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
7. Aston Villa
Grade: A-
Aston Villa were hurtling towards a relegation fight at the speed of light, but in the corridors of Craven Cottage after an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Fulham, a call was made which put the club on the path to Europe.
Steven Gerrard was sacked immediately after the Fulham defeat on October 20 with Villa out of the relegation zone only on goal difference having lost six of their opening 12 games.
Villa’s top brass went out and replaced the Liverpool legend with Villarreal boss and serial Europa League winner Unai Emery.
What a masterstroke of a decision that turned out to be.
Emery won his first game in charge as Villa boss with a 3-1 victory over Manchester United and they never looked back.
Although the club had a brief wobble in February with losses to Leicester, Arsenal and Manchester City in which they leaked 11 goals, Emery got the team back on track.
Villa would go on to win 10 of their final 15 games of the season as they slowly climbed up the ladder to eventually finish in seventh and secure a spot in the Europa Conference League play-off round.
Emery’s remarkable attention to detail brought the best out of his troops as Ollie Watkins recorded a 15-goal haul while Tyrone Mings was a colossus at the back.
With more investment promised for the summer, it’s only upwards from here for the Midlands side.
“Hello, is that the Europa Conference League?” (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
8. Tottenham
Grade: C-
If you end the season on your third manager, it’s evident something has not gone right.
That’s exactly how Tottenham Hotspur’s season transpired as Antonio Conte departed in acrimonious circumstances and his assistant Cristian Stellini wasn’t far behind after an ill-fated four-game spell as interim boss.
It was a disaster of a season for Spurs, especially considering the pre-season expectations coming off a strong finish to the end of last-season boosted by the £50 million signing of Richarlison.
Instead, Heung-Min Son failed to recreate his magical form of last season, the defence was carved open time and time again while Spurs struggled to find any sort of attacking fluidity.
The burden fell squarely on the broad shoulders of talismanic striker Harry Kane who, to his credit, managed to end the season with a stunning tally of 30 goals.
Under Conte, Spurs battled to get into games and often found themselves behind on the scoresheet first.
The fiery Italian eventually blew his gasket when his side threw away a 3-1 lead against Southampton to draw 3-3 and delivered an explosive press conference where he gave some home truths.
His right-hand man Stellini tried and failed to galvanise the squad as the damage quickly became irreparable following a loss to Bournemouth and a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Newcastle.
Ryan Mason held down the fort as caretaker but there was precious little he could do as Spurs won just two of their final eight games to ultimately finish eighth and miss out on European football for the first time in 13 years.
It was certainly a season that Spurs fans will be desperate to forget.
Harry Kane was the only bright spot in an otherwise dull season for Tottenham. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
9. Brentford
Grade: A
What a season for the Bees. They avoided the typical ‘sophomore slump’ that afflicts teams in their second season after promotion, and indeed moved up from 13th to ninth. Behind that rise was an improved ability to scrape points from tough positions, turning losses into draws – after seven draws and 18 losses last year, this season they picked up 14 draws and just nine defeats. Their impressive year was capped off by doing the double over champions Man City.
The Bees were very well-drilled in defence and surprisingly prolific in attack thanks in large part to the rise of Ivan Toney (20 goals in 33) – before his eight month ban due to betting breaches.
Centre-back Ben Mee, signed on a free transfer from Burnley, played like a man transformed, while David Raya was one of the Premier League’s standout keepers.
Moving forward, the big hope for Aussie fans is that young winger Lachlan Brook, who spent this year on loan to League Two side Crewe Alexandra, can earn a shot at a Premier League debut next year.
Brentford avoided the famous second-season slump. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
10. Fulham
Grade: B
After several years of bouncing between the Premier League and the Championship to earn the unfortunate tag of being a ‘yoyo club’, Fulham finally enjoyed a season of consolidation.
Given their history of successive promotions and relegations, pundits could be forgiven for tipping Fulham to go straight back down.
However, the Cottagers looked anything but relegation fodder under the tutelage of Marco Silva.
Star forward Aleksandar Mitrovic picked up right where he left off from the Championship, scoring six goals in Fulham’s opening eight games to have the London side as high as sixth.
Fulham also returned from the World Cup break in scintillating fashion, winning four on the bounce including a 2-1 triumph over local rivals Chelsea.
In fact, Silva’s side went into March sitting pretty in sixth spot on the table.
But from that moment onwards, the Cottagers slid further and further down.
Seven losses from their next nine games dropped Fulham down to 10th as their rivals passed them by, a position they would ultimately finish the season in.
Mitrovic, a notoriously feisty figure, was also handed an eight-game suspension for pushing the referee during Fulham’s FA Cup loss against Manchester United on March 19.
He ended the season with 14 goals while Fulham’s next top scorer was shared between 34-year-old winger Willian and back-up striker Carlos Vinicius with five.
Although Fulham’s season ended in disappointing fashion, they stayed up with plenty of breathing room.
That in itself should be considered a cracking season.
Mitrovic scored 14 goals for Fulham. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
11. Crystal Palace
Grade: C+
Crystal Palace proved that sometimes going back to your ex can actually be a good thing.
Expectations for the Eagles were high given how impressive they looked under Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira last season.
With a young core of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Cheick Doucoure coupled with the presence of talismanic winger Wilfried Zaha, Palace looked set to light up the league.
However, it never quite clicked for Palace.
After beating Aston Villa 3-1 in August, Vieira’s side failed to score more than two goals up until the Frenchman’s sacking in March.
The decision was made after Palace had gone on a 12-game winless run in which they scored a measly five goals and were at serious risk of being dragged into the relegation dogfight.
So, who better than to steer you to safety than your old flame, Roy Hodgson?
The former England boss (remember that?) came in on March 21 and immediately lifted the mood at the club both on and off the pitch.
Palace’s first game under Hodgson in his brief spell was a 2-1 win over Leicester City, before they smashed five past Leeds in the next game.
From Hodgson’s 10 games in charge, Palace went on to win five of those and lose only two as they secured an 11th place finish.
Eze took his game to a new level under Hodgson and finished as the club’s top scorer with 10 which ultimately earned him an England call-up.
At 75 years of age, it remains to be seen if Hodgson is Palace’s long term option in the Selhurst Park dugout.
But if this is his final act at his boyhood club, what a way to bow out.
Eberechi Eze was Palace’s top scorer. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
12. Chelsea
Grade: F
It’s hard to express just how woeful the Blues have been this year.
Expectations were high after a multibillion-dollar takeover in pre-season from a consortium led by American Todd Boehly. And when he splashed the cash in both transfer windows, a record-breaking 600 million pounds in total, those expectations only rose.
But money can’t buy happiness, and their scattergun approach to transfers resulted in a hodgepodge, bloated squad where some players were unable to even be registered for the Champions League or Premier League.
Many of the big-money signings have failed to live up to expectations – and it’s been a similarly ugly season for managers.
Thomas Tuchel was bundled out in short order after clashing with the new ownership. Graham Potter didn’t fare any better, being dumped out in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup before being axed in early April. Frank Lampard, brought back as an interim boss, couldn’t prevent them from their worst-ever points haul. New manager Mauricio Pochettino has an extremely tough task on his hands.
Despite spending the big bucks, Chelsea finished in the lower half of the table. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
13. Wolves
Grade: C-
Death, taxes and Wolves struggling to score goals.
It’s been an issue that plagued the club last season and it reared its ugly head again, with the Black Country club scoring the fewest goals of anyone this season with 31.
The honour for the club’s top scorer was shared between star midfielder Ruben Neves and Daniel Podence, who both scored six league goals.
Bruno Lage began the season as Wolves coach but lasted just eight league games as the atmosphere turned poisonous, with the club scoring three goals in that space.
The club attempted to bring in Michael Beale, who was managing Queens Park Rangers at the time, but he elected to stay in London as Wolves were left flailing under the caretaker management of Steve Davis.
At the World Cup break, Wolves were in last place with only eight goals scored all season long.
Enter Julen Lopetegui.
The former Spain boss immediately turned the ship around at Molineux, winning four of his first seven league games as the club slowly pulled away from the relegation zone and into the comfort of the mid-table peloton.
Although there was some inconsistency towards the end, Premier League safety was secured which means a job well done by Lopetegui.
Wolves fans will hope he teaches his players how to find the back of the net with more regularity in the summer.
Julen Lopetegui guided Wolves to safety. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
14. West Ham
Grade: D+
If you look at the Premier League in isolation, it’s been a thoroughly disappointing season for the Hammers. Having finished sixth and seventh in the two seasons prior (respectively), this year’s 14th represented a significant drop-off. They won five fewer games, with the biggest issue a misfiring attack that managed just 42 goals. That came despite splashing £35.5m on striker Gianluca Scamacca from Serie A, who managed just three goals in 16 league appearances in a disappointing and injury-hit debut campaign. The towering 24-year-old now seems likely to depart. In fact, West Ham had the fourth-highest net transfer spend in the Premier League (per Transfermarkt) with €172.45m.
There were promising signs from a number of the signings, and most are still coming into the best years of their career. Meanwhile, the Hammers again enjoyed a strong season in Europe, reaching the final of the third-level Europa Conference League. They’ll face Fiorentina on June 8 AEST in the club’s first European final since 1976.
Win, and their difficult league campaign will largely be forgotten – and they’ll earn qualification to the Europa League next year, to boot.
Lose, and there’s no more excuses for a very underwhelming campaign. And that’s without even mentioning the seemingly inevitable sale of superstar midfielder Declan Rice.
Declan Rice could have played his last season for the Hammers. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
15. Bournemouth
Grade: B+
Before the season started, expectations were low for the promoted club. Manager Scott Parker publicly raged at the ownership and board in the opening weeks, labelling his squad “ill-equipped at this level” – and to be fair, he was right.
And when the Cherries copped bruising defeats to Man City (4-0), Arsenal (3-0) and Liverpool (9-0), Parker was the first manager out the door.
That was just the start of a rollercoaster season. They immediately went on a six-game unbeaten run – then by January, they were back in the relegation zone.
From being dead last after 25 games (early March) – they then went on a stunning run, winning six of their next nine games. It secured their survival comfortably, despite losing their final four games of the campaign. Gary O’Neil’s turnaround of a struggling side – and crucially, the ownership change in December that ensured cash was available for January signings – delivered one of the stories of the season.
Dominic Solanke was pivotal to keeping the Cherries up. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
16. Nottingham Forest
Grade: B
Nottingham Forest were back in the English top flight and boy, did they have some new faces in the squad.
The Reds signed over 30 players over the course of the season, but it was made out of necessity given the bare bones nature of the team before the season.
It was an approach fraught with risk but with Steve Cooper at the helm, Forest fans had every reason to dream.
Yet those dreams soon became nightmares as Cooper quickly shot to the front of the sack race with Forest losing seven of their first 10 games to sit rock bottom of the ladder.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis, a figure who usually pulls the trigger, made the brave decision to stick with Cooper rather than twist.
It was a call that paid dividends.
Forest went on to record a famous win over Liverpool and enjoyed strong form at the start of the year, winning three and drawing two to move as high as 13th on the ladder.
But the dark clouds from the start of the season would quickly return as the Reds went 11 games without a win, losing eight in that same stretch.
Surely Marinakis would run out of patience with Cooper, especially given the carefree nature of managerial sackings this season?
Wrong.
The Greek boss came out in support of the embattled Cooper and it proved to be a masterstroke.
Forest won three of their last six, including wins over high-flying Brighton and Arsenal, to secure safety with a handful of games to spare.
Although some teams have been vindicated in their decisions to sack managers, Forest are a prime example of what can happen when you back the man in charge.
Considering how many new players he had to bed into the squad and his style of play, Cooper deserves to be in the conversation for manager of the year.
However, the Reds must address their worrying away form throughout the season as they won just once and scored 11 goals on their Premier League travels.
Forest signed over 30 players but somehow managed to survive. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
17. Everton
Grade: D
After escaping relegation last season with one game to spare, Everton simply had to improve this year. They didn’t. If anything, they managed to get worse. They won three fewer games and ended up on a measly 36 points, three fewer than last year! The only reason they survived the drop – besides a stunning Abdoulaye Doucoure goal on the final day – was because as bad as the Toffees were, their rivals were somehow even worse.
For all their on-field struggles – and there were many – Everton’s problems largely stem from what’s happening off the field.
The club has been running at a significant loss under owner Farhad Moshiri: a £44.7m deficit in their most recent financial accounts (2021-22 season). The focus of the board, meanwhile, has been the building of a £500m new stadium on the banks of the River Mersey.
And this season, the Toffees were hit with charges from the Premier League over financial sustainability. The club denies the allegations.
Moshiri has been seeking investment in the club in the form of a minor shareholder – but his search has now stretched on for months. In the meantime, the Toffees have turned into a ‘selling club’. They sold last season’s top-scorer Richarlison to Tottenham for £60m, and doubled down in January by offloading talented youngster Anthony Gordon to Newcastle for £45m. They were one of just four Premier League teams to end the season with a positive net transfer spend – i.e. making more money from transfers than they spent.
Given their financial situation, survival might seem like enough. Given their history, the fans deserve much better.
Everton’s final-day win sparked a pitch invasion from joyous supporters. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
18. Leicester
Grade: F
Seven years after their Cinderella-like fairytale title, the Foxes are going down.
Given the squad at their disposal, they are too good to be in this sad position. Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho – the attacking riches at their disposal were enviable. And goals flowed freely – their 51 scored was more than any team in the bottom half, and indeed level with seventh-placed Aston Villa’s tally! But without a capable defence, things fell apart.
The squad was gutted by departures before the season, and the funds just weren’t there to replace the outgoing stars – especially with the club’s bloated wage bill combined with the money already spent on plans for stadium development.
Harry Souttar’s Premier League dream has taken a momentary pause. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
19. Leeds
Grade: E
Three games into the season and things were looking rosy for Leeds.
Two wins from three games, including a 3-0 victory over Chelsea, had Elland Road bouncing once more after a summer in which they lost superstar duo Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.
But that giddiness quickly gave way to anger and frustration.
Leeds went on to lose six of their next eight games to slide all the way down from third to 17th on the ladder.
Wins over Liverpool and Bournemouth bought the under-fire Jesse Marsch a brief respite going into the World Cup break, but it was business as usual upon the resumption of the season.
The wins dried up and Marsch (and Leeds fans, if we’re honest) was put out of his misery the day after a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on February 5.
Former Watford boss Javi Gracia was parachuted in to stop the rot and, to his credit, led the team to three wins.
Or, for the percentage enthusiasts, 43 per cent of Leeds’ total wins.
After a 2-1 win over Forest, Leeds shipped 11 goals in two games against Crystal Palace and Liverpool while only scoring twice.
Gracia’s caretaker position became untenable after an embarrassing 4-1 loss away to Bournemouth.
So, who better to call in to save your season with four games to go?
None other than big Sam Allardyce.
With a £2.5 million carrot awaiting him should he guide Leeds to safety, why wouldn’t the perennial Premier League firefighter take on a task most would have ran a mile from?
Well, that seven-figure payday will remain wishful thinking as Allardyce led the team to just a point from his four-game stint as Leeds were relegated after three seasons in the top flight.
Allardyce can’t be completely absolved of any blame, but many fingers must be pointed at Victor Orta, the club’s former sporting director who oversaw a summer spend on several unproven and young stars among other things.
It was nice having you back while it lasted, Leeds.
Leeds were relegated after three seasons back in the Premier League. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
20. Southampton
Grade: F
The less we write about the Saints, the better.
Three different managers tried to turn around the Titanic, but like that famous cautionary tale, the Saints are going down.
They were trounced 4-0 by Spurs on the opening day, which left them dead last. It’s a position they would became all too familiar with this season. From December 26 onwards, the Saints spent 22 of the final 23 rounds rooted to the bottom of the ladder. In the end, they finished with as many losses – 25 – as points.
That truly dismal record came despite managing to ward off strong interest in superstar midfielder James Ward-Prowse in pre-season. In fact, they went on a signing spree that saw them tally a net transfer spend of €138.2m – the eighth-highest spend in the division. Compare that to their relegated rivals: Leeds had a €31.1m net spend, while Leicester had a €33.4m net profit.
But the majority of Southampton’s signings were unproven youngsters – a high-risk gamble that flopped in cataclysmic fashion.
The Saints’ 11th-straight season in the league will be their last, and the looming exit of Ward-Prowse will be just the start of the painful days ahead.
