Ange Postecoglou’s job is on the line, there’s no two ways about it — but his role in securing the signature of Mathys Tel proves to be a pivotal moment in his Tottenham tenure.
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The 19-year-old was desperate for game time after playing limited minutes for Bayern Munich this season and it was Spurs, alongside Manchester United and Chelsea vying for his signature.
Tottenham officials agreed a $120m AUD fee to sign Tel, but after chairman Daniel Levy flew to Munich to pitch his vision to the young gun, he baulked and declined the move.
That’s where Postecoglou stepped in.
The Australian picked up the phone and called Tel, offering his own view of the path forward and exactly where he saw the rising star fitting in his side.
Suddenly, Tel had a change of heart. Moving quickly, he travelled to London to initially sign on loan before he was convinced to insert a $90m AUD buy option in his contract, for a potential six-year deal.
His conversation with the former Celtic boss was a clear turning point, and that sequence of events sums up the situation Postecoglou finds himself precariously placed in.
“Remember on Friday, Spurs agreed a permanent deal with Bayern Munich but the player said he didn’t want the move and preferred a move to Arsenal, Aston Villa or Manchester United,” Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth said.
“They didn’t peruse the move. But Ange Postecoglou got on the phone, spoke to Tel personally and convinced him Spurs were the place to be.”
Multiple reports over Postecoglou’s future in north London have not been able to produce a consensus, with some putting the Australian on the brink, and others saying he’s safe for the foreseeable future.
Postecoglou himself admitted in January “I reckon there is probably a fair chunk that will say no” when asked if he will be Tottenham manager beyond the next three weeks.
However, Spurs’ Tel saga — specifically the way it ended — is suggestive of a slightly more secure future for Postecoglou than some have predicted.
Levy turned to Postecoglou in an attempt to try and finish the job he was unable to complete, while also allowing him to sign other players during his stint as manager.
Premier League legend Gary Neville said that Tel had made a good decision to join Spurs, with Postecoglou’s philosophy part of the reason.
“Tottenham are a huge draw, the stadium and the training ground – and the manager with his style of football. It’s a thrilling style that creates chances,” Sky Sports’ Neville said.
“I’m glad Tel is going there after flirting with a couple of other clubs. Tel will improve Spurs.
“They have a big couple of weeks coming up. Sometimes players like the idea of playing for a club but the important thing is to play football. That’s what Tottenham can provide him.
“They are an amazing football club with an amazing fanbase and they have some great games coming up that he can contribute in.”
Postecoglou being handed the keys to the Tel transfer, and personally speaking to the young gun in a bid to change his mind, hints at a manager who’s been backed by the club for its next phase — not one who is being sacked imminently.
Even so, managing under the rule of Levy comes with an ominous history that Postecoglou will hope his new signings can help him defy.
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Levy has been in charge at Tottenham since ENIC’s takeover in 2001, winning one League Cup in 2008 during his tenure as the longest current serving chairman.
During his 24 years, he’s sacked and hired 16 managers.
Postecoglou is just the latest in a long line of mentors who have failed to deliver without the significant financial investment to compete with the Premier League’s heavyweights.
Yet he was still able to convince one of the world’s brightest talents to join him in North London, and the chairman was not.
But should Spurs’ struggles continue to close out the 2024/25 season, it will be Postecoglou who is thrown out the door — not Levy, who refuses to listen to fan’s criticisms.
Levy watched on as Postecoglou struggled to field a starting eleven in recent weeks, with injuries tallying almost every game.
Fans have protested openly against the club’s ownership in recent weeks, even staging a mass event at the Tottenham club shop to try and enact change.
However, Levy has previously said that he doesn’t listen to criticism from the club’s faithful, with former Premier League striker Chris Sutton questioning the chairman.
“Daniel Levy is such a powerful figure – he wants to win trophies, but that’s not his primary objective, he wants to make money and that’s why Tottenham fans are angry,” he said on BBC.
“But, does Daniel Levy listen to anybody? He’s a stubborn so and so, we can talk as much as we like about it but he’s such a powerful figure – what is going to change?
“You can have your banners up, you can sing Levy out – but is he really going to listen to that?”
While Levy has been the focal point of fans’ woes, former Manchester United scout Mick Brown explained prior to deadline day that Postecoglou’s position was shaping as a familiar story.
“It’s mapping out at Tottenham as it often has done over the years,” he said to Football Insider.
Mathys Tel (R) will join Spurs.Source: Getty Images
“The manager of the time needs players, it gets to a point where the chairman is accused of keeping his hands in his pockets, he starts getting pressure from the fans, and he sacks the manager.
“He’s sacked 15 managers during his time there. It’s ‘watch this space’ at Tottenham at the moment.
“They’ve been down this road before.
“Chairmen, particularly Daniel Levy, don’t like pressure from the fans so they react and make a decision. That’s not my opinion, it’s a fact, it’s history.”
However, Tottenham’s pair of signings could be seen as a renewed show of faith in Postecoglou.
Last month, the club was in freefall with losses in the league piling up each week, while Levy’s pursestrings remained largely tightened.
But a pressure-relieving 0-2 away win over Brentford on the weekend, followed by two key coups late in the transfer window have offered new hope for Postecoglou’s future at the club.
Alongside Tel, Lens centre back Kevin Danso has also joined the club in a timely boost for the Australian’s injury-ravaged side.
Even so it wasn’t all good news in the market for Postecoglou, he was desperate to sign a second centre back, with Chelsea’s Axel Disasi snubbing Spurs in favour of Aston Villa.
AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori also rejected the club’s approach, while Crystal Palace declined a $140m AUD bid for England representative Marc Guehi.
The Guehi move in particular highlighted the difference between Spurs and other heavyweights, refusing to up their offer to secure a player who has been a proven Premier League performer.
Spurs still sit in 14th in the Premier League, losing four-straight games before breaking that streak against Brentford.
It is therefore likely that results in a trio of cup competitions, the Europe League, Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, will be pivotal in Postecoglou surviving the 2024/25 season.
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Spurs have a 1-0 lead after the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi finals, with the second clash with Liverpool scheduled for Friday morning.
The recent return of Micky van de Ven proves crucial for Spurs, but the likes of Christian Romero, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario, among others, still sidelined.
Postecoglou will be desperate for Tel and Danso to hit the ground running in the hopes of helping Tottenham delve deeper into their cup campaigns.
The equation is simple for Postecoglou — win silverware and he will likely keep his job.
But the fact that he is still here to hold onto that hope represents an uptick in fortunes for a manager who, just last month, was struggling to field an XI in what some where billing as a relegation fight.
Ange Postecoglou is on the brink of being sacked, UK pundits and press are saying – though it will cost Tottenham a fortune to part ways with the Australian manager.
A grim 2-1 home loss to relegation-threatened Leicester City has piled more pressure on Postecoglou and his injury-riddled squad.
Former Spurs player Jamie O’Hara, a constant critic of the Australian, said an “inquest” should be held into the half-time address, after Tottenham conceded two goals in four minutes straight after the break.
“It was one of the worst performances I’ve seen. Another shocking result, another shocking performance,” O’Hara said on Sky Sports.
“I don’t know how Ange can stay in the job. I don’t know what needs to happen and I don’t know what happens at the top with (chairman) Daniel Levy.”
Ange Postecoglou barks orders against Leicester.Source: Getty Images
O’Hara pointed out that Spurs had signed only a back-up goalkeeper thus far in the transfer window, despite the injury crisis; saying Levy’s leadership was an issue and the club was unwilling to pay star-level wages like other major Premier League clubs.
Yet for on-field performances, the buck stops with Postecoglou.
“Ange Postecoglou is out of his depth. Man management, in-game management, not good enough today. Running out of ideas, he tried to change the tactics against Everton last week and we were 3-0 down at half-time. We go 2-1 down against Leicester and I don’t see a change in a way that we play, I don’t see a change in the way we do things.
“They’re a relegation fight. Spurs are in a relegation fight, I’m telling you now. Teams are picking up underneath them.
“Every team around them, if you look at it — West Ham sacked their manager, Everton sacked their manager, Man United sacked their manager, Wolves sacked their manager.
“One win in 11, 13 defeats in the Premier League. Unacceptable. Spurs are in a relegation fight and they need to buck up their ideas, sign some good players – quickly – and make a decision on what you’re doing with Ange Postecoglou.
“Because at the moment, what he’s giving out ain’t good enough. And I know there’s injuries and I know there’s problems, but that is unacceptable. You can’t lose 13 games in the Premier League as a Spurs manager.
“I know you’ve got the Carabao Cup semi-finals second leg against Liverpool, who are by far the best team in Europe at the moment, and you’ve clinging on to hope that we might get to a final and Ange gives it, ‘Well, we’ll win a trophy in my second season’. Do me a favour. You’re the Spurs manager, you’re 15th in the table and you’ve lost 13 games. That’s not acceptable.
“I think he’ll get the sack after the Liverpool game (February 6). We’ll get beat.”
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou amid a poor loss to Leicester City.Source: Getty Images
Knives are being sharpened in the UK press also.
“A game that was supposed to ease fears of relegation brought another dismal defeat for Tottenham Hotspur, new levels of fury for the chairman, Daniel Levy, and left Ange Postecoglou under the kind of pressure most managers would not survive,” wrote Tom Allnutt in The Times.
“Spurs have now mustered one win in 11 in the Premier League, against Southampton last month, while this made it four losses in a row, the bottom three creeping ever closer to a side in freefall and a club in open revolt with their supporters.
“Tottenham’s injury crisis is well-documented and they were without ten players here, leaving the ones on the field either exhausted or unable to complete 90 minutes. Others, such as Richarlison, who came off with a sore groin, are returning only to break down again. For weeks this team have been down to their bare bones and, with the transfer window closing next Monday, the club are still to sign a single outfield player. That was the backdrop to the anger pouring down from the South Stand. The help Postecoglou has been calling for has simply not arrived.
“Yet Postecoglou will know what awaits managers when results send a team tumbling down the Premier League and when the fans turn their rage towards the board. Levy was sitting blank-faced here as the calls for him to go rang around the stadium. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven could be back next weekend for the trip to Brentford but will Postecoglou be there to see it?”
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Wrote Matt Law for The Telegraph: “As the chants of “we want Levy out” echoed around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Ange Postecoglou will surely have been aware that days such as this rarely end well for the chairman’s head coaches.
“History tells us that when the fans turn on Levy, he usually turns on the manager and, no matter how desperate the club may have been not to rush into a decision on Postecoglou’s future, the Australian must now be in some peril.
“The mood was mutinous at the final whistle of Tottenham’s 13th league defeat of the season. Rather than hurrying for the exits, fans hung around to vent at Levy over the loud music and moved a banner that said “24 years, 16 managers, one trophy. Time for change” down to the front row of the South Stand.”
Ange Postecoglou is on thin ice after a loss to lowly Leicester.Source: Getty Images
The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg wrote: “It could be a defining result for both sides. While Leicester revelled in their show of defiance, with Boubakary Soumaré superb in midfield, an injury-hit Spurs floundered again. Postecoglou, who saw tired limbs and frazzled minds on the pitch, is in trouble. Spurs are eight points above the relegation zone after one win in 11 games and it would not be a surprise if this proves a defeat too far for the Australian.
“However this is a decline that goes right to the top, which is why the venom directed at Levy felt significant. “Nothing will change until he leaves,” was one Spurs fan’s verdict on a chairman whose tenure has brought only one trophy in 24 years.”
Parting ways with Postecoglou won’t come cheap, if that is to be Spurs’ decision in coming days/weeks.
“Should Levy decide to sack Postecoglou though, it is sure to cost him a pretty penny,” Anthony Chapman wrote for The Sun.
“Former Aston Villa CEO Keith Wyness told the Inside Track podcast that Big Ange is earning £5 million-a-year ($9.9 million) on a four-year deal.
“And with Postecoglou only being 18 months through it, Levy would have to shell out £12m ($23.8 million) to get rid of him right now.”
The 2023-24 summer transfer window has drawn to a close, with some clubs nailing their business while others have fallen well short of the mark as financial regulations heavily influence the Premier League’s spending habits.
Unlike windows of the past, where the Premier League attracted some of the biggest names in Europe, this year has felt a little different, with clubs focused more on ensuring safer financial practice as opposed to nailing their big money signings.
We saw less deals akin to the ones that brought Erling Haaland to Manchester City and Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea in recent seasons, and more like Elliot Anderson’s to Nottingham Forest and Conor Gallagher’s to Atletico Madrid: transfers done to appease accountants more than managers.
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The strict Premier League crackdown on its Profit and Sustainability rules in recent seasons, exemplified by Everton and Forest’s respective points deductions, appear to have frightened clubs.
This was highlighted in the 10 days preceding the June 30 accounting deadline when six clubs – Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa and Leicester – sold 15 players for a grand total of £323 million ($631.8 million AUD) in a late attempt to meet PSR requirements.
According to a report from The Athletic, those 15 deals accounted for 16% of the Premier League’s spending this window, with some of those clubs enacting creative accounting to ensure their books comply and a costly points deduction is avoided.
Though this did not slow Premier League spending, with 14 clubs parting with over $150 million on players during the window, but did create a strange spending environment that will surely become a mainstay in the coming seasons.
Changed spending conditions have coincided with changing spending habits, which have been on show throughout the window and go in part to explaining the business of some sides.
The average age of the league’s 10 most expensive signings this season is 23.3 years old, highlighting how clubs are targeting younger players with high potential and resale value, as opposed to proven products in the prime of their careers.
Foxsports.com.au rates every Premier League team’s summer dealings in our Transfer Report Card!
Arsenal
Biggest signing: Riccardo Calafiori ($81.3m from Bologna)
Total spend: $186.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m to Fulham)
Total income: $161.4 million (AUD)
Having finished second last season, Mikel Arteta’s side needed a strong transfer window to strengthen their side and solidify their title push. They did just that.
Riccardo Calafiori arrives after a strong season with Bologna and a good Euros campaign with Italy to strengthen one of Arsenal’s problem areas last season – left back, with the Italian’s ability to seamlessly invert into midfield key to Arteta’s tactical shape. Mikel Merino provides midfield strength, and allows Arsenal to push Declan Rice into a deeper role whenever required, while the move to permanently sign David Raya, and sell Aaron Ramsdale, cleared up one of the biggest clouds over the club’s 2023-24 season.
Raheem Sterling’s deadline day arrival from Chelsea is a great move, providing cover on both wings as well as title-winning experience. If Arteta can get the Englishman to perform at his best, like he did when the pair were at Manchester City, it’ll provide Arsenal with an additional goal scoring threat this season and afford Bukayo Saka a chance to rest his legs after an intense year.
Fighting off interest in Leandro Trossard from the Saudi Pro League is shrewd too given the Belgian’s impact off the bench and versatility, which will come in handy given Gabriel Jesus’ recent injury record.
Crucially in modern football the sales of Emlie Smith-Rowe and Eddie Nketiah, which will appear as pure profit on the club’s books, ensure they remain compliant with the Premier League’s strict PSR rules.
Where some feel Arsenal’s window missed the mark is their failure to bring a world class No.9 in, with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney but avoided for various reasons. Arteta has faith in Kai Havertz, who scored eight goals in 13 games as striker last season, with Trossard, Jesus and Sterling as cover.
Grade: B+
Arsenal’s Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori challenges for the ball with Brighton’s Paraguayan attacker Julio Enciso during a English Premier League match between the Emirates Stadium.Source: AFP
Aston Villa
Biggest signing: Amadou Onana ($96.8m from Everton)
Total spend: $295.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Diaby ($97.7m to Al-Itthad)
Total income: $271.2 million (AUD)
Villa were dealt a massive blow this window in losing Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz, two of their strongest performers last season.
The club signed Belgian holding midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton, with the 23-year-old already hitting the ground running by scoring twice in his first three games. Onana adds size, power and strong ball-winning skills to Villa’s midfield, though lacks the passing range and set-piece threat of Luiz.
Not to worry Villa fans, given the club already possesses Youri Tielemans, one of the Premier League’s strongest passers and a set piece specialist to rival the best of them.
Ian Maatsen, who was key in Dortmund’s run to last season’s Champions League final, gives good depth at left back, though there are concerns about the drop off between right back Matty Cash and his understudy, particularly with injuries in central defence not allowing Ezri Konsa to shuffle across.
Diaby’s loss is massive, even if the Frenchman’s performances tailed off at the end of last season, but Unai Emery already has the pieces to compensate for his departure.
Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barenechea, both signed from Juventus as part of the deal to send Luiz the other way, are young and unproven but could become integral cogs in the Villa machine once they return from their respective loans.
Villa haven’t just signed Ross Barkley is an underrated piece of business. The former Chelsea man provides Emery with experience and brilliant midfield cover following an impressive Premier League season with Luton Town.
Omari Kellyman, Tim Iroegbunam and Cameron Archer’s sales will go towards balancing the club’s books, even if the latter was re-signed from Sheffield United before being sold to Southampton, while Philippe Coutinho’s loan move to Vasco da Gama lightens the club’s wage bill.
Grade: B
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 17: New signing Ian Maatsen acknowledges Aston Villa fans after the team’s victory against West Ham United FC (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Bournemouth
Biggest signing: Evanilson ($61.3m from Porto)
Total spend: $172.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Dominic Solanke ($106m to Tottenham Hotspur)
Total income: $110.3 million (AUD)
There was no more important player to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side last season than striker Dominic Solanke, who finished the campaign with 19 goals and three assists.
Brazilian striker Evanilson joins for a club-record fee having scored 13 Portuguese league goals last season for 3rd placed Porto.
An unknown quantity in England, Evanilson has all the makings of a well-rounded striker and joins a side that had more shot creating actions last season than Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, though it will be hard for the striker to have link up play as exceptional as Solanke.
First-choice goalkeeper Neto joins Arsenal on loan, with Kepa arriving from Chelsea to replace the Brazilian, marking a significant downgrade in the club’s goalkeeping ranks. The Spaniard is a gamble for Iraola’s side given his failure to set the Premier League alight, weak shot stopping and shortcomings when competing for crosses.
19-year-old Spanish-Dutch defender Dean Huijsen has all the makings of a serious transfer coup, with multi-Premier League winning manager Jose Mourinho once describing the centre back as “one of the highest-quality prospects in European football at this age level.”
Grade: C-
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 25: AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson during the club’s Premier League match against Newcastle United. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Brentford
Biggest signing: Igor Thiago ($58m from Club Brugge)
Total spend: $169.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Ivan Toney ($77.4m to Al-Ahli)
Total income: $129.7 million (AUD)
Sometimes a transfer window is less about what you gain and more about what you lose.
In letting Ivan Toney walk, Brentford offloaded a player who evidently did not want to be at the club for some time, at a significant fee that allowed them to invest in the future of their club by bringing several talented youngsters in, such as Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Gustavo Nunes.
Not only does Toney’s transfer have significant financial benefits for the Bees, but it should also create a harmonised Brentford squad this season.
Igor Thiago was signed as Toney’s replacement after 29 goals in the Belgian league last season but is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa have led Frank’s line brilliantly to begin the season, with the club’s ability to hold on the latter arguably their most important piece of business.
Keep an eye on teenage left back Jayden Meghoma, viewed by many good judges as one of England’s brightest young prospects. Injuries could pave the way for the flyer to break into Thomas Frank’s side at left back at some point this season.
Grade: B
Brighton
Biggest signing: Georginio Rutter ($77.4m from Leeds United)
Total spend: $381.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Deniz Undav ($49.7m to VFB Stuttgart)
Total income: $90.4 million (AUD)
Only Chelsea spent more money than Brighton, which comes as a surprise given the South Coast club’s highly successful ‘moneyball’ style tactics in recent years.
Those tactics are still at play, with the club not splashing huge cash on a big name signing this summer. Instead, they’ve picked up several highly promising footballers who add to 31-year-old coach Fabian Hurzeler’s squad.
Georginio Rutter, Matt O’Riley, Mats Wieffer, Ferdi Kadioglu and Brajan Gruda all have the makings of quintessential Brighton signings and will no doubt be sold for triple their purchase price in 18 months.
Over the opening three games of the season, fresh faced winger Yankuba Minteh has been incredibly impressive, playing with little fear and plenty of creativity and drive, frightening opposition left backs with his relentless attack.
Billy Gilmour’s deadline day move to Napoli weakens the club’s holding midfield stocks, which took a hit earlier in the window with Pascal Gross’ departure to Dortmund. Hurzeler has said as much in recent days, noting the club “don’t have enough players at (No.) six.”
Grade: B
Right winger Yankuba Minteh during Brighton’s Premier League win against Everton. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Chelsea
Biggest signing: Pedro Neto ($104.6m from Wolves)
Total spend: $400.6 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Conor Gallagher ($65.9m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $303 million (AUD)
Deep breath in. And another. 11 players arrived at Stamford Bridge over the summer, bloating Enzo Maresca’s first team squad out to a whopping 30, with a further 12 out on loan.
“You want to ask about where Joao Felix is going to play, I’ve got another question – where’s he going to get changed at the training ground?” Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher questioned.
“How are all these players in one dressing room? How are you putting on a training session?”
The Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling sagas were sour, and typified the current Chelsea regimes cold, and seemingly senseless, approach to business, but the deals to offload Ian Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson were savvy moves that will go towards balancing the club’s books.
In amongst the madness of moving on Sterling and Gallagher, uncertainty around Trevoh Chalobah’s future, the lack of resolution around Ben Chilwell’s situation, and signing three left wingers, there is some small semblance of method.
Chelsea have made their intentions clear with their business; they are backing Maresca in the market and signing players whose profile fits his needs.
There is little risk to the Jadon Sancho deal, while Joao Felix’s signing could be viewed differently if the Portuguese star hits the heights expected of him when he burst onto the scene six years ago.
And yet, despite these faint glimmers of hope there is still the overwhelming sense of restlessness at the Bridge, not only given the way the club has conducted business this summer, and the enormous squad size, but also given the club spent more money than any other Premier League side while failing to address their widely perceived problem area: striker.
Toney and Osimhen were both on the table, though moves for either failed to materialise, with finances key to this. A lack of depth in holding midfield remains a concern for Maresca with Romeo Lavia’s injury history meaning the club are a Moises Caicedo injury away from a near unpluggable hole in their midfield.
Grade: B-
New signing Jadon Sancho is presented to the Chelsea fans before his side’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crystal Palace
Biggest signing: Eddie Nketiah ($48.3m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $130.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Michael Olise ($87m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $174 million (AUD)
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace shocked the Premier League at the back end of last season, winning six of their last seven from 14th to 10th.
The pre-season expectation was for them to build on this, even with Michael Olise’s big money move to Bayern Munich removing one of the stars of last season from the fold.
Joachim Andersen left for Fulham not long after, and things could’ve gone from bad to worse if Newcastle’s aggressive pursuit of captain Marc Guehi paid off.
It didn’t, and Palace’s defence was stronger for it. Trevoh Chalobah arrived on loan from Chelsea, while the promising French Maxence Lacroix joined from Wolfsburg, further strengthening Glasner’s backline.
Japanese international Daicha Kamada and Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr strengthen his frontline, so too does the signing of Eddie Nketiah – who just feels like a Crystal Palace player.
While they’re yet to reap the rewards on the field, Palace have had one of the better windows in the Premier League, defined not so much by who they brought in as much as who they didn’t lose – Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton.
Grade: B+
Everton
Biggest signing: Jake O’Brien ($33m from Lyon)
Total spend: $83 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Amadou Onana ($96.8m to Aston Villa)
Total income: $133.6 million (AUD)
Much like Palace, Everton’s best bit of business in the summer window was not allowing their most important defensive cog to leave the club.
That Jarrad Branthwaite remained at Everton is a massive win for Sean Dyche, even if the defender has missed the opening games of the season through injury.
The 22-year-old was ranked sixth for clearances and seventh for interceptions last season and was a key reason behind Everton keeping 13 clean sheets, second only to Arsenal.
However, the Toffees lost Amadou Onana to Everton, denting their midfield stocks for perhaps the most important Premier League campaign in the club’s recent memory.
Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom headline a suite of creative signings that have their work cut out for them in trying to inspire a side that scored just 40 goals last season.
There’s no doubting Everton have made some smart additions. Whether they’ll be what’s needed to keep them away from the relegation fight is a question only time has the answer for.
Grade: D+
Amadou Onana traded Everton for Aston Villa this transfer window. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fulham
Biggest signing: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $173.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Joao Palhinha ($81.9m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $112.9 million (AUD)
One of the smaller Premier League clubs who executed a smart summer window that leaves their squad stronger this year than when it ended last season.
Of course Joao Palhinha’s departure to Bayern Munich leaves a massive hole in Marco Silva’s midfield – no player made more than his 152 tackles last season. Not signing a replacement may come back to bite them, though Harrison Reed, Sasa Lukic and new signing Sander Berge are more than capable in that role.
At the back Joachim Andersen rejoins from Palace, softening Tosin Adarabioyo’s departure, while Jorge Cuenca offers Silva an additional left footed centre back following Tim Ream’s departure.
In attack, Fulham’s have invested plenty in Emile Smith Rowe, a brilliant attacking talent who’s been stifled by injuries and falling out of Mikel Arteta’s favour in recent years. The winger/attacking midfielder has hit the ground running, scoring in Fulham’s 2-1 win over Leicester City, and could be viewed as a bargain in coming seasons if he can match, or exceed, the 10 goals he scored for the Gunners in 2021-22.
Reiss Nelson provides depth out wide following Willian’s departure for Olympiakos and could potentially push Alex Iwobi into a central midfield role he excelled at for Everton a few seasons ago.
While their business hasn’t set the world alight, it’s quietly done what it’s needed to do: make up for their outgoings and strengthen where possible.
Grade: B-
Fulham attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe joined the club this summer for $65.8 million from Arsenal. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ipswich Town
Biggest signing: Omari Hutchinson ($42.6m from Chelsea)
Total spend: $205 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: George Edmundon (loan to Middlesbrough)
Total income: N/A
Only two players contributed more than Omari Hutchinson’s 16 goals in Ipswich’s promotion campaign last season. A deal to bring the England youth international back to the club is massive towards their bid to stay up, with the attacking midfielder showing lots of promise in the season’s opening games.
Jack Clarke, Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap all have the potential to be great signings, especially for the price tag they were collected at, and could all benefit from Kieran McKenna’s brilliant management, while signing last season’s Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics for just over $17 million is smart business.
This quartet are good enough to cut it in the Premier League, but also have the added benefit that, in the event of relegation, Ipswich can extract a high resale value or utilise their talents to earn promotion back to the top flight.
The deal to bring Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City has rocks or diamonds potential. At his best Phillips is a brilliant defensive midfielder with an exceptional passing range and wonderful ability to bait and beat opposition presses. At his worst he is injury riddled, just ask Manchester City, and error-laden, just ask West Ham.
Ipswich will be praying he’s more of the former, especially considering the 28-year-old’s experience keeping freshly promoted sides in the Premier League.
Grade: C
Omari Hutchinson during Ipswich’s Premier League match against Liverpool FC. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Leicester City
Biggest signing: Bilal El Khannouss ($38.7m from Genk)
Total spend: $153.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ($58.1m to Chelsea)
Total income: $58.1 million (AUD)
A few seasons ago the Foxes had a reputation as one of the savviest market operators in Europe. Deals for N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Wesley Fofana and Ricardo Pereira were struck with little interjection from other clubs and to great benefit for Leicester.
Relegation zapped that reputation. And while it will be hard to replicate their previous market success there are at least several positives to take from Leicester’s transfer window.
Bilal El Khannouss arrives from Genk as the Belgian league’s Young Player of the Season and an Olympic Bronze medallist who was involved in nine goals last season. The Moroccan’s stats may fail to flatter, but he’s a highly technical and intelligent footballer who glides across the park and could provide some necessary creative spark.
That creative spark takes on greater importance without Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the attacking lynchpin around which the club won promotion last season. Dewsbury-Hall’s move to join Enzo Maresca is the club’s only major outgoing – a big plus in their bid to keep their top-flight status intact.
Dewsbury-Hall’s is also major for Leicester given the fee he collected will register as pure profit on the clubs’ books, an important factor given they had significant financial restraints throughout the window.
Elsewhere, Oliver Skipp is a reliable Premier League footballer signed at a good price, while making Abdul Fatawu’s loan permanent is savvy too. Both will be crucial for Steve Cooper this season.
Where their window fell short is really strengthening at striker, especially considering Jamie Vardy’s age and recent injury history and the departure of Kelechi Iheanacho to Sevilla.
Odsonne Edouard has Premier League experience, and was once a prolific goalscorer at Celtic, yet found the net just 21 times in his 103 Palace games. Given the importance of reliable goalscoring in staving off relegation.
Grade: C
Liverpool
Biggest signing: Federico Chiesa ($19.4m from Juventus)
Total spend: $19.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Fabio Carvalho ($43.7m to Brentford)
Total income: $102.6 million (AUD)
This summer always loomed as the end of an era at Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s time at the club had drawn to a close, with Dutchman Arne Slot taking the reins of Anfield.
Immense change was expected, with new personnel viewed as a guarantee in order to assist Slot’s transition in the Liverpool managerial role.
Yet, for much of the window Liverpool were the only club in Europe’s top five leagues to have not signed a single player. That was until Giori Mamardashvili was signed from Valencia before being immediately loaned back to Spain, while a bargain move for Federico Chiesa is as risky as it is promising given the Italian’s recent injury history.
Their lack of market activity has not significantly impacted Liverpool, who have begun the season brilliantly.
Even more impressive is the club’s failure to panic once Martin Zubimendi informed them he would remain at Real Sociedad. The Spaniard, who impressed in the Euro final, was billed as the No.6 the Reds desperately needed, with many doubting who would be shoehorned into the role in his place.
Enter Ryan Gravenberch, who has done so seamlessly, bringing a unique profile into the defensive midfield role and justifying Liverpool’s lack of panic in the market.
Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Bobby Clark all left for good deals given their experience, while Stefan Bajcetic’s loan to RB Salzburg will be beneficial to the club in the coming seasons.
Thiago retired and Joel Matip was released, with the club opting not to dip into the market to replace the experienced Cameroonian centre half. A move for Frenchman Castello Lukeba never materialised, meaning the club only have four recognised central defenders, which could prove their Achilles heel down the line.
Liverpool great Jamie Carragher believes the club “are still short – not in terms of numbers but maybe in terms of quality – at centre-back and in holding midfield,” though credited them for not panic buying, which rarely ever works.
Grade: C+
(FILES) Liverpool new signing Federico Chiesa celebrates scoring a goal for Juventus. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)Source: AFP
Manchester City
Biggest signing: Ilkay Gundogan (Free from FC Barcelona)
Total spend: $40.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Julian Alvarez ($125m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $264.6 million (AUD)
When Julian Alvarez traded Manchester for the warmth of Madrid and the intensity of Diego Simeone, there was a sense that this may be the season City finally trips up.
At times filling in for both Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, the Argentine World Cup winner played the fifth most minutes for Pep in the Premier League last season, scoring 11 and creating eight.
Where exactly would City find a player capable of filling in for both their striker and chief creator? The answer, it seems, had been hiding in plain sight.
Released from the final two years of his Barcelona contract, former City captain Ilkay Gundogan has been deployed as a false nine many times for Guardiola but is naturally a brilliant creative midfielder. There is arguably no better Alvarez replacement in world football.
The German headlines a quiet summer of incomings for City, which includes tricky Brazilian winger Savinho – who joined from Girona and has already shown what a delight he is with the ball at his feet. Both are smart additions that boost an already exceptional squad.
Even still, City enter the campaign without a recognised back up striker on their books.
For any other side this would be deeply concerning. For City, it’s a problem, given Haaland’s relatively good injury record, without yet being a major issue, yet.
Pep noted as much, stating the club’s choice not to replace Alvarez could be a “problem” that may turn into a “mistake” but believes the club have enough players in house who can fill in for Haaland, including Gundogan, Phil Foden and youngsters James McAtee and Oscar Bobb.
Where City were smart this window is their ability to offload unwanted, but talented, academy products for strong fees that allow them to clean their books.
Liam Delap, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle all permanently moved away from the Etihad. Offloading Joao Cancelo’s contract from the club’s books can also not be understated.
Grade: B-
lkay Gundogan re-joined Manchester City from FC Barcelona on a free transfer this summer. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Manchester United
Biggest signing: Lenny Yoro ($101.4m from LOSC Lille)
Total spend: $354.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Scott McTominay ($49.9m to Napoli)
Total income: $164.5 million (AUD)
As has been the case for the last decade, it’s incredibly hard to get a read on whether or not United’s transfer window has been good.
On paper they’ve brought in good players. Lenny Yoro has massive wraps on him and may just be the best centre back at his age group, Joshua Zirkzee is a unicorn of a striker as capable of dropping deep and creative as many attacking midfielders, and Manuel Ugarte appears the kind of no-nonsense midfield anchor they’ve been crying out for.
Matthijs De Ligt was once Europe’s finest young centre half but has failed to impress at two of the continent’s biggest clubs. He arrives with a major question mark. While at just over $25 million, Noussair Mazraoui has all the makings of a bargain.
And yet there is an element of groundhog day about this window. United have had good windows in the past. Remember 2021, When the club signed Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo? Or 2022, when Casemiro, Antony and Lisandro Martinez arrived at Old Trafford? Or last year, when Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund joined?
All of these windows were rightly perceived as great windows on face value of the signings. And the same can be said for this window. All of United’s deals look good on paper, but that matters for very little if the club’s form doesn’t turn around.
Where United, and their restructured footballing ownership, deserve credit is offloading Mason Greenwood to Marseille, clearing the club of the winger’s baggage. Allowing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to move to West Ham is also smart given he doesn’t fit the profile of an Erik Ten Hag fullback.
At nearly $50 million, the club would have been foolish to reject Napoli’s offer for Scott McTominay, though his passion and versatility could well be missed dearly.
Grade: B-
Manchester United’s new signings (L to R) Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro (using crutches due to a metatarsal injury), Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui acknowledge the fans prior to United’s clash with Fulham. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Newcastle United
Biggest signing: Lewis Hall ($54.6 million from Chelsea – loan move made permanent)
Total spend: $74.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million to Nottingham Forest)
Total income: $132.8 million (AUD)
Arguably no Premier League club had their hands tied behind their back by financial constraints more than Newcastle United.
Manager Eddie Howe described it as “challenging,” before sharing his hopes the club’s minimal business helps them strengthen in future windows.
Out went Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh, both of whom would have pushed for a place in Howe’s squad, and potentially starting XI, with Anderson’s move to Forest facilitated purely for financial reasons.
The club’s financial constraints meant they were limited in their ability to dip into the transfer market, with Lewis Hall’s loan move being made permanent and William Osula’s signing the only two the club splashed cash on.
Lloyd Kelly adds much-needed defensive depth, and will be a valuable squad player once everyone is fit, but is hardly a signing to set the world alight.
It would be harsh to judge Newcastle’s incomings too severely due to the club’s financial constraints, though questions need to be asked about their failed pursuit of Palace centre back Marc Guehi, as well as their inability to offload Kieran Trippier – who begins the season as Howe’s right back deputy.
Clearly the money was there, just not used in ways that strengthen the players at Howe’s disposal. What did strengthen Howe’s side was keeping Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, which is about the only commendable business Newcastle conducted.
At best, Newcastle will reflect on this window as one that boosted their squad and brought in two fine young talents. At worst, it will be seen as a failure that failed to achieve anything other than balance the club’s books.
Grade: D+
Nottingham Forest
Biggest signing: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million from Newcastle United)
Total spend: $175 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Niakhate ($52.8 million to Lyon)
Total income: $88.9 million (AUD)
Dare we say it… did Forest have a strong transfer window?
Considering the club have had an even more scattergun approach to transfers in recent years than even Chelsea, their activity was measured, geared towards strengthening Nuno’s squad as opposed to signing as many players as possible.
Elliot Anderson is a wonderful footballer, Nikola Milenkovic has been impressive in recent seasons for Fiorentina, Jota Silva has massive wraps as an elusive winger with goal scoring nous, while James Ward-Prowse’s loan adds depth, experience and set piece threat to Nuno’s midfield.
Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga remain at the City ground, highlighting how their astute incomings came without expensive outgoings.
Given the club targeted seven goalkeepers throughout last season, and current No.1 Matz Sels had the lowest save percentage (57.4%) of all 25 goalkeepers in the Premier League last season, not bringing in a new goalkeeper is the one glaring negative against Forest’s window.
The club lagged in their attempt to sign Aaron Ramsdale, who joined Southampton instead, saw their advances for Neto knocked back, missed out on Sam Johnstone to Wolves, failed in their attempt to bring French international Brice Samba back to the club and were unwilling to meet Liverpool’s valuation for Ireland international Caoimhim Kelleher.
Another clear area the club were attempting to strengthen but failed to do is up front, with their pursuits of Eddie Nketiah, Yoane Wissa, Omar Marmoush, Evanilson and Santiago Gimenez all ending in nothing.
While this is disappointing for Forest fans, their manager reportedly has no qualms with Sels as first choice keeper, while New Zealand international Chris Wood has begun the season in red-hot scoring form.
What isn’t disappointing for Forest fans is the fact their club didn’t panic buy when missing out on their targets and instead stuck the course with what they had and trusted Nuno to get the best out of them.
Grade: B-
Elliot Anderson joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle just before the June 30 PSR deadline. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Southampton
Biggest signing: Aaron Ramsdale ($35.2 million from Arsenal)
Total spend: $205.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Carlos Alcaraz ($29.7 million to Flamengo)
Total income: $82.5 million (AUD)
For much of the window, Southampton seemed to sign players with one eye on remaining in the Premier League and another on gaining promotion in the event they’re relegated this season.
Given last season’s promoted contingent – Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United – all went straight back down at the end of 2023-24, this business approach is as smart as it is sad.
Aaron Ramsdale’s signing late in the window shows the hunger is there for Russell Martin’s side. He headlines a savvy window for the Saints, who also made Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes’ loan moves permanent, while Ben Brereton-Diaz should add goals.
Goals will be a problem for Southampton this season given Adam Armstrong’s never scored more than two Premier League goals in a single season, and Brereton-Diaz has the potential to provide a threat upfront after scoring six times in 14 Premier League games on loan at Sheffield United last season.
There is hope Cameron Archer can blossom into a reliable Premier League striker, which is why the Saints paid Villa $29 million for his services, even if he’s scored more than 10 goals in a season once in his career.
At the very least, should Southampton fail to find the goals they’ll need to survive, their signings this window have a high enough ceiling to serve them well in the coming years.
Grade: C-
Ange bullish wins will come soon | 00:25
Tottenham Hotspur
Biggest signing: Dominic Solanke ($107m from Bournemouth)
Total spend: $234.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Oliver Skipp ($39 million to Leicester City)
Total income: $114.6 million (AUD)
12 months after Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich, Spurs have finally landed on their replacement for the England captain.
In Dominic Solanke, Ange Postecoglou has a striker moulded similarly to Kane as you can get on the market. A career-high 19 goal haul last season is the headline figure for the former Bournemouth man, but his link up play and ability to drag opponents out of position and bring teammates into play is among the best in Europe.
An early injury setback following a disappointing debut has soured the early weeks of Solanke’s time at Spurs but Postecoglou has made it no secret that he feels the 26-year-old will succeed at the club.
“He is a presence and scores different types of goals. I think the way we play suits him,” the Spurs coach said.
Elsewhere, the club brought in Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall in, all three of whom are fine young footballers with the potential to grow into exceptional players around which Spurs’ side can be constructed.
18-year-old Gray in particular marks a significant transfer coup, with the 2023-24 Championship Young Player of the Season already a fine holding midfielder, and capable right back, who was highly-rated by former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Last season, Gray led Leeds in tackles, was ranked third in tackles and won possession back more often than just about anyone at the club.
Away from new signings, Spurs were able to offload several high-wage, low performance players, namely Tanguy Nbombele, and find new homes for footballers who don’t suit Postecoglou’s style, such as Eric Dier, Emerson Royal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
For his part, the Australian described the club’s activity as a “real positive” but noted there were shortcomings with their activity.
“We know there’s still some areas where I look at squad management and we can improve. Again, it’s got to be the right person, the right player and right person,” Postecoglou said, before hinting at potential reinforcements joining the club in January.
One area the club are undoubtedly assessing depth options for is defence. Last season, Spurs’ campaign was derailed by injuries and suspensions to Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie.
At present, Spurs have just four centre backs on their books, with one of those being Ben Davies – who began his career at left back. Depth in this area is a must if Spurs are to blossom in the coming seasons, with a potential January defensive signing on the cards, one in a similar mould to Radu Dragusin.
Grade: B
Spurs record signing Dominic Solanke joined Spurs from Bournemouth during the summer window for $107 million. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
West Ham
Biggest signing: Max Kilman ($78.2 million from Wolves)
Total spend: $247.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Flynn Downes ($35.2 million to Southampton)
Total income: $81 million (AUD)
It’s almost impossible to ignore West Ham’s business and suggest the club aren’t the winners of this year’s summer transfer window.
And the fact they’re the winners is not because they’ve signed a lot of players (nine). If that were the case Chelsea would’ve won by many country miles.
No, it’s the type of players the Hammers have brought in. Good players, with a clear place in the squad, that add value to Julen Lopetegui’s side while coming at largely affordable prices.
Picking up Max Kilman from Wolves is such astute business; only three players made more clearances last season and only four won a higher percentage of their tackles.
He is one of several defence reinforcements joining the Hammers, alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who’s defensive excellence compensates for his offensive limitations, and Jean-Clair Todibo, who joins on a loan with an obligation to buy.
Given the two-time French international was on the radar of many clubs, including Manchester United, West Ham’s ability to sign him represents a significant transfer coup.
Last season’s Championship Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville bolsters an already stacked attack line. The Dutchman’s importance could grow depending on the outcome of an FA investigation into Lucas Paqueta’s potential betting breaches.
Spanish international Carlos Soler and Argentinian midfielder Guido Rodriguez provide depth to Lopetegui’s midfield too, especially with James Ward-Prowse’s loan to Forest.
West Ham’s smart signings have been counteracted with necessary outgoings, including Said Benrahma, Thilo Kehrer, Maxwel Cornet and Nayef Aguerd, all of whom had rather forgettable spells with the Hammers.
Grade: A+
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Biggest signing: Andre ($41 million from Fluminese)
Total spend: $120.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Pedro Neto ($104.6m to Chelsea)
Total income: $192 million (AUD)
Club captain, gone.
Best player, gone.
Fair to say, it hasn’t been the best window for Gary O’Neil’s Wolves. Max Kilman left for West Ham and Pedro Neto for Chelsea, significantly weakening the manager’s defensive and creative options.
“Those guys, we need to replace them,” O’Neil told Sky Sports. That they didn’t could prove damning for the club, even if they have faith in the in-house options they have to make up for their two big losses.
Andre, signed from Fluminese, shapes as smart business, with the ball-winning midfielder a wild success in his homeland. He adds to a strong midfield contingent at the club.
Tommy Doyle’s return is positive after he impressed on loan last season, with Jorgen Strand Larsen has already shown his immense presence up top.
Sam Johnstone is a fine goalkeeper, but is he better than Jose Sa? While question marks remain about the rest of the clubs’ signings, many of whom have high ceilings while lacking Premier League experience.
Speaking to Sky Sports, O’Neil indicated earlier in the window that the club needed to look at bringing in players capable of helping them win now.
“Recruitment has been asset-driven and we are hopeful that we can balance that slightly, to get some that are Premier League ready,” he said.
For the large part the club didn’t, and if their start to the season is anything to go by that strategy will do more short term harm than long-term good.
Another season has come and gone as Manchester City made history by becoming the first team to win four-straight Premier League titles.
In a campaign in which the most goals were scored in a season since the mid-1960s, Guardiola’s side pipped Arsenal to the post yet again to make it six league titles from the last seven.
It was significantly less successful for Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United as the promoted trio were sent straight back to the Championship in what was a 26-year first.
Sandwiched between City and Sheffield United were a host of teams who all defied, met or fell way below pre-season expectations.
Foxsports.com.au takes a look at how EVERY team went in our Premier League Report Card!
If ever there was a fitting song to describe Arsenal’s season, look no further than Linkin Park’s classic, In The End.
Mikel Arteta’s side really did try oh-so-hard and they got oh-so-far.
But in the end, it didn’t even matter because ultimately no-one remembers who came second.
However, to summarise Arsenal’s season by just a few lyrics is an immense disservice to the way they improved significantly on last year’s efforts.
Granted, the Gunners shelled out a whopping $AUD199 million to sign Declan Rice, but there was a reason Mikel Arteta was desperate to snap up the former West Ham skipper.
Same goes for Kai Havertz, who defied his famous chant and proved to his detractors the $113m Arsenal spent on him did not go down the drain with 13 league goals.
There’s a sense of what might’ve been had summer recruit Jurrien Timber not been injured and the impact he’d have had on Arsenal’s backline too.
It has been a tremendous season for Arsenal as they accrued more points, scored more goals and conceded fewer than they did in 2022/23.
However, a grim run in December in which the Gunners won three of seven league games coupled with a costly 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa in April is what ultimately derailed their title bid.
The loss to Villa will sting given Arsenal could and should have been out of sight in the first half, if not for some dreadful finishing.
Regardless, Arteta’s side will be better off for the experience from another title charge and one senses a first Premier League trophy since 2003/04 is not far off.
Grade: A
Atalanta pump Leverkusen in Europa final | 01:15
Aston Villa (4th, 68 pts, +15)
The sleeping giant is finally awake.
After 41 years, Aston Villa is back among Europe’s elite thanks to a top four finish, a predicament very few outside of those at Bodymoor Heath would have thought was achievable.
But under Unai Emery, Villa have transformed into a team that makes the impossible become possible.
What makes the Spaniard’s revolution even more impressive is he has not had to make significant surgery on the squad, with Youri Tielemans (free), Moussa Diaby ($98m) and Pau Torres ($59m) arriving in the summer.
Emery has instead drastically improved the players already at his disposal, including the likes of midfield duo Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz as well as fleet-footed winger Leon Bailey.
But the most notable example of Emery waving his magic wand on a player is with Ollie Watkins, who scored 19 goals and led the Premier League with 13 assists.
Emery has also had to overcome significant challenges in his first full season with Villa.
Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia, two starting players last season, suffered season-ending injuries before the season began while Kamara tore his ACL in February, exposing Villa’s lack of depth.
Throw in a run to the European Conference League semi-finals and it’s staggering how this squad held on for as long as they did in the race for a Champions League spot.
Yet this is a team who played Manchester City off the park in a 1-0 victory in December and did the double over Arsenal, showcasing just how freakishly good this team is when on song.
Next season will be an even bigger challenge but, as Emery and his merry band of Villa troops have proven, nothing can be out of the question.
Unai Emery has been arguably the manager of the season.Source: Getty Images
Bournemouth (12th, 48 pts, -13)
Stories of Andoni Iraola’s sacking were being written after Bournemouth’s 6-1 defeat to Manchester City in November, the club’s seventh loss in the first 11 games.
But the Cherries, who sat in the relegation zone and were among several pundits’ tips to go down despite a summer spend of $212 million, decided to stick with the Spaniard.
Boy, did it pay off.
The loss to City sparked a staggering run of six wins in Bournemouth’s next seven, including victories over Newcastle and Manchester United, as pressure eased off Iraola.
Key to this run was star striker Dominic Solanke, who went on to record his best goalscoring season in the Premier League with a final tally of 19.
Iraola’s intense high press was pivotal for Solanke and the Cherries’ goalscoring fortunes as a whole, failing to score in just three games from January onwards and even then, those games were against Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Defensive improvement will be required from Bournemouth if they are to rise higher on the ladder and go beyond the 48-point mark, the club’s highest total in the top flight.
But under Iraola, who recently signed a new deal to stay with Bournemouth until at least the end of the 2025/26 season and is a nominee for manager of the season, it feels like the Cherries are on the verge of something special.
Grade: B+
Dominic Solanke had a brilliant season in front of goal.Source: Getty Images
Brentford (16th, 39 pts, -9)
The big pre-season question on everyone’s minds when it came to Brentford was how they would fare without superstar striker Ivan Toney and his 20 league goals, at least until January.
The answer? Not very well.
Thomas Frank’s side sat as high as 9th in early November, but after a 3-2 win over West Ham, results took a nosedive.
The Bees won just three games and lost an alarming 14 across an 21-game stretch from November to mid-April.
It was hoped Toney’s return from a gambling ban would ease the burden on Brentford’s forwards and at first he did, scoring four goals in his first five games back.
But that was as good as it got for the star striker, with the Bees largely relying on Congolese winger Yoanne Wissa for goals.
Three wins in Brentford’s last six games ensured Frank’s troops would avoid being sucked into a relegation battle but the Dane knows a similar slump in form could be more costly next season.
Grade: D
Ivan Toney’s gambling ban had a huge impact on Brentford’s season.Source: Getty Images
Brighton (11th, 48 pts, -7)
A season that began with such so promise for the Seagulls ended with little more than a whimper.
With a Europa League campaign to contend with as well as the departures of Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez, enigmatic Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi had his work cut out for him.
But concerns about how De Zerbi would cope without the star trio were initially alleviated as the club won five of its first six games, including victories over Newcastle and Manchester United.
However, that winning feeling largely deserted Brighton for the remainder of the season as De Zerbi struggled to keep the side humming on multiple fronts, finishing with seven defeats from the final 12 league games.
There was also a lack of consistency between the sticks as summer recruit Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele battled to be the starting goalkeeper, the last position that needs constant chopping and changing.
In fairness, Brighton were dealt a horrible hand with injuries with the likes of Solly March, Julio Enciso, Kaoru Mitoma and Adam Webster among others missing large chunks of the season.
De Zerbi also cut a frustrated figure in the media and struggled to deal with constant speculation linking him to bigger clubs as Brighton ultimately elected to mutually split with the Italian.
Time will tell if a fully fresh Brighton can get back to the heights they initially scaled under De Zerbi.
Grade: C-
Fans were grateful for Roberto De Zerbi, but his Brighton time came to a poor end.Source: Getty Images
Burnley (19th, 24 pts, -37)
Fresh off a Championship season in which they finished first with 101 points and lost only three games, some predicted Vincent Kompany’s Burnley side to be one of the surprise packages of the season.
And in some ways, maybe they were a bit of a surprise. But only in how bad they were.
Kompany quickly learned his possession-heavy approach simply would not work in the Premier League as Burnley were time-and-time-again sliced open by their rivals.
Burnley won just a solitary game before December as points deductions to Everton and Nottingham Forest was all that kept them in with a shout of a miraculous survival effort.
The Clarets’ transfer dealings were also questionable as they failed to properly replace Nathan Tella and Ian Maatsen, who accounted for 32 goal involvements in the Championship.
Instead, Kompany elected to bring in several young faces into the team who had little to no Premier League experience and it backfired spectacularly.
Burnley will be one of the favourites for promotion next season and if they achieve that, Kompany — if he is still in the job — knows he cannot afford to make similar mistakes again.
Then again, there’s shock rumours that he might be heading off to Germany to take over Bayern Munich. Stranger things have happened.
Grade: F
Burnley’s season was a disaster, but their coach might be rewarded for the flop with a cushy new gig.Source: AFP
Chelsea (6th, 63 pts, +14)
Now, there’s two ways one can look at Chelsea’s season.
They finished with 19 more points than they did in 22/23 — the biggest improvement of any team — as Cole Palmer emerged as one of the brightest talents in the Premier League with 22 goals and 11 assists.
New boss Mauricio Pochettino also guided the team home to a sixth-place finish, bringing European football back to Stamford Bridge after a season without it.
Chelsea also made it to the League Cup final and the semi finals of the FA Cup.
Sounds decent, right?
Then you remember this is the same Chelsea who forked out $828 million on recruits in the summer — a Premier League record for a single window — and were well on track for a mid-table finish, if not for a five-game win streak to round out the season.
Sections of Blues fans called for Pochettino’s head, Nicolas Jackson had more yellow cards than goals for a brief period and the club suffered embarrassing defeats to Nottingham Forest, Wolves as well as a 5-0 thumping against Arsenal.
We’ve opted for the more optimistic approach because this is an awfully young Chelsea squad and although it took quite some time for them to hit their straps, they showed what they’re capable of in the final third of the season.
But how will they cope under yet another new manager next season?
Chelsea’s Argentinian head coach Mauricio Pochettino has been punted.Source: AFP
Crystal Palace (10th, 49 pts, -1)
Whisper it quietly, but Crystal Palace might actually be fun.
As the Eagles sleepwalked towards relegation under Roy Hodgson, the club wielded the axe on the 76-year-old and brought in former Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner on February 19.
What a masterstroke it proved to be.
Glasner, who took over at Selhurst Park with Palace sitting 15th but perilously close to the bottom three, immediately brought a sense of excitement back to the club.
He found a way to re-energise Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise who, when on song, are two of the most electrifying talents in the Premier League.
But most impressive was Glasner’s ability to unlock a whole new level in Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Prior to Glasner’s arrival, Mateta had scored just 10 goals from 79 league appearances for the Eagles.
But the Frenchman transformed into a completely different player once Glasner took over, scoring 14 goals in 14 games.
Glasner won seven and lost just three games from his 14 in charge, with a memorable run of six victories from the final seven fixtures of the season sparking the most immaculate of vibes among the Palace fanbase.
If Palace can keep a hold of Eze, Mateta and Olise in the summer, there’s no reason why this team can’t kick on next season.
Grade: B-
Palace turned into a thrilling attacking side, and there’s plenty of optimism for next season.Source: Getty Images
Everton (15th, 40 pts, -11)
If there was a Premier League equivalent to Rocky Balboa, it’s Everton.
You can knock them down as many times as you like and throw haymakers until kingdom come, but the Toffees just won’t go quietly into the night.
Everton were slapped with an initial ten-point deduction in November for breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), dropping them into the relegation zone.
Those ten points were reduced to six in February upon appeal, but a second PSR breach resulted in a further two-point deduction in April.
Oh, and don’t forget the messy takeover saga with 777 Partners which still looks no closer to being ratified amid concerns over the group’s finances.
Having flirted with relegation the previous two seasons, it was feared the initial deduction might have been a mountain too high to climb for Sean Dyche’s side.
A 13-game winless streak from late December to April exacerbated those fears even more, but Dyche is no stranger to a relegation fight and knows exactly what was needed to steer the team to safety.
Roared on by a rabid fanbase desperate to survive and stick the proverbial finger at the Premier League, Everton went on to win five of their last eight — including a 2-0 victory over arch rivals Liverpool — to secure safety.
One of the most impressive aspects about Everton this season is how strong their defending had been, with their tally of 51 goals conceded bettered only by Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.
If Dyche can find a way to get the Toffees firing up front and maintain that defensive steel, Everton should enjoy a relatively drama-free 24/25 season.
Grade: C
Five wins from their last eight games ensured Everton’s survival, but it was another messy season.Source: Getty Images
Fulham (13th, 47 pts, -6)
Some feared the worst for Fulham when talismanic striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and his 14 league goals departed for the vast riches on offer in Saudi Arabia.
Why? Well, Fulham’s next highest goalscorers behind Mitrovic were Willian and Carlos Vinicius with just five goals each.
Raul Jimenez joined in the summer but struggled to fill Mitrovic’s boots and had his campaign derailed by injury.
Even though Jimenez was billed as Mitrovic’s replacement, it turned out to be Brazilian forward Rodrigo Muniz who stepped up when the Cottagers needed a hero.
The Brazilian enjoyed a stunning run of form in February and March, scoring eight goals in as many matches to show he belongs at Premier League level.
Alex Iwobi also proved to be a shrewd summer recruit, driving Fulham up the field with slaloming runs and picking out intelligent passes.
Considering Mitrovic’s importance and the goals he brought, Marco Silva has done well to keep Fulham up with relative ease.
But will Cottagers fans accept another season of mid table mediocrity?
Grade: C-
The Klopp era has ended at Anfield.Source: Getty Images
Liverpool (3rd, 82 pts, +45)
It was going so, so well for Liverpool.
Even as late as April 4, Jurgen Klopp’s side sat on top of the Premier League.
But the Reds just simply ran out of steam, winning just three of their final eight games to slip away in the title race.
If anything, Liverpool’s late collapse mirrored Klopp’s reasoning for why he would depart the club at the end of the season, citing he was “running out of energy”.
Granted, Liverpool were dealt a brutal hand when it came to injuries, forcing a number of young stars to step up.
Liverpool’s defensive struggles were also on full display in the second half of the season, keeping just four clean sheets from December 26 onwards.
Unsurprisingly Mohamed Salah was the Reds’ main goalscoring threat but in somewhat alarming scenes, it was his lowest goalscoring return since joining Liverpool with a final tally of 18.
It was still a marked improvement on Liverpool’s 22/23 season in which they finished outside the Champions League places, but some may be wondering what could’ve been in Klopp’s last dance.
As the German rides off into the sunset, or the more fitting weather depiction in Liverpool of grey skies and rain, one must wonder if similar memories are on the horizon or if that’s as good as it may get for some time.
Grade: B+
Klopp’s PERFECT goodbye to Anfield crowd | 01:11
Luton Town (18th, 26 pts, -33)
Just about every fan of the other 19 Premier League teams had Luton Town circled as the one away day they wanted most this season.
Famed for its rather unique entrance for travelling fans in which they enter between townhouses, Luton’s Kenilworth Road is an old, tiny ground, but that’s where its charm lies.
However, it’s an away day that lasted just one season in the Premier League as Luton, unsurprisingly, were relegated.
The Hatters elected not to spend heavy in the summer, opting for sustainability should they end up being relegated rather than recklessly burning cash and needing to deal with an inflated wage bill in the Championship.
Although Luton showed they rarely had issues scoring — shut out in only five games this season — they conceded a whopping 82 goals, the second-most in the Premier League.
It was a valiant effort from Rob Edwards’ troops this season and a run of three wins and two draws from six games across the festive period gave Luton fans hope that maybe, just maybe they’d survive their debut Premier League campaign.
However, 12 losses in Luton’s 16 games sucked the life out of their survival efforts as the gulf in quality ultimately proved too large.
Grade: D-
EPL Wrap: City CHAMPIONS again! | 03:10
Manchester City (1st, 91 pts, +62)
Once again we’ve reached the end of the Premier League season and once again Manchester City are champions.
This year’s triumph made it a record fourth-straight league title for Pep Guardiola’s side, highlighting the vice-like grip they have on the Premier League trophy.
Although City had a few wobbles in the first half of the campaign, they did not lose a single match after a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on December 6.
City also had to cope without superstar playmaker Kevin de Bruyne for half of the season after suffering a hamstring injury in the opening match against Burnley while goalscoring freak Erling Haaland also spent time on the sidelines.
But Guardiola’s side found a way to overcome every challenge as English midfielder Phil Foden enjoyed his best season yet, scoring 19 goals and delivering eight assists in the Premier League.
Yes, City have 115 charges of breaching the PSR rules hanging over their head, leaving many to view their accomplishments with a big asterisk.
Yet until any punishment comes from that, we can only marvel at this unprecedented dominance from the best manager and one of the best teams in world football at the moment.
Grade: A
City players URGE fans to hold off | 01:21
Manchester United (8th, 60 pts, -1)
It was a season of unwanted records for Manchester United.
A lowest-ever Premier League finish. Their most losses in a league season. The most goals they’d conceded in a single Premier League season.
In fact, the Red Devils conceded more shots (668) than the infamous Derby County side of 2007/08 did (630). Yes, that Derby side that won just one game all season.
They’re not entirely exiled from European football just yet, as a win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final would secure a berth in the Europa League.
But that is not a reward Erik ten Hag’s side deserve one bit.
Marcus Rashford and Casemiro looked a complete shadow of the forces they were last season while a disjointed backline caused chaos, with Leicester City discard Jonny Evans drafted in to save the day.
The emergence of teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was undoubtedly the brightest spot of Manchester United’s season while Alejandro Garnacho continues to impress.
But the less said about this United season, the better.
Grade: C-
Rashford LEFT OUT of Euro squad | 01:17
Newcastle (7th, 60 pts, +23)
If you tuned in to a Newcastle game this season, you were, quite literally, guaranteed goals.
A team that scored four or more goals in a single match on ten occasions, the Magpies ended the season with a whopping tally of 85 goals scored.
Alexander Isak enjoyed a stunning season in which he scored 20 goals from 28 league appearances, while Anthony Gordon made himself undroppable with his impressive displays.
But at the other end of the field, the club took a major step backwards.
Having conceded just 33 goals last season, Eddie Howe’s side shipped 62 goals.
However, the team was decimated by injuries this season, with an alarming 258 games missed by players due to injury.
There’s also the small sideshow of Sandro Tonali, who was the club’s marquee summer signing but copped a 10-month ban for breaching Italian betting regulations.
Newcastle also had to contend with a Champions League campaign, which tested the club’s depth levels.
Although Newcastle suffered some patchy runs of form throughout the season, Howe deserves plenty of plaudits for guiding the Magpies to Europe once again, even if it is the Europa Conference League and dependent on Manchester City winning the FA Cup.
Grade: B
Alexander Isak had one hell of a season.Source: Getty Images
Nottingham Forest (17th, 32 pts, -18)
Nottingham Forest must be incredibly grateful for how badly the three promoted teams struggled this season, otherwise they would have been in serious strife.
After yet another big summer window, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis had high expectations of Steve Cooper and his squad but they simply weren’t met in the first half of the season.
A 2-0 loss to Tottenham brought an end to the well-liked Cooper’s time at the City Ground as Marinakis brought in former Wolves boss Nuno Esperito Santo.
The Portuguese manager didn’t exactly transform the clubs fortunes but he did enough to ensure Forest stayed up, even though the club copped a four-point deduction for PSR breaches.
The brightest spot of Nottingham’s was the emergence of Brazilian defender Murillo, who joined in the summer from Corinthians, as the club faces a fight to keep him next season.
Although Forest’s on-field performance may have been lacking, they were box office entertainment off it.
An eagle-eyed fan spotted Marinakis’ accreditation nestled in the bushes of someone’s front garden in Fulham, presumably hurled in frustration having seen Forest lose 5-0.
Then there were the accusations Stuart Atwell, the VAR operator for Forest’s 2-0 loss to Everton, was a Luton Town fan after the team had a number of penalty shouts turned down.
A less chaotic campaign both on and off the field surely isn’t too much for Forest fans to ask for, right?
Grade: D
Murillo deservedly won the club’s Player of the Year for a brilliant season, but he could be out the door with bigger clubs circling.Source: Getty Images
Sheffield United (20th, 16 pts, -69)
If there’s one small comfort Sheffield United fans can take from this season, it’s that they weren’t worse than the 2007/07 Derby County side.
However, the Blades’ tally of 104 goals conceded is 15 more than Derby shipped, so it’s still rather grim.
In fact, Sheffield United lost a game by five or more goals a staggering seven times.
Regardless, Sheffield United will want to forget this season ever happened.
Practically doomed from the start with a squad weaker than what it was in the Championship, the sales of Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye made the Blades an easy choice to come last.
The club’s summer recruits also didn’t exactly inspire much confidence either given they were largely young players who had never played in the Premier League.
Paul Heckingbottom got sacked after a 5-0 loss to Burnley, leading to Chris Wilder making a surprise return to Bramall Lane.
But not even Wilder, who worked miracles when he got the Blades promoted in 2019, could muster any magic as Sheffield United trudged towards their inevitable fate.
Grade: Expelled
The Blades were truly atrocious this campaign.Source: Getty Images
Tottenham (5th, 66 pts, +13)
Not many would have given Ange Postecoglou a chance of overseeing an improved season from Tottenham Hotspur.
Throw in the exit of superstar striker Harry Kane and many feared the worst for the Aussie boss.
Instead, Postecoglou rolled up his sleeves, spent wisely in the transfer market and had his players quickly adapting to his all-action, high intensity style of play.
The Aussie brought an excitement factor to a team that had been devoid of any joy on the field for some time, even overseeing a ten-match unbeaten run which had Tottenham on top of the ladder.
However, injuries soon exposed Tottenham’s alarming lack of depth and it sparked a mid-season wobble as Postecoglou attempted to right the ship.
Although ambitions of a top four spot fell away with a horror run of five defeats in the final seven games, this season shouldn’t be viewed as anything but a success.
After all, it’s typically during the second season when Postecoglou really shines with his team.
Grade: A-
Ange Postecoglou entertained Spurs fans with a thrilling season … but there should be more to come.Source: Getty Images
West Ham United (9th, 52 pts, -14)
Grade: B-
After a difficult 2022-23 league campaign saw them manage just 40 points and a 14th-placed finish (partly down to focusing on the Europa Conference League, which they won), this year was another slog – even if they bounced back up the Premier League ladder.
It was always going to be hard this season after losing superstar skipper Declan Rice to Arsenal for £100 million plus bonuses.
In truth, they never really managed to mitigate that loss. Defensively, they were very poor: the third-most xG against, the third-most shots on target against, and a whopping 74 goals conceded. They clearly missed Rice’s defensive protection.
On the other hand, there were strong signs up front. For a team without a genuine striker, Jarrod Bowen banged in 20 goals in all competitions, their most by any player since 2004-05.
Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus were excellent, the latter becoming one of the breakout stars of the season and almost guaranteed to move to a bigger club in the off-season.
Manager David Moyes has turned West Ham into a solid, reliable unit in his last four-and-a-half years. A ninth-placed finish that sees a manager leave, and yet the fans are happy to see him go? It’s proof of how far he’s taken the Hammers.
Yet after a handful of gruelling seasons with European commitments placing an additional drain on players, his preference for a small squad proved his downfall.
Moyes started just 20 different players in the league, and made the fewest substitutions of any manager.
In the end, his team just ran out of legs – and their small squad means incoming manager Julen Lopetegui has a big transfer window ahead of him.
There were great moments for the Hammers, but another hectic schedule took its toll.Source: Getty Images
Wolves (14th, 46 pts, -15)
Grade: C+
Speaking of Lopetegui, remember when he left Wolves less than a week before the start of the season?
The Spanish manager had guided Wolves from a relegation scrap to a 13th-place finish in the space of seven months before walking out the door over a lack of spending on the squad.
Wolves were forced to sell a host of players to meet financial fair play rules and were widely predicted to be relegated.
In short, they were an absolute shambles. No wonder Lopetegui wanted out.
Wolves were left with a ridiculously thin squad, which injuries exposed – especially when they won just one of their last 10 games.
But they nevertheless achieved the most important things: they avoided a financial fair play punishment and balanced the books, ensured safety from relegation two months before the end of the season, and Gary O’Neil got the most out of just about every player at his disposal.
Just ignore their dire collapse in the last two months, and things seem a little bit more rosy.
Manchester United were finally bit in the backside as an alarming trend continued as Arsenal continue to plunder in goals.
Elsewhere, a once-maligned winger is leading Aston Villa’s charge to the Champions League while the fight for survival is all but over for two teams courtesy of the Premier League’s newest manager.
Foxsports.com.au takes a look at the weekend that was in the latest edition of Premier League Talking Points!
RED DEVILS ‘FOUND OUT’ AS ALARMING TREND FINALLY BITES
Prior to Manchester United’s clash against Fulham, they’d gone unbeaten in five Premier League matches with four wins in that time.
Those victories had rocketed the Red Devils right back into the conversation for Champions League football and were only five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.
But look below the surface and even though United were winning, they had been getting away with defensive murder.
In the first game of the unbeaten run, a 2-2 draw at home against Tottenham, United conceded 16 shots.
United escaped with a 4-3 victory against Wolves despite the latter enjoying 16 shots and followed it up with a 3-0 win over West Ham who had 22 shots.
Despite conceding 23 shots, Erik ten Hag’s side beat Aston Villa 2-1 and allowed Luton to have 22 shots in a 2-1 win for the Red Devils.
Against Fulham, the trend continued as the Cottagers enjoyed 17 shots but they did what the other teams failed to do, as Alex Iwobi’s 97th-minute strike condemned United to a 2-1 defeat.
Manchester United have conceded a staggering amount of shots for a prolonged period of time. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Looking back on United’s run, it’s perhaps a minor miracle they were unbeaten in five despite conceding a minimum of 16 shots in every match.
It’s why former England international Paul Merson believed the run had been “covering over the cracks” as the Fulham defeat finally exposed United’s luck.
“They have all been ‘Pollyfilla’ results in the last five or six weeks,” Merson told Sky Sports.
“They have just been covering over the cracks.
“They scored with the last kick of the game against Wolves. It was snatch and grab at Aston Villa. They weren’t better than Villa that day. They beat West Ham 3-0 but that was never a 3-0 football match.
“They were covering over the cracks and they got found out again today.”
With a trip to cross-town rivals Manchester City up next, Ten Hag and his troops can ill afford to allow so many shots to a team blessed with one of the most formidable attacks in world football.
If they can’t tighten up, it could get very, very ugly.
The Red Devils’ winning streak was snapped by Fulham. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
GUNNER’S NINE-YEAR FIRST UNDERLINES RUTHLESS STREAK
When Arsenal wobbled over the festive period with a draw against Liverpool and subsequent defeats against West Ham and Fulham, it left some thinking the Gunners would slip out of the title race.
Well, six wins in a row was as perfect a response Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could have demanded from his players.
But it’s not just the wins that have been most impressive. It’s how dominant Arsenal have been.
The theme of utterly pulverising their rivals continued for the Gunners as Newcastle became the latest victims of a rampant attacking unit in a 4-1 win for Arteta’s side.
Those four goals took Arsenal’s tally to 25 scored in their last six — an average of 4.2 goals per game — showcasing the team’s ruthless streak intent on burying every chance they get.
Arsenal have been scoring goals for fun lately. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But it has been matched by a steeliness at the back, with just three goals conceded in those six games.
One figure central to the goalfest has been superstar winger Bukayo Saka.
The England international’s goal against Newcastle meant he’d scored in five consecutive games, the first Arsenal player to do so since Olivier Giroud back in 2015.
To further illustrate the 22-year-old’s remarkable run of form, his seven goals since the turn of the year is the most of anyone in the Premier League.
Up next for the Gunners is a trip to Sheffield United, a team that has conceded an average of three goals per match in their last five games.
With Saka and the rest of Arsenal’s forwards in blistering form, Blades fans would be forgiven if they are accused of taking part in a fire drill before half time at Bramall Lane.
Bukayo Saka has scored in five consecutive games for the Gunners. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
STAR’S STUNNING 12-MONTH TURNAROUND BEHIND DARK HORSE’S CL PUSH
A lot can happen in the space of 12 months.
Just ask Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey, who joined the Birmingham-based club for $57 million in 2021.
In January last year, the Jamaican winger was in a flood of tears and had to be picked up off the ground by his teammates after missing an open goal in a 1-1 draw against Wolves at Villa Park.
But in Villa’s 4-2 win over Nottingham Forest, Bailey was one of the home side’s best.
In fact, Bailey has been in superb form for quite some time and was deservedly rewarded with an upgraded contract until 2027.
His performance against Forest underlined yet another reason why he earned a new deal, scoring Villa’s fourth and providing the sweetest of assists for Ollie Watkins to kickstart the goal fest.
Bailey breezed past Forest left back Moussa Niakhate with an intelligent run on the right wing before collecting the ball where he subsequently nutmegged two defenders and squared it across goal for an easy tap-in for Watkins.
Leon Bailey (left) scored and assisted during Villa’s 4-2 win over Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
A deeper look at the numbers behind Bailey’s resurgence paints a picture of why he’s become so dangerous.
Per Opta, Bailey has the second-highest expected assists (xA) figure this season with 0.31, behind only Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku.
That puts Bailey ahead of the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cole Palmer, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Bruno Fernandes.
Yet what makes it even more remarkable is that group of five players have played a minimum of 1577 minutes this season, with Fernandes even clocking 2160 minutes.
As for Bailey, he’s played only 1169, meaning he is making significant impacts in a shortened period of time.
With the end of the 23/24 Premier League season just months away, Bailey’s brilliance will be pivotal as Villa chases a Champions League spot.
Bailey is in the form of his life at Aston Villa. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)Source: AFP
DREADED RETURN NEARS FOR STRUGGLING DUO AS NEW BOSS OFFERS NEEDED BREATH OF FRESH AIR
With every passing game, Burnley and Sheffield United trudge closer and closer to an instant return to the Championship.
Both teams racked up their 19th defeats of the season over the weekend, with a 10-man Burnley going down 3-0 to Crystal Palace while Sheffield United fought amongst themselves in a 1-0 loss to Wolves.
The pair are stuck on 13 points each, eight adrift from safety, as Burnley remain ahead only on goal difference.
It’s hard to see any reality in which one of the two somehow survive and if they do, Vincent Kompany (Burnley) or Chris Wilder (Sheffield United) would be fully deserving of the manager of the year award.
One team who has managed to pull away from the gravitational pull of the relegation fight is Palace, as new boss Oliver Glasner began his Selhurst Park reign in style.
Kitted out in a Canada Goose jacket and a pair of white Nike TN’s, Glasner oversaw a comfortable win in which they restricted Burnley to just two shots the entire game.
Granted, the Eagles took until the 68th minute to break the deadlock — 33 minutes after Burnley were reduced to ten men — but from there the goals flowed.
Of course, there should be cautious optimism at Palace given it was a win over Burnley, the team with the second-highest number of goals conceded.
But, crucially, it is a platform with which Glasner and his new team can build from.
The win pushed Palace up to 13th and onto 28 points, eight points away from the relegation zone.
It certainly seems like the magical 40-point mark for safety won’t be needed this season and with a home double against Luton and Newcastle coming up, Palace might be able to secure survival within the coming games.
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.
The battle for Premier League survival is the main event of Sunday’s (Monday AEST) final day of the season as Everton, Leicester and Leeds face a nerve-racking scrap to avoid relegation.
The two clubs who join already-relegated Southampton in the second tier will be pushed to the financial precipice, with sports business experts Deloitte estimating that a season of Premier League football is worth up to £170 million ($210 million).
Everton can ill-afford that hit with the Toffees already seeking external investment just to be able to complete the club’s new stadium.
They are the one side in full control of their own fate as victory at home to Bournemouth will extend their stay in the top flight to 70 years.
However, Sean Dyche’s men have won just once in 10 games and will be without talismanic striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to offer Leicester and Leeds hope.
“We want the players to focus on the game,” said Dyche on Friday. “It’s not as easy as it sounds but that’s the idea: focus on what’s going on the pitch and don’t worry about all the noise.
“Don’t worry about all the rumours, don’t worry about anything that’s going on off the pitch.”
PREMIER LEAGUE RELEGATION ZONE (Entering final day).
17. Everton (33 pts, -24)
18. Leicester City (31 pts, -18)
19. Leeds United (31 pts, -27)
20. Southampton (24 pts, -37)
Everton, Leicester and Leeds are fighting to stay up.Source: FOX SPORTS
If fourth bottom Everton fail to win, third bottom Leicester can survive by beating West Ham at home thanks to their superior goal difference.
Seven years ago, the Foxes were celebrating the most unlikely of title triumphs. That kicked off a glorious era as they finished fifth in back-to-back seasons in 2019/20 and 2020/21 and won the FA Cup for the first time just two years ago under Brendan Rodgers.
Many believed a squad boasting the talents of James Maddison, Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes was too good to go down.
But the fairytale has turned into a nightmare this season as Rodgers bemoaned a lack of investment to refresh the squad before he was sacked in April.
Dean Smith has been unable to mastermind a turnaround in fortunes with just one win in his seven games in charge.
“We have to win the game and not look at the Everton result until after the game,” said Smith. “We have to do our job and see where it takes us.”
Second bottom Leeds need a miracle to avoid the end of their three-season stay in the top-flight.
Victory over Tottenham at Elland Road will only be enough for Leeds boss Sam Allardyce to pull off another great escape if Everton lose and Leicester fail to win.
Should Everton manage even a draw, Leeds will need to beat Tottenham by three goals to surpass them on goal difference.
“I just hope that we’re talking on a very positive nature on Monday morning and I have a hangover!” Allardyce said on the possibility he could remain at the club beyond his caretaker role till the end of the season.
Tottenham’s result could have a bearing on the only other issue yet to be resolved – qualification for next season’s Europa Conference League.
PREMIER LEAGUE RACE FOR EUROPE (Entering final day)
7. Aston Villa (58 pts, +4)
8. Tottenham (57 pts, +4)
9. Brentford (56 pts, +11)
Aston Villa are in pole position and will secure a return to Europe for the first time in 13 years with victory over Brighton.
Tottenham can sneak into seventh place should they better Villa’s result. But if neither side win then Brentford could qualify for Europe for the first time in their history with a shock win over champions Manchester City in west London.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle are already assured of joining City in next season’s Champions League.
Liverpool and Brighton will be in the Europa League.
FIXTURES
All Sunday 3:30PM GMT/Monday 1:30AM AEST
Arsenal v Wolves, Aston Villa v Brighton, Brentford v Man City, Chelsea v Newcastle, Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest, Everton v Bournemouth, Leeds v Tottenham, Leicester v West Ham, Man Utd v Fulham, Southampton v Liverpool
Follow the final day of the Premier League season in our live blog below!
Despite the “horrible” and “tense” nature of a relegation battle, Socceroos great Robbie Slater believes players relish the fight for survival because “the games mean so much.”
The battle to avoid the drop in the Premier League is the closest it has been in years, with last-placed Southampton still a mathematical chance of surviving even with four games to go.
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It’s even tighter just a few spots higher in the ladder with 15th-placed West Ham United only four points clear of Nottingham Forest in 18th.
Speaking on the Fox Football Podcast, Slater knows exactly what’s going through the minds of every player and manager at the clubs fighting for their lives.
After all, the 58-year-old was involved in a relegation scrap himself during his first season at Southampton in the 1996/97 Premier League campaign.
The Saints were stuck in the bottom three with seven games to go and Slater recalled watching Match Of The Day during a pre-match lunch with his teammates where Mark Lawrenson declared Southampton “were done.”
Slater said Lawrenson’s gibe “fired us up” as Southampton would go on to win four of their last seven to secure safety.
Leeds United are one of several clubs locked in the fight for survival this season. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
However, it didn’t take away from the negative emotions all players feel in a relegation fight.
“I’ve been in a relegation fight,” Slater said.
“It is horrible. It is so bad. It’s so tense. It means so much. It’s how each player and the manager deal with it.”
Slater also noted the atmosphere at the training ground is also “horrible”, yet you somehow manage to “enjoy it” because of how close people in the pursuit of a common goal: safety.
It’s also down to importance of each game during the run-in to the end of the season and the sheer satisfaction a win can bring not just to the players and staff, but the passionate fanbase too.
“It’s games you want to play in,” Slater said.
“I always remember Southampton’s second season, the year after the relegation battle (in 1996/97 season).
“Dave Jones took over, we were mid-table and I remember Southampton fans coming up … ‘I kind of preferred last year, it was so exciting, this year it’s boring.’
“A relegation fight is fantastic if you survive. But as a player, the games mean so much.
“When you’re mid-table and there’s five, six games to go and you can’t get relegated or you can’t win the league, it’s not that you don’t (care), you’re just not as motivated.”
Leeds have sacked manager Javi Gracia and appointed Sam Allardyce for the rest of the season as they bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Having already removed director of football Victor Orta, the club announced the departure of Spaniard Gracia on Wednesday along with his backroom staff.
Gracia, who only arrived at Leeds in February, leaves the club after four defeats in five Premier League games — they are outside the drop zone on goal difference with four games remaining.
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“Leeds can confirm Javi Gracia will leave the club after 12 games in charge,” a club statement said. “Zigor Aranalde, Mikel Antia and Juan Solla, who joined alongside Gracia, will also leave the club.
“We thank Javi and his team for their efforts under difficult circumstances.
“The remaining four games of the season will be overseen by experienced head coach Sam Allardyce.”
Allardyce suffered his first Premier League relegation when West Brom went down in 2021, leaving the club six months into an 18-month contract.
The 68-year-old former Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham and England boss becomes Leeds’ third permanent manager of the season after Jesse Marsch and Gracia.
