The Italian would succeed with flying colours, upstaging his much-feted colleagues as the Blues led for the majority of the season. They were pushed most of the way by Tottenham, under the increasingly wily guidance of Mauricio Pochettino and boasting a hugely exciting young group of players. At the other end of the table, almost every team who at any stage was in danger of going down responded by changing managers in mid-stream, apart from the team who finished bottom of the pile - although they will be under new management when they begin life in the Championship in August.
With the season now complete, how did the 20 Premier League clubs measure up over the last nine months?
 |
| Photo credit: PA |
CHELSEA
Antonio Conte was working with more or less the same squad as the one which finished 10th last season, but the addition of N'Golo Kante proved pivotal. The Italian was not an overnight success, with a September hammering at Arsenal prompting a change in formation to 3-4-3 and the surprise introduction of Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso to his first choice line-up. It was a tactical shift which worked wonders as the Blues won 13 on the bounce to open up an emphatic lead and, with no European football on their schedule, they were free to focus entirely on the Premier League. Defeats in April to Crystal Palace and Man Utd allowed Tottenham to close within four points, but Conte kept his cool and Chelsea closed the season out strongly, clinching the title in typically professional fashion by netting a late winner at West Brom. Eden Hazard and Diego Costa were back to their best, Kante was outstanding, Gary Cahill was a rock at the back, Moses and Alonso were unexpected successes and David Luiz has matured significantly since his last spell at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were superb in all areas of the pitch and were indisputably the best team in the 2016/17 Premier League, even if they missed out on the Double.
High point: The win at West Brom which secured their fifth Premier League title
Low point: Their 3-0 hammering away to Arsenal in September
Pre-season prediction: 2nd
Season rating: 9.5/10
TOTTENHAM
Tottenham had a lot to prove going into this season after their title charge of 2015/16 imploded in the closing weeks. Their early season form wasn't entirely convincing, but from December onwards, Mauricio Pochettino's vibrant young side caught fire. Harry Kane had yet another prolific campaign to confirm his status as a genuinely top-class striker, while Dele Alli is that rare breed of skilful English player with plenty of substance also. Christian Eriksen was excellent and Eric Dier is becoming a highly dependable midfielder. They racked up some massive wins in their pursuit of Chelsea at the summit and it was only the unrelenting pace set by the Blues which saw Spurs fall short. They did not lose once at White Hart Lane in its final season and, unlike a year ago, they closed out the campaign positively to achieve their highest-ever Premier League finish. The only disappointment was their form in Europe, where they exited both competitions at the first hurdle.
High point: The 2-0 win over Arsenal which ensured that Spurs would at last finish above their hated rivals
Low point: The Wembley defeat to Monaco which confirmed Champions League group stage elimination
Pre-season prediction: 5th
Season rating: 9/10
MANCHESTER CITY
After winning their first six league games of the season and playing with a Barcelona-style swagger, some pundits thought Pep Guardiola would lead Man City to the title at a canter in his first season in England. Then some poor results in October upset their rhythm and while they were magnificent going forward, their defence let them down time and again. The excellence of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Leroy Sane was offset by the failings of John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi, Gael Clichy and especially Claudio Bravo, the goalkeeper who was no improvement on an iffy Joe Hart. Their Champions League tie with Monaco, which saw them eliminated in the last 16, neatly summed up their Jekyll and Hyde nature, City coming out the wrong side of the away goals rule on a 6-6 aggregate scoreline. They at least finished the season strongly to secure third place and avoid the play-off round to get into next year's Champions League, but with no trophy to show for the campaign and no title challenge of which to speak, it hasn't been the welcome to English football that Guardiola would have liked or expected.
High point: Victory at Old Trafford in Guardiola's first Manchester derby in September
Low point: The abysmal 4-0 reverse at Everton in January
Pre-season prediction: 3rd
Season rating: 6.5/10
LIVERPOOL
For the first three months of the season, Liverpool played some scintillating football which blew several teams away and it looked as if Jurgen Klopp was creating something special at Anfield, but a succession of injuries over the winter blunted their rapier thrust and meant that their all too familiar defensive limitations were laid bare by teams from the lower reaches of the table. A woeful run of form in the first two months of 2017 saw a prospective title challenge turn into an uphill battle just to secure the top four finish that was their target at the outset of the season. Bizarrely, the Reds did not lose any of their 14 games against other teams in the top eight, doing doubles on Arsenal and Everton plus winning at Chelsea, but dropped points at home to Swansea, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and West Ham prevented them from a title tilt. The pressure was massively on to stay in the top four as the final weeks of the season approached, and to their credit, Liverpool toughed it out to give themselves a shot at Champions League football if they can get through the play-offs. Mission accomplished for Klopp, even if there was a sense of lost opportunity given their shortcomings against lower half teams.
High point: The performance in the 6-1 win over Watford was sumptuous.
Low point: The performance in the 3-1 defeat at Leicester, who were then 17th, was downright appalling.
Pre-season prediction: 6th
Season rating: 7.5/10
 |
| Photo credit: @emiratesfacup on Instagram |
ARSENAL
Arsenal overcame some poor early results to hit their stride over the first few months of the season, not least when they played Chelsea off the park at the Emirates in September. Alexis Sanchez was a contender for player of the season up to the halfway point and some dared to ask if the Gunners could go the distance this time around. They looked ropey during January but sneaked a succession of decisive late goals in jittery performances, before the familiar February failings saw their season unravel. Four away league defeats in succession over the spring left them with a mountain to climb to get into the top four, while they were made to look like a pub team by Bayern Munich in both games of their Champions League tie. A 3-0 hammering at Crystal Palace in April turned the mood toxic and not even victory in seven of their last eight league matches proved sufficient to get them back into fourth place. The calls for Arsene Wenger to go are louder than ever, although those could be muffled by a timely and well-deserved victory in the FA Cup final over Double-chasing Chelsea.
High point: Winning the FA Cup
Low point: Their abject obliteration by Bayern Munich at the Emirates.
Pre-season prediction: 4th
Season rating: 5/10
MANCHESTER UTD
Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice would say. That's the only way I could neatly summarise Manchester United's season, one in which they won fewer than half of their league games, drew 11 times at Old Trafford, played unimaginative football, suffered a succession of injuries...and yet went 25 league matches unbeaten, won two major trophies and booked their place in next season's Champions League. After winning their first three league matches, United tripped up in a host of games over the autumn to leave them playing catch-up just to get into the top four, never mind push for the title. It was a state of affairs which pushed Jose Mourinho to increasing levels of crankiness, and even when going more than six months without losing in the league, they couldn't crack the top four and were left depending on Europa League triumph to get them back into the UEFA competition that they really want. To their credit, the Red Devils survived the Europa League endurance test and came good in the final against a meek Ajax outfit, while they also lifted the EFL Cup after a fortuitous victory over Southampton. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David de Gea excelled, Paul Pogba produced it in flashes while Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard matured into vital first team players. It was a peculiar season with frustration and elation in equal measure.
High point: Winning the Europa League
Low point: The 4-0 thumping by Chelsea in October
Pre-season prediction: 1st
Season rating: 7/10
EVERTON
Everton were expecting to push for a European place under Ronald Koeman after two dismal mid-table seasons with Roberto Martinez at the helm. They secured 13 points from their first five games to lie second a month into the campaign, but then won just twice in their next 12 matches as they slid back towards the middle of the pack. They hit a decent run of form again over the first three months of 2017 and kept alive flickering hopes of breaking into the top six before a tame finish saw them settle for seventh, which at least was an improvement on the last two years. The 25 league goals of Romelu Lukaku were instrumental in the Toffees' push for Europe, which thanks to cup competition winners proved sufficient to sneak into the Europa League qualifiers. Ashley Williams proved a more than capable replacement for John Stones, although Ross Barkley was inconsistent and nobody else came close to the standard that Lukaku set. All told, it was a satisfactory campaign for Everton, the Premier League's 'best of the rest' behind a distinct top six.
High point: Their 4-0 demolition of Man City in January
Low point: Crashing 5-0 at Chelsea in November
Pre-season prediction: 7th
Season rating: 6.5/10
SOUTHAMPTON
Southampton were never likely to repeat last seaon's sixth-place finish, but despite only dropping two positions in the final reckoning, this was perhaps their most disappointing season since returning to the Premier League in 2012. After their last three managers achieved God-like status at St Mary's (until flocking elsewhere), Claude Puel failed to win over the Saints support, his dour nature and tepid football proving unpopular. They let slip a glorious chance to get out of the group stage in the Europa League, bottling it in their final game at home to a beatable Hapoel Be'er Sheva, and their league form left so much to be desired that their eventual position of eighth seems a bit misleading. They struggled for goals, with Shane Long off colour, Manolo Gabbiadini struggling after his January bounce and Charlie Austin missing half the season through injury. At least they had a run to the EFL Cup final, which they could easily have won if a fair goal for Gabbiadini was not ruled offside. Still, the disappointment of that day at Wembley was replicated too often throughout the season for Southampton.
High point: Winning at Anfield to book their passage to the EFL Cup final
Low point: Their 5-0 mauling at home to Arsenal in the FA Cup
Pre-season prediction: 11th
Season rating: 5/10
 |
| Photo credit: Sky Sports |
BOURNEMOUTH
Bournemouth were among plenty of pundits' pre-season tips to go down and a poor start did little to disprove those ominous forecasts. Their fortunes turned around after a 6-1 demolition of Hull in October and despite fluctuating results, they remained relatively comfortable in mid-table while bigger-spending clubs were thick in the survival battle. A poor run of form between February and mid-April threatened to suck them into a relegation scrap, but they rallied superbly in their last five games to finish the season in ninth, the highest ever finish in the club's history. To have done that while never parking the bus is a testament to the outstanding management of Eddie Howe, who supplemented a loyal squad with high-profile additions and got the blend spot on. Although Jordon Ibe and Jack Wilshere were disappointments, Joshua King was magnificent in the second half of the season, his goals helping the Cherries to that historic ninth-place finish. Long-serving stalwarts like Steve Cook, Charlie Daniels and Harry Arter also excelled in a campaign that left Bournemouth fans exceedingly happy going into the summer.
High point: The 6-1 annihilation of Hull
Low point: Defeat at home to Sunderland
Pre-season prediction: 13th
Season rating: 8.5/10
WEST BROM
I feared for West Brom at the start of the season and just two wins in their first 10 league matches left them in the bottom five. They then rattled off four wins out of six to climb into the top seven, with Salomon Rondon in splendid form, Ben Foster outstanding in goal and defenders Craig Dawson and Gareth McAuley plundering a few goals from set pieces. The Tony Pulis formula is not one for the purists, but it's one that enables a team like the Baggies to comfortably operate in mid-table. Indeed, they were stable in eighth place for most of the second half of the season, but having got to the psychological 40-point mark by the end of February, West Brom picked up only five more in their final 12 league games to slip back to 10th. It left an anti-climactic feeling to what had been an excellent season, but overall the Baggies can be quite happy with their lot - as can Pulis, who in his ninth Premier League season has finally ended it in the top half.
High point: The 3-1 win over Arsenal felt quite sweet
Low point: The 4-0 home thrashing by Man City which saw them dip to 16th
Pre-season prediction: 18th
Season rating: 6.5/10
WEST HAM
After a tremendous 2015/16, a move to the London Stadium and a shot at Europa League qualification, the season began amid much optimism for West Ham, but their continental exploits ended early and the transition to their new home proved difficult. Indeed, the Hammers won just three of their first 17 league games and their many summer signings flopped dismally. It certainly didn't help matters that star man Dimitri Payet so openly wanted out of east London, a wish he was granted in January when Slaven Bilic had managed to revive his team's fortunes to take them into the top half. Andy Carroll was excellent whenever he played, his season curtailed by multiple injuries, while Michail Antonio proved to be a surprisingly regular source of goals. Just as they looked comfortable, though, a wretched run of springtime results dragged them dangerously close to the drop zone, but in the end they had enough done earlier in the season to avoid a nervy finish to the campaign. Still, after finishing seventh last time around and promising so much back in August, 2016/17 proved to be a letdown for West Ham.
High point: Beating Tottenham to essentially end their title hopes
Low point: Their 5-0 home defeat by Man City in the FA Cup third round
Pre-season prediction: 8th
Season rating: 4.5/10
LEICESTER
It was generally accepted that the champions would not come close to retaining their title, but not too many had expected Leicester to struggle as badly as they did in the early weeks of the season. It quickly became clear that N'Golo Kante was the one member of their league-winning squad that would be most missed, while the likes of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, Wes Morgan and Robert Huth lacked the hunger that they possessed in spades last season. Nor did it help that summer signings Ahmed Musa and Bartosz Kaputska did not work out as hoped, and when they were hovering just above the drop zone after the midway stage, the focus became trying to stay in the league they won only months previously. Claudio Ranieri was disgracefully jettisoned in February, with Craig Shakespeare taking the reins to the end of the season. It didn't seem coincidental that the Foxes looked far more energetic after Ranieri's dismissal and before long they were back into the mid-table comfort that they had been expected to occupy. Their debut Champions League campaign was a huge success, topping their group and reaching the quarter-finals, but their shameful lack of effort in the first six months of the season left a sour taste and undid a lot of the goodwill that they had earned only a year ago.
High point: Beating Sevilla to reach the Champions League quarter-finals
Low point: The impotent display in the 2-0 loss at Swansea which saw them briefly drop into the bottom three
Pre-season prediction: 9th
Season rating: 5/10
 |
| Photo credit: Reuters |
STOKE
Stoke fans had become bored of consistent ninth-place finishes, but that seemed a dream scenario two months into the season when they were winless and second from bottom. Mark Hughes looked set to be the first manager to lose his job in 2016/17, but they improved in the weeks leading up to Christmas to climb back to the lower top half reaches where they are usually found. Their form soared and dipped for most of the season as they meandered around mid-table and their inconsistency was frustrating for the club's supporters. They won only two of their last 10 games as their campaign fizzled out, but they were never in any danger of plummeting into a relegation battle. Still, they have become easy to play against, a far cry from Stoke teams under Tony Pulis, and they needed a lot more from the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Marko Arnautovic and Wilfried Bony. It must be said, though, that losing Jack Butland to injury for almost the entire season was hugely unfortunate.
High point: Not a rich selection; the 3-1 win over Swansea on Halloween was probably their best display of a dreary campaign
Low point: The 4-1 hammering at Crystal Palace which left them rooted to the bottom with one point from their first five matches
Pre-season prediction: 10th
Season rating: 4/10
CRYSTAL PALACE
Crystal Palace had assembled an impressive squad over the off-season, not least the £32 million addition of Christian Benteke, and they began well before a horrendous run of six straight defeats from the start of October saw them nosedive into relegation trouble and Alan Pardew was given the sack shortly before Christmas. In came firefighter extraordinaire Sam Allardyce, himself in need of a pick-me-up after his abortive England managerial stint, and things didn't get any better too soon under the ex-Bolton and West Ham boss. Indeed, a shocking 4-0 home defeat by Sunderland in February suggested that the Eagles were doomed to disaster, but five wins from six took them out of trouble and they enjoyed a magnificent April, beating Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. They didn't secure survival until the penultimate weekend of the season when they hammered Hull to send them down instead. It was an uneasy campaign around Selhurst Park, with more of Palace's points collected on the road than in south London. They are on the lookout for yet another new manager after Allardyce stood down from the post, having fulfilled his initial brief of keeping the Eagles in the top flight.
High point: The 2-1 win away to Chelsea
Low point: The 4-0 home defeat by Sunderland, with all four goals coming before half-time
Pre-season prediction: 12th
Season rating: 4.5/10
SWANSEA
After some excellent seasons in the Premier League, expectations were a lot lower in south Wales as their sixth consecutive top flight campaign got underway. A poor start to the season saw them hovering just outside the relegation places when Francesco Guidolin was sacked and eyebrows were raised when former USA and Egypt coach Bob Bradley was hired as his replacement. It was a move that just didn't work out for the American, who failed to get the most out of his squad and he was dismissed at the turn of the year with Swansea rock bottom of the table. The next appointment had to be clever, and Paul Clement was a gamble well worth taking. A shock win at Liverpool in January proved the turning point as they eased out of the bottom three, but a poor run in March and April saw them clinging on to 17th place. As Hull faltered, though, the Swans ended the season with four wins from five to end up in 15th. Put simply, they would not have finished there were it not for the magnificent Gylfi Sigurdsson, who looks set for a big-money move in the summer. He will be missed, but at least Clement can be trusted to bring in an adequate replacement.
High point: Their first ever win at Anfield
Low point: The 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth which left them bottom going into 2017
Pre-season prediction: 16th
Season rating: 5/10
BURNLEY
Burnley had fought gallantly in their two previous Premier League seasons before their limited squad succumbed to the drop, but Sean Dyche made some very astute signings like Jeff Hendrick and Steven Defour to add to the squad that won the Championship last season. Their home form was always likely to be crucial if they were to stay up and they turned Turf Moor into a fortress, an early win over Liverpool setting the tone. It was just as well that they were so hard to beat at home because they collected just one away win all season and that wasn't until the end of April. It was a testament to how excellently Dyche has done that the Clarets never looked likely to be relegated once the midpoint of the season came about. Their last six results weren't too good, but by then the hard work was done and Burnley made a mockery of those who felt that they hadn't a hope of staying up. They were well organised and honest, while also posing a genuine goal threat in Andre Gray and Sam Vokes. Pound for pound, they were arguably the best performers in the Premier League this season.
High point: The 2-0 win over Liverpool at Turf Moor
Low point: The 4-0 thumping at West Brom in November
Pre-season prediction: 19th
Season rating: 8.5/10
 |
| Photo credit: Danny Lawson |
WATFORD
Once tough early games against Chelsea and Arsenal were out of the way, Watford then embarked on an impressive run of form to climb to the unfamiliar heights of seventh. Wins over Man Utd, Leicester and Everton were highlights as Walter Mazzarri guided his team, which was expected to struggle, to just outside the European places in mid-December. A run of seven without a win saw them drop back to lower mid-table, but with Troy Deeney in reliable scoring form and Nordin Amrabat and Isaac Success impressing, they were well clear of relegation trouble by Easter. That was just as well, because the Hornets then lost their last five matches to fall to 17th by season's end. They would have taken that at the outset of the campaign, but after beginning so serenely, it looked disappointing in the final reckoning and Mazzarri never won over the Vicarage Road faithful. It came as no surprise that he was relieved of his duties in the closing week of the season, but the appointment of Marco Silva bodes well for next term.
High point: The 3-1 defeat of Man Utd in September
Low point: The 5-0 home surrender against Man City on the final day of the season
Pre-season prediction: 17th
Season rating: 4/10
HULL
Having been unable to name a full squad of 18 players and rushing Mike Phelan into temporary charge ahead of their season opener against champions Leicester, Hull looked on a hiding to nothing, but a shock win got them up and running and instilled some early confidence before reality set in and the Tigers tumbled into the drop zone before the end of October. Phelan was sacked midway through the season with Hull bottom of the league and in his place came Marco Silva, who had led Olympiakos to Greek league titles in recent campaigns. A 2-0 win over Liverpool in February hinted at a possible escape from trouble and some excellent home results under Silva looked like they would be enough to see them survive. Then, with three games left, they crashed at home to Sunderland, their self-belief evaporated and they raised the white flag in a must-win game at Crystal Palace, a 4-0 defeat confirming their immediate relegation. It was a fate that would have been sealed a lot earlier were it not for Silva, who joined Watford within six days of the season concluding. Ultimately, the acquisitions of Lazar Markovic, Alfred N'Diaye, Andrea Ranocchia and many more didn't have enough quality to keep Hull in the Premier League. The contributions of Harry Maguire and Sam Clucas deserve plenty of positive recognition, though.
High point: Beating Liverpool 2-0 at the KCOM Stadium, their third successive win in that fixture
Low point: The unacceptable surrender at Crystal Palace which sealed their doom
Pre-season prediction: 20th
Season rating: 3/10
MIDDLESBROUGH
Middlesbrough looked the most likely of the three promoted teams to stay up as the season started and they begun well, an early win at Sunderland laying down a marker. Their defence was among the best of the lower half teams, but they were too often toothless in attack, even with Alvaro Negredo leading the line. They hovered steadily above the bottom five at the season's midway point, but their 3-0 win over Swansea a week before Christmas would prove to be their last in the Premier League. Fans grew weary of Aitor Karanka's reluctance to commit players forward and he did not take kindly to their criticism, an impasse that, combined with a downturn in results, prompted his sacking in March. Confidence evaporated from Boro, whose lack of quality was shown up, and even under Steve Agnew they were unable to throw off the shackles of Karanka's reign. Their relegation had the air of a shark-jumping sitcom finally being cancelled and put out of its misery. It rankled that Middlesbrough failed to really give it a go in their vain attempt to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
High point: Beating Sunderland in the Tees-Wear derby
Low point: The 4-0 hammering at Bournemouth which effectively killed off their survival hopes
Pre-season prediction: 15th
Season rating: 2.5/10
SUNDERLAND
David Moyes was handed the responsibility of keeping Sunderland out of the relegation dogfight that had become an annual slog, but a horrendous start that saw them collect just two points from their first 10 matches and left them with a real mountain to climb. A last-gasp win at Bournemouth in November triggered a mini revival but they won only two games after Christmas. Only for the goals of Jermaine Defoe and the superb goalkeeeping of Jordan Pickford, the Black Cats would have struggled to break their lowest Premier League points tally of 15. Defensively they were abject and they generally lacked desire and commitment, so there was no sign of the late-season escapes that had become familiar. Sunderland deserved to finish bottom of the league and Moyes resigned a day after the season ended. For a finish, their long-suffering supporters couldn't wait for this wretched campaign to draw to a close.
High point: The 4-0 hammering of Crystal Palace in early February
Low point: The home defeat to Bournemouth which confirmed the end of their 10-year stay in the Premier League
Pre-season prediction: 14th
Season rating: 1/10
Goal of the season: Plenty of worthy contenders, but I'll go for Olivier Giroud's scorpion kick against Crystal Palace
Game of the season: Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace
Manager of the season: Hard to look past Antonio Conte, but hat tips to Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche also
Player of the season: N'Golo Kante
Young player of the season: Dele Alli
Team of the season (3-4-3): Jordan Pickford - Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, Toby Alderweireld - Gylfi Sigurdsson, N'Golo Kante, Dele Alli, Eden Hazard - Sadio Mane, Harry Kane, Alexis Sanchez
Honourable mentions: Tom Heaton, David Luiz, Eric Dier, Victor Moses, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Christian Eriksen, Leroy Sane, Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Diego Costa, Romelu Lukaku
Flops XI (4-3-3): Claudio Bravo - Havard Nordtveit, John Stones, Papy Djilobodji, Andrea Ranocchia - Viktor Fischer, Granit Xhaka, Mesut Ozil - Wilfried Bony, Saido Berahino, Simone Zaza
Season best bits:
- Liverpool's four-goal blitz at the Emirates
- Cristian Stuani's goal for Middlesbrough against Sunderland
- Adam Lallana's piledriver against Leicester
- Jordan Henderson's screamer against Chelsea
- Arsenal's first half display in the win over Chelsea
- Tottenham's superb performance in their win over Man City
- Bournemouth's attacking masterclass against Hull
- Jose Holebas' rocket against Middlesbrough
- Liverpool toying with Watford and going top of the league in the process
- The madness of Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace
- Eden Hazard back to his best
- N'Golo Kante doing what N'Golo Kante does
- Watford 3-2 Everton, a surprise contender for game of the season
- Jeff Hendrick's cracking winner against Bournemouth
- Sadio Mane's stoppage time winner at Goodison Park
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan's scorpion kick goal against Sunderland
- Olivier Giroud's scorpion kick goal against Crystal Palace
- Tottenham's tour de force in the win over Chelsea
- Andy Carroll's scarcely believable volley against Crystal Palace
- Eden Hazard's outstanding solo effort against Arsenal
- Robbie Brady's free kick against Chelsea
- Watford 3-4 Southampton
- The breathtaking second half of Man City 1-1 Liverpool
- Roberto Firmino's volley against Stoke
- Emre Can's stunner against Watford
- Antonio Conte's passion
- The unheralded Michy Batshuayi scoring Chelsea's title-clinching goal
- Liverpool's composed performances at West Ham and at home to Middlesbrough
- The widespread show of support for terminally ill Bradley Lowery
Season worst bits:
- Jose Mourinho's constant whingeing (especially after the draw with West Brom)
- Claudio Bravo contriving to be worse than Joe Hart
- Sunderland's lack of commitment
- Bob Bradley being pilloried by the media from day one, even if later results justified his removal as Swansea manager
- Middlesbrough's lack of cutting edge and enterprise
- Sergio Aguero's lunge on David Luiz
- Liverpool's collapse at Bournemouth
- Loris Karius' feeble attempt at stopping Dimitri Payet's free kick
- Middlesbrough bottling it in the last five minutes at Old Trafford
- Pep Guardiola's petulant 'interview' after Man City's home win over Burnley
- Bournemouth blowing a 3-0 lead against Arsenal
- Liverpool during January and February
- Leicester's lack of effort and thinly-veiled intent to get Claudio Ranieri sacked
- Shane Long's complete loss of form
- The nasty spat between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Tyrone Mings
- The Wenger Out plane banner
- Arsenal's complete surrender at Crystal Palace
- Chelsea bowing down to Man Utd at Old Trafford
- Alexis Sanchez's play-acting against Leicester
- Harry Arter's horrific lunge on Joe Allen
- Hull's woeful display at Crystal Palace when they essentially needed a win to stay up
- Watford not trying a leg against Man City on the final day
- The cringeworthy 26th-minute substitution of John Terry against Sunderland
0 Yorumlar