Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years, sealing the title with victory at Crystal Palace. At the other end of the table, Tottenham avoided relegation while West Ham dropped to the Championship alongside Burnley and Wolves. Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool qualified for the Champions League, with Bournemouth and Sunderland reaching the Europa League and Brighton securing a spot in the Conference League.
Our panel of experts have chosen their standout performers of the season. Declan Rice and Bruno Fernandes shared the vote for best player, with Miguel Delaney, Richard Jolly, Kieran Jackson and Will Castle all selecting Rice for his leadership and consistency, while Lawrence Ostlere and Castle also highlighted Fernandes for his creativity and resilience at Manchester United. Rice was praised for pushing Arsenal through immense pressure, while Fernandes was lauded for his assist record and influence under Michael Carrick.
Manager of the year saw Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery and Regis Le Bris receive plaudits. Arteta was chosen by Delaney and Castle for ending Arsenal's 22-year title drought and navigating a fierce challenge from Manchester City. Emery, selected by Jolly, led Aston Villa to Champions League qualification and their first trophy in 30 years. Le Bris, picked by Ostlere, guided Sunderland to a top-half finish and Europa League qualification, their first European football in over 50 years.
Best moment of the season divided opinions. Delaney cited the VAR review of Callum Wilson's goal as a moment of exquisite tension that summed up the season. Jolly pointed to Mohamed Salah's remarkable interview at Leeds, while Ostlere highlighted Declan Rice's defiant 'It's not over' comment after Arsenal's defeat to Manchester City, which proved prophetic as Arsenal went on to win the title.
