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[Editor’s note: This article comes from the 2025-26 Athlon Sports Premier League Preview magazine. , or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]
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A Premier League marketing campaign brimming with shock however not a lot suspense belonged to a vibrant Liverpool aspect that outpaced expectations as a few of its sternest rivals tumbled to agonizing lows. First-year supervisor Arne Slot had the Reds, with Mohamed Salah reigning at one finish and Virgil van Dijk on the different, atop the desk for all however eight days from late September en path to their twentieth top-tier English title. That equaled Manchester United’s document haul and produced an epic after which tragic Merseyside celebration.
Liverpool’s raucous fan base, denied festivities by COVID when the membership final gained the championship 5 years in the past, produced precise temblors—1.74 on the Richter scale, technically an earthquake— as its heroes secured the trophy in a late-April rout over Tottenham Hotspur. A whole lot of 1000’s gathered a month later for the victory parade, a fête muted when a minivan plowed by way of the group on Water Avenue, injuring dozens however fortunately taking no lives.
Liverpool got here in stacked however one thing of an uncertainty following iconic supervisor Jürgen Klopp’s abrupt retirement, however there was little opposition alongside its path. The Reds started pulling away in November, led by 16 factors in March, and by 15 as soon as the maths failed Arsenal, its closest pursuer as soon as the calendar turned to 2025.
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Nearly as memorable for various causes have been the travails of Manchester Metropolis, anticipated to win a fifth straight league title and seventh in eight years beneath Pep Guardiola. A robust begin hit disastrous straits after Rodri, the EPL’s most significant midfielder, went down with an early-season ACL tear. There was no main trophy for the primary time in eight seasons. Europe didn’t go properly, and neither did the FA Cup remaining, a shock defeat to Crystal Palace, of all golf equipment. Guardiola summed all of it up as “actually poor,” an inexpensive evaluation of what it seemed like. But, Metropolis nonetheless completed third within the desk and, on the season’s remaining day, claimed its 14th successive UEFA Champions League berth. Actually poor is relative.
Simply ask hated archrival Manchester United. The Pink Devils, in meandering decline since Sir Alex Ferguson closed his profession a dozen years in the past and recently current in its crosstown foes’ shadow, stumbled to fifteenth place of their worst marketing campaign since a mid-Nineteen Seventies relegation. Then they failed their probability to rejoin the Champions League, shedding within the remaining sport of the Europa League. In that sport, Man U misplaced to Tottenham, who plopped a candy cherry atop their very own trash heap of a league season with the win.
The wrestle of those giants exemplified a shift in EPL dynamics, a part of a middle-class incursion among the many “Massive Six” which have dominated the league for not less than a era. United completed fifteenth, Spurs seventeenth, and a taut battle properly above them for European berths livened issues up earlier than most went to the same old powers. That chase, with Champions League assignments for the highest 5, equipped the first drama after the battles on the prime. With Leicester Metropolis, Ipswich City, and Southampton making rapid returns to the second-tier Championship, the underside of the desk had been just about determined by winter’s finish.
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One other engaging storyline from ’24–25 adopted shocking Nottingham Forest’s bid to return to the world’s most prestigious membership competitors for the primary time in practically a half-century. The Champions League was inside Forest’s grasp from mid-December into Could earlier than slipping away within the remaining weeks. It was, as a substitute, Newcastle United sliding in amongst Arsenal, runner-up three years working, and late-charging Chelsea to affix Liverpool, Man Metropolis, and Spurs within the Champions League this coming season.
Aston Villa settled for a berth within the Europa League after a refereeing gaffe helped deprive it an even bigger stage. And Forest, falling to seventh, headed to the Convention League, the least of Europe’s cups.
Overlooked was stirring, generally baffling Brighton & Hove Albion, its sophisticated path to a Convention slot disappearing with archrival Palace’s FA Cup crown and Chelsea’s last-day win at Forest.
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With the EPL trophy settled into its case and berths in Europe lined up, let’s make a journey by way of all 20 tales from final season.
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool lifts the Premier League trophy, because the Reds are topped Premier League champions following the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield on Could 25, 2025.
Salah’s Liverpool Magic
Liverpool was the one constantly excellent aspect within the competitors, a marvel of modern assault and lockdown protection behind Salah (who gained each home honor obtainable to him), van Dijk (presumably the perfect middle again anyplace for the time being), and an outstanding midfield contingent. The Reds spent 212 of the season’s 283 days on prime, by no means trailed after Nov. 2, clinched the title with 4 video games to go, and may need eclipsed the top-tier margin-of-victory document had they not coasted to the end.
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Slot, whose zen-like demeanor contrasts tremendously with charismatic former chief Jürgen Klopp’s emotional depth, constructed upon his predecessor’s basis. His Reds performed a sport extra measured than Klopp’s relentless “heavy metallic” soccer, one constructed on possession, commanding tempo—midfield engine Alexis Mac Allister the chief determine in that—and the power to strike at any time in any method. They beat foes in myriad methods, going 26 league video games with out defeat from mid-September into April.
Salah, positioned wider on the suitable than beneath Klopp, was the centerpiece. The 32-year-old Egyptian magician gained the EPL’s Golden Boot (29 targets) and Playmaker (18 assists) honors—the second time he’s accomplished so; no one else has ever gained each the identical yr—en path to his second Participant of the Season award. His totals in all video games: 34 targets, 23 assists.
Left winger Luis Díaz and striker Cody Gakpo mixed for an additional 23, and Actual Madrid-bound proper again Trent Alexander-Arnold ably ran the flank as Liverpool considerably led the league in probabilities created, or anticipated targets (83.49 xG) and completed (86). Van Dijk’s partnership within the center with Ibrahima Konaté in entrance of Alisson Becker had a lot to do with a league-best 14 clear sheets and simply 41 targets conceded, superior to everybody however Arsenal.
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Among the many different perennial powerhouses, Arsenal and Chelsea did sufficient to remain close to the highest with out inspiring, and Manchester Metropolis’s entire turned out higher than its components.
It’s been 21 years for the reason that Gunners, at season’s begin Man Metropolis’s likeliest challenger, final gained the Premier League—they’ve completed second or third 9 instances since—and no matter hopes they possessed this time have been washed away by countless accidents. There have been 36 in all, fourth-worst within the EPL, with 98 video games misplaced throughout 4 competitions amongst pivotal attackers Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Martin Ødegaard, and defensive leaders Gabriel Magalhães and Ben White.
Martin Odegaard of Arsenal is challenged by Lesley Ugochukwu of Southampton through the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Arsenal FC at St. Mary’s Stadium on Could 25, 2025.
The influence was felt in all places. Arsenal created fewer probabilities, scored fewer targets, conceded extra of each, and surrendered 21 factors from successful positions. And but they spent greater than half the marketing campaign in second place and clinched their third successive Champions League spot with a sport to go. Additionally they reached the 2025 Champions League remaining 4, falling to PSG.
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Chelsea, fielding the youngest beginning XI in EPL historical past (24 years, 36 days on common), got here by way of on the shut beneath first-year supervisor Enzo Maresca, successful 5 of its final six matches to safe its Champions League return after two years away. The Blues then completed with a Convention League triumph, their first trophy for the reason that 2021 FIFA Membership World Cup triumph.
Chelsea have been prime seven many of the method, spent a lot of December trailing solely Liverpool, then wanted to win the finale at Forest to make the highest 5 after a two-month post-Christmas skid. Cole Palmer was a formidable star, scoring 15 targets (however only one after mid-January), after netting 22 the earlier season after which engineering the second-half comeback in opposition to Spain’s Actual Betis within the Convention remaining.
Man Metropolis did all proper, wanting on the numbers, even choosing up a trophy (and in opposition to United, no much less) within the FA Neighborhood Defend season kickoff. Metropolis have been the perfect group within the league the ultimate three months, completed with a 10-game unbeaten streak and nearly caught Arsenal, however extra wasn’t doable after a horrific stretch by way of many of the autumn. When Liverpool clinched, Guardiola lamented being “a thousand million factors behind” the champs.
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Dropping Rodri, who was on crutches when he accepted the 2024 Ballon d’Or in October, was devastating—he’s the fulcrum round which all revolves. That was adopted by month-and-longer accidents to Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Rúben Dias, Ederson, and others. Phil Foden, the 2023–24 Premier League Participant of the Season, and Jack Grealish took severe dips in kind, and there was drama off the sector, too, with phrase that captain/legend De Bruyne can be departing, and never by alternative.
Issues began going unsuitable in early November, then snowballed. 9 video games, only one win, and little of the celebrated aptitude. Critics pounced. Metropolis was “robotic.” Guardiola’s short-passing method was “boring.” Not everybody agreed, and it received higher, if to not normal.
Haaland missed six weeks however nonetheless scored 22 league targets and netted one other eight within the membership’s earliest Champions League exit in a dozen years. Winter switch Omar Marmoush introduced stability to the assault, and Josko Gvardiol’s transfer subsequent to Dias on the again led to 10 clear sheets within the membership’s final 14 matches. Most golf equipment would have been thrilled with Metropolis’s season; most Metropolis followers weren’t.
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Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United operates through the UEFA Europa League Last 2025 between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at San Mames Stadium on Could 21 in Bilbao, Spain.
United, Spurs Tumble
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have been atrocious, however not less than Spurs received one thing out of it. Supervisor Ange Postecoglou bragged about how “I at all times win issues in my second yr,” after which did so, main a fierce run by way of the Europa League—beating Man United on the end—to say the membership’s first trophy in 17 years and its first European prize for the reason that 1984 UEFA Cup. It wasn’t sufficient to avoid wasting the passionate Australian’s job, nevertheless.
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Spurs misplaced 22 EPL video games, claimed simply 19 factors in 26 video games after November and 21 at house all season, and may need confronted relegation if the underside three hadn’t been so terrible. Key personnel have been misplaced to damage with out satisfactory depth, and by January, the nonleague video games mattered most. A Carabao Cup run reached the semifinals, together with a win over Liverpool within the first leg, and 7 Europa wins paid large dividends. Prime scorer Brennan Johnson (5 of his 18 targets coming in Europa League play) netted the lone (thus successful) objective within the title sport.
That consequence saved United out of Europe for the primary time in 11 years, which wasn’t as painful because the EPL debacle. The Pink Devils began slowly, jettisoned Erik ten Hag earlier than October was up, then introduced in Ruben Amorim from Portugal’s Sporting CP and fared worse. They dropped 9 house video games—probably the most at Previous Trafford since 1962-63—posted a shedding document for the primary time in 35 years, and managed simply 44 targets, playmaker Bruno Fernandes scoring or aiding 18 of them. A rebuild is so as, and bringing in Wolves super-striker Matheus Cunha is an effective begin.
Newcastle United, however, figured to be within the battle after ending fourth and seventh the earlier two seasons beneath Eddie Howe, and the Magpies didn’t disappoint. They gained their first trophy, the Carabao Cup, in 70 years and certified for the UCL for the second time in three seasons. Star ahead Alexander Isak watched his worth rise to £120 million-plus ($162 million) as he netted 23 league targets, second to Salah. A six-game, midseason successful streak vaulted Newcastle from twelfth to fifth and a five-game spree pushed them to 3rd in mid-April. They held for fifth as Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa fell on the ultimate day.
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Forest’s good marketing campaign led to disappointment. The membership that twice survived relegation fights after returning to the EPL in 2022 after 23 years in decrease divisions greater than doubled their factors behind a 30-goal-differential turnaround, leaping 10 spots from seventeenth. Main the best way was 20-goal scorer Chris Wooden, rising playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, and a strong protection backed by the masterful keeper Matz Sels. However managing solely two wins within the remaining eight video games price them dearly.
Forest’s fall benefited Aston Villa, which topped 60 factors and completed within the first seven for the third straight yr beneath Unai Emery, made an FA Cup final-four run, and secured Champions League wins over PSG and Bayern Munich whereas reaching the quarterfinals. The Villans, feasting on Youri Tielemans’ two-way midfield work, Morgan Rogers’ playmaking abilities and Ollie Watkins’ field experience, have been terrific at house—unbeaten at Villa Park after a second-week defeat to Arsenal—and have been the league’s greatest aspect from mid-February. It should have produced one other Champions League slate, with a minimal £15.7 million ($20 million) payoff, and would have with a victory within the finale at Manchester United. A blown and unreviewable name price Villa a 1-0 lead within the 72nd minute, and it fell aside after that.
Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak shoots at objective through the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St. James’ Park on Could 11, 2025, at Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Crystal Palace joins Villa within the Europa League after a historic season beneath Oliver Glasner. The membership’s FA Cup triumph—the membership’s first main trophy since kicking off in 1905—was the massive story of the season. They raced by way of their FA slate with 5 clear sheets in six victories, routing Fulham and Aston Villa to succeed in the title sport. Eberechi Eze tallied in each of these clashes, then volleyed house the lone objective in a controversial 1-0 overcome Manchester Metropolis at Wembley. The hero in that one: goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who might have been despatched off after 23 minutes, then saved a penalty, and was confronted by Guardiola about time-wasting whereas celebrating on the finish. “You bought your 10 minutes [of stoppage],” he retorted.
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Nearly as spectacular because the Cup run was Forest’s strong common season, a 12-10-5 league run from November 23, with simply two defeats throughout 17 matches from Christmas to mid-April and an eight-match unbeaten run on the finish. Eze completed with 14 targets and 11 assists, and Jean-Philippe Mateta had 14.
Brighton & Hove Albion simply missed out on Europe with an eighth-place end, shedding a Convention League slot with archrival Palace’s FA Cup triumph after which when a convoluted set of outcomes didn’t fall its method on the season’s remaining day. It was a superb if inconsistent marketing campaign, the Seagulls’ second top-eight, 60-plus-point exhibiting in three seasons. Kaoru Mitoma, João Pedro, and 34-year-old Danny Welbeck mixed for 30 targets. However it was a season that finally disillusioned, largely in response to the worst damage state of affairs within the EPL. Fourteen gamers missed a month or longer, presumably aggravated by new supervisor Fabian Hürzeler’s exceedingly intense method to coaching and video games. An eight-game winless stretch from late November into January didn’t assist, and neither did house attracts with the three relegated sides and lowly Wolves.
Bournemouth, too, flirted with Europe, an 11-match unbeaten run fueling a three-month residence among the many prime seven and igniting goals of Champions League glory, 4 years forward of American proprietor Invoice Foley’s long-term plan. The Cherries couldn’t stick with it, not on the tempo Spanish supervisor Andoni Iraola’s intense excessive press calls for, they usually fatigued as winter waned. They might handle solely three wins of their final 13 video games.
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The hopes of Brentford lasted a bit longer, mathematically till the ultimate day, behind a direct and infrequently thrilling assault that hit the web extra typically than everybody besides Liverpool, Man Metropolis, Arsenal, and Newcastle. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled the strings as Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo, and Kevin Schade mixed for 50 targets, and the Bees completed robust, doubling their win and level totals within the final 4 months. A second top-half end in three years was very satisfying.
Fulham has discovered mid-table stability beneath Portuguese supervisor Marco Silva, and practically extra: They have been combating for a top-eight spot into Could. Mexican ahead Raúl Jiménez scored a dozen targets and England-born American left again Antonee Robinson assisted on 10—a complete bested solely by Salah, Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy, and Forest’s Anthony Elanga—whereas evolving into one of many EPL’s most interesting fullbacks.
Everton closed a storied period in Could, taking the sector at iconic Goodison Park for the two,791st and remaining time since 1892. Modernity has arrived with the magnificent Hill Dickinson Stadium on the banks of the Mersey, and none too quickly. The brand new house offers the Toffees with financial alternatives which have handicapped them for not less than a era. Formidable American funding agency the Friedkin Group’s December takeover presents extra promise. David Moyes’ return in January after 12 years away made issues work on the sector: They have been 8-7-4 the latter half of the season, rising to thirteenth.
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Issues weren’t so swell for West Ham United, which entered the marketing campaign with excessive expectations as Julen Lopetegui, former Spain/Actual Madrid boss late of Wolverhampton, took the reins from Moyes. He lasted 22 video games. The Hammers turned stingier beneath alternative Graham Potter however discovered no higher success, and residential kind suffered—its 20 factors there have been worst in membership EPL historical past. Good issues did come once more from Jarrod Bowen, who had 21 objective contributions in his first marketing campaign as captain.
Leicester Metropolis’s Jamie Vardy celebrates after scoring his aspect’s first objective through the Premier League match at King Energy Stadium on Could 18, 2025.
Wolves spent the primary half of the yr with relegation lurking, greater than a month on the backside of the desk, however completed robust after Vitor Pereira relieved Gary O’Neil and instantly succeeded. They’d 16 factors on the finish of January and 41 three months later after a six-win run. Midfielder André was the important thing, however the consideration went to Cunha, who had 15 targets earlier than leaving for Man United.
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The underside three—Leicester Metropolis, Ipswich City, and Southampton—completed far behind. Two-win Southampton narrowly prevented the worst factors whole in EPL historical past, incomes some extent on the ultimate day to keep away from that ignominy. Its 30 losses did set a document, although. For this season, welcome Leeds United (again after two years) and Burnley (after one), plus playoff winner Sunderland, final right here in 2017.
Leicester Metropolis suffered its second EPL relegation since its unimaginable 2015–16 championship and bid farewell to hero Jamie Vardy, possibly their biggest determine. He scored his 2 hundredth membership objective in his five hundredth and remaining look.
Farewell to 2024–25, too. Let the chase of Liverpool start.
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Scott French has been protecting soccer within the U.S. for the reason that Nineteen Seventies, from the NASL to the complete historical past of MLS, plus six World Cups.
This story was initially reported by on Jul 30, 2025, the place it first appeared.