The 2025/26 Premier League season delivered drama from top to bottom, with Arsenal reclaiming the title, Manchester City entering a new era following Pep Guardiola’s retirement, Manchester United returning to the Champions League places, and West Ham suffering the shock of relegation.

There is still silverware to be decided too. Arsenal have a Champions League final against PSG to come, while Crystal Palace will contest the Conference League final after an outstanding European campaign.

Aston Villa also added major silverware to their season by winning the Europa League, capping another hugely successful year under Unai Emery.

At the other end, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and West Ham were relegated, while Sunderland produced one of the stories of the season by finishing seventh after promotion only a year earlier.

Next season will welcome Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City to the Premier League.

Arsenal Finally End the Wait

Arsenal finished champions with 85 points, seven clear of Manchester City, after producing the league’s most balanced side across the full campaign.

They combined the division’s best defensive record — just 27 goals conceded — with enough attacking quality to consistently break down opponents in tight matches. Mikel Arteta’s side also handled pressure far better than their title rivals during the run-in, ending the season with five consecutive victories.

Declan Rice and Gabriel again formed the backbone of the team, while Bukayo Saka remained decisive in big moments. Viktor Gyökeres also added a new dimension to the attack after arriving in the summer.

Yet Arsenal’s season is still not over. They now head into a Champions League final against PSG with the chance to complete a historic double.

The End of the Guardiola Era at Manchester City

Manchester City finished second on 78 points, but the season will largely be remembered as the end of Pep Guardiola’s extraordinary reign.

After years of dominance, Guardiola has now retired from management at City and will be replaced by Enzo Maresca ahead of 2026/27.

City still scored more goals than anyone else in the league with 77, but defensive inconsistency and too many dropped points against mid-table sides cost them in the title race. Their form across the final weeks perfectly summed up the campaign: moments of brilliance mixed with unusual vulnerability.

Erling Haaland still delivered elite numbers, while several younger players emerged strongly during the season, but ultimately Arsenal looked more stable and complete.

The Maresca era now begins with the challenge of restoring City to the top.

Manchester United’s Revival

Manchester United returned to the Champions League places with a third-place finish on 71 points, producing their best league campaign in years.

Part of that resurgence was undoubtedly helped by having no European football this season, allowing United to focus fully on domestic matches while rivals dealt with rotation and fixture congestion.

Old Trafford again became a difficult venue for visiting teams, and Bruno Fernandes enjoyed one of the greatest individual creative seasons in Premier League history. Fernandes recorded 21 assists, breaking the all-time single-season Premier League record previously shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne on 20.

United still showed defensive weaknesses at times, but there was finally a sense of direction and consistency returning to the club.

Aston Villa Add European Glory

Aston Villa secured fourth place and Champions League qualification while also winning the Europa League, making this arguably the greatest modern season in the club’s history.

Unai Emery’s side were efficient throughout the campaign, regularly taking points from teams below them while remaining competitive against the division’s elite.

Ollie Watkins again led the attack superbly, while Morgan Rogers continued his rise into one of the league’s most dangerous midfielders.

The combination of Champions League qualification and a Europa League trophy marks a huge step forward for Villa as a club.

Liverpool’s Transition Season

Liverpool finished fifth in what ultimately felt like a transitional campaign.

There were moments where they looked capable of mounting a title challenge, especially going forward, but defensive instability and inconsistency prevented a sustained push toward the top two.

Alexis Mac Allister enjoyed an outstanding season in midfield, while several younger players developed well across the campaign.

However, the biggest story now surrounds Mohamed Salah. The 33-year-old has officially left Liverpool following the expiration of his contract and is yet to sign for a new club. His departure marks the end of one of the greatest individual eras in Premier League history.

Bournemouth and Sunderland Shock the League

Bournemouth’s sixth-place finish was one of the achievements of the season.

Their fearless attacking football caused problems for almost every side in the division, and they fully deserved Europa League qualification. Evanilson and Rayan both emerged as major breakout stars over the second half of the campaign.

But the fairytale belonged to Sunderland.

After promotion, most expected a relegation battle. Instead, Sunderland finished seventh with 54 points and qualified for the Conference League places. Their organisation, intensity and home form made them one of the league’s toughest teams to face.

To finish above Chelsea, Newcastle and Spurs in their first season back is a remarkable achievement.

Chelsea’s Frustrating Campaign — But One Big Advantage

Chelsea finished 10th after another inconsistent season.

Cole Palmer and João Pedro produced strong individual moments, but defensive instability and erratic form prevented Chelsea from mounting a serious European challenge.

There is, however, one major positive heading into next season: Chelsea will have no European football distractions in 2026/27. That could become a significant advantage in the league, especially with a young squad that should benefit from longer recovery periods and more consistent preparation time.

Spurs Hit Another Low

Tottenham endured another miserable campaign, finishing 17th — just one place above relegation.

Remarkably, Spurs also finished 17th last season, although they ended that campaign 13 points above the drop zone. This year was far more dangerous going down to the last game, with defensive chaos and poor game management repeatedly undermining their attacking talent.

Although they survived, this was still one of the worst Premier League seasons in the club’s modern history.

Relegation: Wolves, Burnley and West Ham Fall

Wolves finished bottom with just 20 points after a disastrous season in both boxes. They scored only 27 goals all year and never recovered from their terrible start.

Burnley also struggled throughout, conceding 75 goals and failing to build momentum at any stage of the campaign.

The biggest shock, however, was West Ham’s relegation. Despite occasional flashes of quality, defensive problems and prolonged poor form dragged them into the bottom three, where they ultimately finished 18th.

Looking Ahead to 2026/27

With Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Hull City promoted, another fascinating Premier League season awaits.

Can Arsenal build a dynasty?
Will Maresca revive Manchester City?
Can Manchester United kick on again with Champions League football returning?
Will Sunderland continue their incredible rise?
Can Spurs recover from back-to-back 17th-place finishes?
And how quickly can West Ham regroup in the Championship with their 62,500 capacity stadium and push for an immediate return to the Premier League?”

After one of the most unpredictable seasons in years, the Premier League already looks set for another dramatic chapter. Before the return of the Premier League in August, fantasy football fans have the World Cup to look forward to starting in the middle of June.