The Premier League is over for another season and the only thing left to do is to tie a bow on it with my season-end awards.
Nonetheless, Burnley was a team that was mentioned as a relegation candidate at the start of this season. It turned out very differently. A 7th place finish means Burnley will compete in Europe for the first time in half a century.
Goals were few with Burnley scoring just 36 goals in 38 games. Rather, Burnley’s success was built on a parsimonious defense that blocked shots better than any other team in the Premier League. Manager Sean Dyche deserves the greatest credit for maintaining the team’s focus and providing the team with a structure and approach that proved to be so successful.
Even late season defeats to Arsenal (5-0) and Bournemouth (2-1) cannot tarnish Dyche's achievement.
Player of the season
The Fab 4 became a trio after the departure of Liverpool’s talisman Philipp Coutinho. But Mo Salah continued to score goals, and Sadio Mane continued to terrify defenders with his searing pace.
But for me, Roberto Firmino was the man who stirred the Liverpool attack. He was nominally regarded as a center-forward but he was so much more. He took up intelligent positions both deep and wide, he was mobile, he created chances and he harried the opposition in all areas of the park.
Was he a striker, a false nine, a creator? It doesn’t matter, all I know is that he was terrific all season and the Premier Lleague's most complete player.
Goalkeeper of the season
David de Gea won the Manchester United player of the year award again this season – the fourth such time. So often over his six seasons at Old Trafford de Gea has been the difference between a loss or a draw, or a draw or a win.
He had another terrific season and at the moment, he is one of the three best goalkeepers in the world.
Defender of the season
Understated, Jan Vertonghen just sets about getting the job done. His regular partner in the Spurs’ and Belgium’s defense, Toby Alderweireld, missed a major part of the season but it had little impact on Vertonghen.
His consistency and versatility provide Spurs Coach Mauricio Pochettino with a number of tactical options and this season has been one of his best.
Midfielder of the season
After being unfairly labeled a failure at Chelsea there was a degree of skepticism when Manchester City signed Kevin De Bruyne in 2015. It did not take long to realize the £55m ($75m) fee was a bargain.
Technically brilliant, De Bruyne can deliver passes that most players cannot even fathom. He has a terrific shot and is a pleasure to watch.
Striker of the season
Ice must flow through the veins of Mo Salah. His speed and close control help create scoring chances but it his smarts and composure in and around the penalty area that has made him such a feared goal scorer for Liverpool this season.
Thirty-two goals were enough to earn Salah the Golden Boot in his first season with Liverpool and he set a new scoring record for a 38-game Premier League season.
Young player of the season
Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold
Surprise team of the season
How did Huddersfield manage to avoid relegation? As soon as promotion was secured last year around this time, the bookies made Huddersfield the favorite to drop back down again.
Huddersfield struggled to score goals in the Championship and so it was in the Premier League – no team scored fewer (Swansea also scored 28).
Defensively, Huddersfield was no great shakes either – 58 goals against, the sixth poorest in the Premier tied with Everton.
Combined Huddersfield had a goal difference of -30, only Stoke was worse with -33.
So perhaps it was a case of getting wins in games against relegation rivals? Dead end again. In 8 matches against the teams that finished lower in the table, Huddersfield won just 2, drew 4 and lost 2 – 10 points from 8 games.
If there was one thing that kept Huddersfield on the right side of the dreaded relegation line it was the two late-season draws away against Chelsea and Manchester City that provided 2 valuable and very unexpected points. Otherwise, Huddersfield would have gone into game 38 tottering and catchable.
Huddersfield’s surviving to fight another Premier League season is worth millions to the club and manager David Wagner pocketed a £2.5m ($3.5m) bonus
Match of the season
Manchester United staged a remarkable second-half comeback to beat Manchester City after being down 2-0 at half-time.
City controlled the first half and there was nothing to indicate at halftime that United was capable of bouncing back and delaying Manchester City’s confirmation as Premier League champions.
Two goals by Paul Pogba and another by Chris Smalling in 14 second-half minutes stunned Manchester City and delivered an unexpected 3-2 win for Manchester United.
Goal of the season
It came in only the third game of the season on August 26 but it was a strike that still resonates. Charlie Daniels opened the scoring for Bournemouth against Manchester City with a shot that was as true as an arrow and one hit with tremendous power and accuracy.
Under the radar player
Last summer Brighton signed Pascal Gross from Ingolstadt for £3m ($4m). The previous two seasons in the Bundesliga Gross had created more chances than any other player.
His contribution to Brighton played a big part in the team’s Premier League survival and there is a strong case to be made that Gross was the signing of the season.
Merit Award
Not the best, not the flashiest, or the quickest but every time I watched Newcastle’s Jamaal Lascelles play this season I was impressed - a leader who could contribute to any Premier League team.
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