The highs, lows, over-achievers, pundits, refs, and oddest bits of a Premier League season like no other
Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias, and David Moyes
Edinson Cavani scored some vital goals to help Manchester United to second spot. But Chelsea signing the still world-class Thiago Silva on a free transfer was a steal.
Manuel Lanzini's last-minute equaliser for West Ham at Spurs. It got their season up and running, and damaged Tottenham's confidence. No sweeter strike this season.
𝙐𝙉𝘽𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙀𝙑𝘼𝘽𝙇𝙀! ⚡
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 18, 2020
From 3-0 down, #WHUFC snatch a draw against #THFC thanks to a 94th minute rocket from Manuel Lanzini! 🚀#TOTWHU pic.twitter.com/8lDIHgH6EW
David Moyes has done wonders to transform West Ham from perennial relegation battlers to the brink of the Champions League, all without much support from above or in the transfer market.
Tough question. I'm struggling to think of a good referee in the PL, but not poor ones. Martin Atkinson has been terrible for years, the worst of a bad bunch.
Gary Lineker is moving into Des Lynam territory with his wit, knowledge and ability to strike the right tone every time. Very few elite players become top pundits, but he has.
David Moyes again. West Ham's owners and fans waved him goodbye after he saved them from relegation three years ago, now they treasure him.
Harry Kane, without doubt the best striker in the league, and possibly the best all-round player. His game has gone up a level this season. He is a joy to watch.
When a group of Chelsea fans claimed they'd saved football (jokingly I hope) by protesting against the ESL outside Stamford Bridge – home of football's first billion euro squad!
Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham in November. Billed as a title decider and played like one, with a last-minute winner to boot. Neither side knew Man City were coming through, though!
Ruben Dias came in and immediately made the league's best defence even better, a natural leader at 23. I was surprised at the speed of his impact.
Kevin de Bruyne got my FWA vote, but the one player I'd happily spend money to watch is Harry Kane – let's hope he stays in the Premier League.
Phil Foden is going to get closer to Kevin De Bruyne's level. If Harry Kane joins them, the England captain could break more records. Take your pick from those 3.
Ruben Dias has been worth every cent of the €75m that Manchester City paid Benfica for the defender last summer. He has just turned 24 and will get better.
Edinson Cavani’s sublime chip for Manchester United against Fulham. To execute such an effort, while hitting the ball on the run, is very difficult, but Cavani made it effortless.
WHAT A GOAL! 🏹
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 18, 2021
Edinson Cavani welcomes the #MUFC fans back to Old Trafford with a long-range stunner! 🎯
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Steve Bruce after he managed again to keep Newcastle in the Premier League. He still manages to do a good job despite not having the fans on his side.
Best referee: Michael Oliver, he tries to let games flow as much as possible and doesn’t abuse his power.
Worst referee: Robert Jones, hasn’t refereed many games and it’s obvious why after his poor performance refereeing Burnley v Leeds.
Micah Richards makes punditry look enjoyable. He doesn’t just criticise performances to play up to the cameras and he’s brave enough to disagree with Roy Keane.
The job David Moyes has done with West Ham is remarkable. I’ve never been convinced by Moyes but after the season the Hammers have had he has changed my opinion.
Phil Foden for the way he takes passes in tight areas and always finds a way out. At just 20, It’s frightening to think just how good Foden can get.
Aston Villa’s 7-2 victory over Liverpool. At the time, it seemed a hiccup for Liverpool but looking back, it was a warning sign of a poor season ahead for Liverpool.
Liverpool 4-3 Leeds United. This was Leeds’ first game back in the Premier League since 2003 and showed their intentions for the season by playing attacking football against the Reds.
Leeds United. They always played the same attacking football no matter who they played against. Marcelo Bielsa showed a belief in his players that they could compete against the best.
Harry Kane: Along with scoring goals, the Tottenham striker has added assists to his game this season. He has achieved this playing with an average group of players.
Timo Werner: The German has had a good season and causes a lot of problems for opposition defences. If, he can improve his finishing he would be world-class.
Q1: Who turned out to be the best money, best value signing of the season?
Edinson Cavani on a free seemed like a deadline day Hail Mary for Manchester United, but his goals, intelligence and overall presence helped spare them the scrap for top four.
Eberechi Eze’s elegant, weaving solo effort for Crystal Palace against Sheffield United. There’s a touch of David Ginola about his swaying dribbles, and the nonchalant, curled finish makes it.
Q3: Excluding Pep Guardiola, who was the best performing manager in the League?
Marcelo Bielsa. Finished top-half, and in a season when it felt like Burnley were on the telly every second day, Leeds were the one team you never wanted to miss.
Can’t tell you the best referee because you don’t notice the good ones. Lee Mason’s shocker with the Lewis Dunk free-kick in West Brom v Brighton makes him the worst.
Irony died when Sky Sports starting campaigning against big money in football, but Gary Neville's anti-Super League rabble-rousing was a rare moment when a pundit’s words had real-world impact.
The David Moyes redemption. Some really smart signings – Soucek, Coufal, Lingard - and led West Ham on a sustained top four challenge when plenty had tipped them to be relegated.
James Maddison is a joy when he’s on form. He’s a lovable peacock of a player. But Jack Grealish remains the Premier League’s great entertainer. Villa were lost without him.
The storming of Old Trafford encapsulated the weirdness and alienation of our times. The fans taking back control? The death rattle of a broken game? Boozy lads on a jolly?
Liverpool 4-3 Leeds on the opening weekend. Before the mid-season grind set in, Leeds at full throttle announcing their return to the big time and a portent of Liverpool’s struggles.
Liverpool. You feared the emotional high of last season might take it out of them, but who could have predicted the spontaneous combustion of their mid-season collapse?
Ruben Dias edges his teammates Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan. Shored up City’s backline, acted as burly big bro for John Stones and arguably a snip at £65 million.
Phil Foden is only getting started. Already a big game player and improving in giant leaps in a dominant City team. Could take the Euros by storm in the meantime.
If loan deals are allowed – and why wouldn’t they be – whatever West Ham paid Jesse Lingard to help rediscover his mojo, it was worth it. Nine goals helped catapult David Moyes and the Hammers into Europe. But did he score six games in a row, like Joe Willock, did for Newcastle, to spirit them free of relegation stress? Man Utd and Arsenal have summer head-scratchers now. PS: Wish Gunners bought Thiago Silva.
For importance, Alisson’s dead-time header at The Hawthorns. For tiki-taka, Lacazette’s for Arsenal at Sheffield Utd. For sheer impudence, Lamela at Arsenal for That Crowd.
Honourable mention to Sean Dyche and Marcelo Bielsa, but this was the season David Moyes finally put the stigma of that ill-fated Old Trafford tenure behind him. And it’s not like he spent a fortune doing it in East London.
VAR and Stockley Park can only be blamed so much. The final decision will always be taken by the on-field referee. Anytime I watch Michael Oliver or Chris Kavanagh, I don’t fear we're about to be mugged, but by any metric Arsenal had a disproportionate share of VAR OG's this season.
For laughs Keane and Richards, for insight Neville and Carragher. Sky are missing a trick, though, not nabbing Arsene Wenger from BeIn Sports.
Dyche at Burnley, Potter at Brighton, Bielsa at Leeds and the afore-mentioned Moyes. But while he’s not everyone’s cup of tea, the fact that Leicester claimed an historic first FA Cup victory (not to mention replacing Tottenham in the unofficial Big Six), surely gets Brendan Rodgers the award?
Mason Mount at Chelsea, Phil Foden at City. With Saka and Smith Rowe at Arsenal, Grealish on the way back at Villa, if Gareth Southgate can’t get England’s ducks in a row now… PS: Trent Alexander Arnold’s rebound has been mighty impressive too. PS: Love that lad Martinelli.
The Old Trafford fan takeover would be hard to beat but the absurdly bad timing and cack-handed European Super League announcement on a Sunday night was full-on mad. Reminds me of the old Watergate line: These are not very bright guys and things got outta hand.
Any number of Leeds basketball classics. But for sheer quality, the second leg of the Champions Cup semi, Man City and PSG, at the Etihad, would be almost impossible to beat. (Yes I know it’s wasn’t Premier League).
Well Arsenal’s consistent capacity to flatter and frustrate is no longer a surprise, so Liverpool’s mid-season collapse (bad champions, reckoned Keano) felt like it would stop at any moment, but seemed unable to do so.
Reuben Dias by common consent, so let’s try something different. Maybe not player of the year but every time I saw Leeds keeper Illan Meslier (who’s only 21), he seemed to be flinging himself around the gaff making worldie saves. Phil Foden’s a special talent too.
Foden’s already doing so. Whether in the colours of Norwich or (hopefully) Arsenal, right back Max Aarons and midfielder Emi Buendia look about as nailed-on a sure-thing as one can be rising from Championship to Premier League.
Jesse Lingard (West Ham). Cost the Hammers nothing as a January loan signing but nine goals in 15 league games have helped his team (probably) book a place in Europe next season.
Late in the year but Edinson Cavani’s 35-yard lob against Fulham last week took some beating.
Sean Dyche. No manager - including Guardiola - did more with less. Took a deeply ordinary Championship-standard squad and comfortably kept them in the Premier League.
Michael Oliver is getting better with age while controversy seemed to follow Jonathan Moss around.
Gary Neville is a “marmite” pundit - you love him or hate him - but his response to the European Super League scandal was television punditry for the ages and his overall body of work best in class.
Apart from Dyche (see above), David Moyes rehabilitated his own career and lifted West Ham from their status as perennial also rans in a memorable season.
Heung-Min Son (Tottenham). As with his team in general, the South Korean’s season fizzled out over its second half but his partnership with Kane has been devastating at times and he is that rarest of modern players - always seemingly playing with a smile on his face.
Covering four games at Old Trafford that ended 1-6, 6-2, 9-0, 6-2 was up there … and looked more like a tennis score than football results.
Everton 5 Tottenham 4 after extra time in the FA Cup … in the league, Man United 1 Tottenham 6 took some beating for sheer shock value.
As teams, the demise of Tottenham and Arsenal have been a surprise. In terms of player personnel, the resurrection of John Stones for Manchester City and England has been spectacular.
Ruben Dias (Manchester City). Not an original selection but his no-nonsense displays in the heart of City’s defence have transformed Guardiola’s team.
Mason Greenwood (Manchester United). Still only 19, the striker had a slow start to his second full season of first team football but has been electric since March. If United sign a big name striker - did somebody say Harry Kane? - the youngster can only benefit.
Vladimir Coufal. You just aren’t supposed to get technically solid, made-for-the-Premier League defenders for £5m these days. Tomas Soucek deserves some commission for his work as West Ham’s scout.
I love a goal that feels different to everything that has gone before, so it’s Erik Lamela’s rabona in the north London derby. Like stunning a red into the middle pocket.
OH MY 😲
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2021
Érik Lamela with the Rabona in the North London Derby...
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West Ham were a broken club in September. Out of that mess, David Moyes has taken them into European competition proper for the first time since 2006.
I’m refusing to answer this one, for better and worse. Referees have a damn hard job and are unfairly victimised by a culture that has made their job even more difficult.
Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football is the peak of Premier League coverage. Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and the research team behind them do a superb job week after week.
Moyes again, but let’s give this one to Marcelo Bielsa. He kept the core of the Championship squad and kept Leeds surging on long after we thought they might tire.
Phil Foden was long heralded as the future of English football; now we have proof. If you can’t get excited watching a young attacking midfielder run games, football’s not for you.
It has to be Alisson scoring against Burnley. Goalkeepers have scored in the Premier League before, but the circumstances of the match meant this was its first winner.
Aston Villa beating Liverpool 7-2, after the defending champions had won their opening three league games. It was an astounding indication of the crazy season that would follow.
Patrick Bamford. He had been at five different Premier League clubs before this season, scoring a solitary goal. He ends this season as the second highest English goalscorer.
I voted for the winner, Ruben Dias. Perhaps defenders are just in fashion, but Dias was the biggest difference-maker for the team that eventually won the league with ease.
It’s tempting to say Harry Kane, if he moves within the league. Thirty-five league goals and assists in this Tottenham team during this Tottenham season is remarkable.
The £28 million Ollie Watkins cost no longer seems much money for a striker currently with 16 goals to his name, which makes him great value, though Jude Bellingham for £3 million less trumps him.
It has to be Erik Lamela's rabona. Never seen anything quite like it before and likely will never see it again. The perfect goal for a league season that has been more exhibition than competition.
While the giant, apparently laminated, oak head of Brendan Rodgers may attract some votes in this, I'll go for Roy Hodgson on the basis that being a civilised man in an uncivilised world needs some recognition. Did well to keep Palace out of trouble too.
Err...is it someone called Kevin? They don't seem relevant on the pitch now. They've been VAR'ed into standing there like a plank, finger to ear being told what to do.
The only point in punditry is to entertain. Those churning out soulless facts are wrong. We've software for all the facts, from pundits we want overly tight clothing, unreasoned, mad ranting, scowling, laughing and unjustifiably mad notions. So, it has to be the Roy and Micah show.
Marcelo Bielsa. Their style of play, their limitless running and the results they've had have been impressive. And better still, all done for a man sitting on a bucket. Mad, but in a good way.
Jack Grealish. He doesn't play the percentages, he's unselfish, and brilliantly skilled. He's still the tennis ball in the street kid. Villa look literally half a team without him. Annoys people with his hair.
It's all been strange, hasn't it? I accept some think it's better than nothing and that its helped people get through, but although 'football is nothing without fans' might be a cliche, it remains profoundly true. And I do mean nothing.
I don't have a 'best' game because I really can't take any of it seriously without fans, I don't care about any of it. It all looks like people dancing to music that you can't hear. Sorry.
Having seen Patrick Bamford playing for the Boro, it comes as a massive surprise that he's so at home in the top flight. He's also that rarest of thing: a middle-class footballer.
Jack Grealish for the reasons stated above. Also, his surname name sounds like something from Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast world. Grealish: a creature with shiny hair and infeasibly large calves.
Although he's now 30, the revival of N'Golo Kante's form to his Leicester standards under Thomas Tuchel has been striking and I'd back him to carry it in next season's title push.
Tomas Soucek, West Ham. Ok, they’d had a taste of him last season, so £15 million was hardly a gamble. But ten league goals was some bonus from the solidest of solid citizens.
Cavani’s chip against Fulham was decent but you can’t give it to an offside goal. So winner is Bukayo Saka versus West Brom — Wengerball reincarnated, with Emile Smith Rowe playing Fabregas and Wilshere.
The table doesn’t lie, they’ve always told us, so suppose it has to be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Yet why does one get the impression this particular table is lying through its teeth?
It’s increasingly different to pin down who to credit and blame, amid the mess of VAR inconsistency. Lee Mason seemed to be there or thereabouts for the worst of it.
The click tallies tell the story. Roy Keane’s weary rage might be an old act by now, but it’s an entertainment business and Keano still moves the dial.
Pep Guardiola, from November 22, when City sat 13th — 28 unbeaten, 25 wins, 21 in a row. A ridiculous record, the product of perfect football, whatever resources he has.
Phil Foden could keep the ball off a Lions front row in a phone box.
The rebel six sheepishly confirming their exits from the Premier League on that strangest of Sunday nights — and the exhilarating drama of the outrage that followed.
Aston Villa 7 Liverpool 2. The afternoon that signalled anything could truly happen. Things soon calmed down, but those early maulings had the psychologists claiming overtime.
If the pandemic hadn’t, Patrick Bamford would have silenced his own fans, while Jesse Lingard silenced those who thought he’d gone full-time as a social media content producer.
Ruben Dias arrived from Benfica after City had shipped five to Leicester. Didn’t take long to build a Van Dijk style barricade in their defence, rehabilitating John Stones into the bargain.
Once the mythical Arsenal handbrake is finally released, turbo-charged Gabriel Martinelli looks ravenous to unleash mayhem.
It's not quite happened yet but is imminent - Harry Kane. Wherever he goes, whatever he costs, he will be worth it.
My goal every season is just to come through it unscathed. I managed it again, just about, despite an unexpected brush with a myopic supporter. See below.
Chris Wilder, for regularly enlivening mundane press conferences. Once with a side-splitting commentary about a run-down local boozer where you can buy meat and marvel at 25-year-old Christmas decorations.
When you're at a game from a non-tribal perspective, you recognise more often than not they get things right. I've given officials 7 and above a lot more times than I've done with players.
Can't help but smile when Ally McCoist takes you gently by the hand and leads you through one of his wonderful, almost but not quite inappropriate anecdotes.
It might be damning him with faint praise because he's clearly a decent manager, but it's been nice to see David Moyes rebuild his reputation at West Ham.
Joelinton. A player at times so inept, he continues to give hope to every Geordie that if he can do it, then they too could be Newcastle's next number nine.
Being called a c*** by a supporter before the first game fans were allowed back into this month. He thought I was someone else, and quickly apologised.
The hugely enjoyable comprehensive defeat suffered by the Greedy Six and their grubby ESL plans in the swiftly arranged and very one-sided not so friendly against the fans.
Joelinton, and that he continues to be paid vast amounts of money to play football at a high level. See above.
Joelint...no. As a regular watcher of Newcastle, Allan Saint Maximum consistently rises above the mundane and is certainly worth a watch.
Daniel Jebbison, following the teenage forward's shock £10m (with significant add-ons) summer move from Sheffield United to Leeds/Brighton/Norwich/anyone else with the foresight to sign him.
Ruben Dias. You can’t call €71m cheap, but when a new signing becomes Footballer of the Year and wins you the title, it’s still pretty good value. He transformed City’s defence.
Erik Lamela’s outrageous rabona for Tottenham against Arsenal in March tops the list. It didn’t mean the most but as a pure piece of skill it stands out. Kids all over the world were trying to replicate it next day.
Brendan Rodgers. The Leicester manager is the nearest thing to Pep outside of the Etihad when it comes to improving players. The way he has built a philosophy and developed talent is impressive.
Best: Michael Oliver. A fresh face and a good attitude. He lets the game flow.
Worst: Mike Dean. Is it all about him? He showed more red cards (8) and more yellow cards (86) than any other referee.
Roy Keane: the Republic legend tells it how it is, especially when discussing Manchester United, and always provides a headline. When he talks, journalists as well as fans listen.
David Moyes. To take West Ham from a relegation battle last season to challenging for the top four is a special achievement, and all for a transfer outlay of less than €30m.
Jack Grealish. The man who slipped through the Republic’s hands is now the real deal. He carries the ball wonderfully well, drives his team and always seems to have time on the ball.
There were empty stadiums, VAR farces and muted celebrations. But seeing Liverpool lose 7-2 at Aston Villa having been so imperious the previous campaign was the moment we realised this was going to be a strange one.
West Brom v Liverpool. Goalkeeper Alisson’s incredible headed goal in the last minute at West Brom, which earned his side a 2-1 victory made it memorable. It was one of football’s greatest moments of all seasons, let alone this one.
Q10: Who do you consider the biggest surprise of the campaign?
Liverpool’s collapse. How could it be anything else? Nobody in football could have predicted they would sink so low after being so good last season. Totally unfathomable.
Bruno Fernandes. It’s hard not to pick a City player, but Fernandes entertained, scoring 28 goals – a record for a Premier League midfielder, beating Frank Lampard’s mark of 27 set in 2010. He's wonderful to watch, too.
Ollie Watkins. The Aston Villa man, signed from Brentford, is the fittest and hardest-pressing striker in the league already – a real modern striker. He’s scored 16 this time but there will be more next year.
Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez were immense for Aston Villa, but Ruben Dias arriving at Manchester City effectively bought the title for £65m.
Erik Lamela's Tottenham rabona against Arsenal was special, but they lost and goalkeeper Alisson’s winning header against West Brom was as significant it was spectacularly euphoric.
David Moyes transformed West Ham from serial relegation candidates to Champions League challengers. Top guy too. Honourable mentions for Brendan Rodgers (Leicester) , Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds) and Dean Smith (Villa).
Michael Oliver's serenity makes him best of a bad bunch but it's baffling how Anthony Taylor and Lee Mason remain employed. They were all overshadowed by the dark arts of VAR.
Ian Wright brightens a broadcast like no other and Roy Keane remains entertaining, but they can't rival Gary Neville for depth of knowledge and opinion.
Moyes again, for me. The Scot worked similar wonders at Everton and is now establishing West Ham as a major force in London football again – on a smaller budget than any of his rivals in the capital.
Mason Mount is so easy on the eye. Energetic and athletic but slight in stature, his instinct is always to turn and attack the goal. Chelsea fans are lucky to see him every week.
Snoods, balaclavas and thermals became common place in the coldest season any reporter can recall, but they were all trumped by the constant hum of one correspondent's portable electric heater which he plugged in to press boxes all over the country.
Liverpool 4-3 Leeds: Leeds were an unknown quantity when they went toe-to-toe with defending Champions Liverpool in their first match of the season. Mo Salah settled it with an 88th minute penalty. Exhausting to watch.
Patrick Bamford never seemed cut out for top flight football until this season, but his 16 goals have been instrumental in re-establishing Leeds back in the Premier League.
The best player in the best team should always win this award and there is no better player than Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne.
Arsenal teenager Flo Balogun is one to watch – if he gets a run. Harry Kane, however, will smash all goalscoring records - if he gets his move to Manchester City.
West Ham midfielder Tomáš Souček, admittedly on loan but after scoring double figures from a defensive midfield position, will be an absolute snip at £13million from Slavia Prague.
Nicolas Pepe, Arsenal’s third goal in a 3-1 win at Leicester City, February 28th 2021. Finished off a classy, one-touch move involving five players.
Brendan Rodgers, Leicester City. To produce such scintillating football, remain in the top four for so long and win the FA Cup is a superb achievement.
Best: Mike Dean and Martin Atkinson (joint best) Worst: Lee Mason.
Alex Scott, BBC1 Match of the Day. Shows great understanding and insight into the game but also a genuine warmth and compassion.
David Moyes. Took a mid-table West Ham into Europe and challenged for the top four.
Jack Grealish, Aston Villa. A unique player – no one can carry the ball like him, and he’s added assists and goals to his game.
It’s become the norm now but seeing visiting players emerge from the executive box area at Molineux.
Aston Villa 3 Southampton 4. Southampton were cruising at 4-0, then the comeback started and Saints got jittery.
West Ham. No one expected them to rise from mid-table to challenge for a Champions League place.
Kevin De Bruyne. Master passer and a mastermind in midfield. So important to Manchester City.
Pedro Neto (Wolves). Showed glimpses of his undoubted potential with his trickery and goals but watch him go next time around.
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