Grading every Premier League team's 2024/25 campaign

Looking back

The Premier League season is coming to an end, with just the final European places up for grabs. It's been a year full of highs and lows, but how do we think every team performed?

Southampton - F

Southampton are about to wrap up the second worst season in Premier League history, having narrowly surpassed Derby County’s record low point total. It’s a damning indictment on the gap between the Championship and the Premier League. This is a team well below par talent-wise, and performed arguably even worse.

Leicester City - F

In comparison to Southampton and Ipswich, Leicester City have a squad full of Premier League veterans, and they still struggled throughout the year. The hiring of Ruud van Nistelrooy was a disaster, with the team struggling to score goals at one end, and finding it impossible to stop conceding them. A tough year for a team that wracked up 97 points in last season’s Championship.

Tottenham Hotspur - F

We are only focusing on the Premier League in this piece, so we have to ignore their impressive Europa League campaign, which could completely transform their season. Ange Postecoglou is reportedly getting sacked at the end of the year, per Football365, and it’s not hard to see why after 21 league defeats, despite a positive G/D. A truly bizarre season in North London.

Manchester United - F

If we’re giving Spurs an F, we have to do the same for United, who have had a very similar season. Erik ten Hag was rightfully sacked, but Ruben Amorim’s performance has left much to be desired in his stead. The club may struggle to do much in the transfer window this year given it’s terrible financial situation, with the club owing more than £300m in transfer fees, per The Athletic.

West Ham United - D

West Ham had a solid 23/24 season, with the club in the hunt for European football for much of the year. David Moyes was let go and things started to go wrong, quickly. Julen Lopetegui didn’t work out, and Graham Potter clearly needs more time to implement his very specific system. A rebound is needed.

Wolverhampton Wanderers - C-

What looked like a terrible season was turned around by the hiring of Vítor Pereira. Per the Premier League website, the Portuguese has overseen 20 matches in the Black Country, accounting for 10 wins, 2 draws, and 8 losses. For a team that was struggling for most of the season, that is an incredible turnaround. Relegation looked a real possibility at one stage.

Everton - C

Goodison Park got the send-off it deserved, and the club had the right man at the helm to see off Everton’s historic ground. Sean Dyche did a fantastic job last season to keep Everton in the top flight, but was disappointing in this campaign. In stepped Blues legend, David Moyes, who steadied the ship. We expect more from this club next season.

Crystal Palace - C+

Again, we are focusing solely on the Premier League here, and it’s been a middling campaign for the Eagles, who started the season horrendously before turning things around. They have to hold onto Eberechi Eze if they can, he’s simply too important to them. Oliver Glasner has been linked to jobs on the continent, too, which would be a huge loss.

Bournemouth - C

The Cherries continue to impress, looking more and more like an established Premier League club, rather than a team fighting for their life. Andoni Iraola has been a revelation on the South Coast, with his chaotic, fast-paced brand of football proving too much for even the best teams in the league at times. They are set to lose a number of key players this Summer, so replacing them will be all important.

Fulham - C

A season of marginal improvements for Fulham, who are going to finish at least seven points better off than last year. Defensively, there has been obvious improvement, and Marco Silva has inspired multiple dramatic comebacks. The Cottagers feel stuck in a Premier League holding pattern currently, which we would like to see them try to kick on from.

Brentford - C

Another great season for the West Londoners, who continue to improve in the Premier League each and every season. Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have contributed 38 goals between them in a remarkable campaign. Like so many teams in the league, they have to hope to hold onto those two, otherwise they may struggle for goals next season.

Nottingham Forest - A

Forest have taken their foot off the gas over the past month or so, finding themselves in a battle for the Champions League after looking secure in third for so much of the season. Still, it’s been an incredible campaign given many, including us, thought they would struggle to stay in the top flight. Hats off to everyone involved, even if they don’t make the top five.

Manchester City - C+

Given the expectations, it’s not been a great year for City, although injuries have played a significant part. Still, when you are able to spend £180m, per ESPN, in the January window, you would expect to be comfortably in the Champions League spots. They will probably get there, but this has not been a great season for Pep Guardiola and his team.

Aston Villa - A-

Unai Emery has helped turn Villa into a truly competitive club in what has been an incredible period for the club. They may need a bit of luck to make the Champions League next season, but a win against Manchester United could well be enough. This is a seriously talented team that doesn’t need to sell to any of the ‘big clubs’ if they don’t want to.

Chelsea - B

Enso Maresca has had an up and down season in his first year at Stamford Bridge. Still, given the incredible amound the club has spent over the past couple of years, should we really consider battling for fifth a success? Despite their huge expenditure, this is a team that needs to sign even more players this Summer if they want to kick on.

Newcastle - A

At one point, it looked as though this was going to be a disappointing season for Newcastle, before an incredible run of form over the past few months has seen them probably secure Champions League football for next season. The club now needs to fend off interest for Alexander Isak, as the Swede’s impact is too great to allow him to leave.

Arsenal - B-

A strange season for the Gunners, who had huge expectations before the season, only to see injury after injury mount up, losing key players regularly across the campaign. A third-successive second place finish is nothing to be sniffed at, it’s just not what they would’ve been hoping for at the start of the season. It’s time to win something.