The China Mail - Premier League 2024/25: Winners and losers

AFP Sport looks at the winners and losers of the campaign:

Winners

Liverpool

Champions for a record-equalling 20th time, Liverpool were in a class of their own for much of the season as Arne Slot's men wrapped up the title with four games to spare.

Inspired by the sensational form of Mohamed Salah, who was both the league's top goalscorer and assists provider, the Reds made light of the loss of talismanic boss Jurgen Klopp 12 months ago.

Klopp was in the crowd at Anfield to salute the champions on Sunday, while Slot has already started his plans to build from a position of strength.

Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves a big hole to fill, but Liverpool are reportedly close to deals for Bayer Leverkusen duo Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, as well as Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez.

Newcastle

The Magpies secured fifth spot and a place in next season's Champions League despite a shock 1-0 home defeat to Everton on the final day of the campaign.

However, a return to Europe's elite competition was just the icing on the cake for fans on Tyneside after Newcastle ended a 56-year wait to win a major trophy this term.

Eddie Howe's men stunned Liverpool 2-1 in March to spark wild scenes of celebration for a one-club city with a huge following.

Alexander Isak struck the decisive goal at Wembley and played a huge part in carrying Newcastle back to the Champions League as only Salah scored more Premier League goals than the Swede's 23.

Crystal Palace

Palace had been waiting even longer for silverware until beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final for the first major trophy of their 119-year history.

The Eagles also secured a club record Premier League points tally of 53 to finish 12th despite a terrible start to the campaign.

Oliver Glasner's side struggled early on, due in part to having four members of the England team that reached the Euro 2024 final and the role star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta played in France's run to the silver medal at the Olympic games.

Palace won just one of their opening 13 games after a disrupted pre-season, but lost just six of their final 25 in a run of form that would have seen them in the fight for the Champions League places if replicated over 38 games.

Losers

Manchester City

Anything other than the title after an unprecedented run of four consecutive Premier League crowns would have been a disappointment for Pep Guardiola's men.

But the scale of their decline during a difficult winter sent shockwaves through the division.

After losing Ballon d'Or winner Rodri to injury, the previously all-conquering defending champions won once in 13 games between late October and December.

Defeat to Palace in the FA Cup final rounded off a first trophyless campaign since Guardiola's first in England eight years ago.

However, City did recover to at least finish third and secure a 15th consecutive season in the Champions League.

Manchester United

There was no saving grace for United after the club's worst season since they were relegated in 1974.

Ruben Amorim apologised to supporters on Sunday for a "disaster" of a campaign that saw United finish 15th and fail to qualify for Europe for just the second time in 35 years.

The decision to maintain Erik ten Hag as manager quickly backfired as the Dutchman was sacked in October.

But Amorim has won just seven of his 27 Premier League games since at a club in disarray on and off the pitch.

Defeat in the Europa League final to Tottenham, which cost United approximately £100 million ($135 million) in Champions League qualification, could have severe consequences on Amorim's ability to mould the squad into his image over the summer transfer window.

Promoted trio

Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton set an unwanted record as the trio of relegated clubs combined for a record low points tally of 59.

They were also the three clubs that were promoted from the Championship last season.

Before the 2023/24 campaign, that had only happened once in English top-flight history, back in 1997/98.

Now it has happened for the past two seasons with growing concerns about the competitive balance of the English top flight due to the growing gulf between the Premier League and the second tier.

V.Fan--ThChM