Premier League 2023-24: Fans' verdicts on English top-flight season
Manchester City claimed their sixth Premier League title in seven years
- Published
The 2023-24 Premier League season is in the history books for Manchester City securing an unprecedented fourth consecutive title, the usual array of drama and the farewell of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
BBC Sport's fan community have been providing analysis the whole way through, so we asked for their verdicts on their club's campaign.
Arsenal
Oli Price-Bates, The Fresh Arsenal podcast, external
Season rating: 9/10. Growth from last season is clear given the added strain of Champions League football on the squad. Arsenal must win a trophy to get to 10 and have to improve in the cup competitions next season, having only got to a quarter-final this year.
Unsung hero: I am a big fan of Kai Havertz, but feel he is finally getting his flowers, so not too unsung. A player who rarely gets the plaudits he deserves is Gabriel. William Saliba often takes the defensive headlines, but Gabriel is the perfect partner and enables the Frenchman to flourish. The pair helped Arsenal to the league's meanest defensive record (by five).
Player you would most like to sign: Alexander Isak would be the dream signing. He has proven himself in the league this year with 21 goals in 30 games and, at the age of 24, his best performances are likely to be ahead of him.
Best away fans: A nod to the Porto fans. The return of Champions League football led to some great atmospheres at the Emirates.
For more fan views, plus all the best Arsenal content, scroll through our Gunners page
Aston Villa
David Michael, My Old Man Said, external
Season rating: 10/10. Villa getting back into the Champions League after 42 years out of Europe's top competition is a superb headline achievement. Winning the Europa Conference League would have made it an 11/10 season.
Unsung hero: Youri Tielemans. Despite being a key summer signing, he had to wait several months before making his first Premier League start. Fans were initially unconvinced, but the Belgium midfielder's patience and effort was rewarded, as he fast grew into a vital player for the team.
Player you would most like to sign: If there is room for this Villa team to improve, it is certainly in defence. If the recent young full-back signings, Kosta Nedeljkovic and Lino Sousa, both step up to next season’s matchday squad, that could save further spend in that department, as would Tyrone Mings returning at the same level as before. Overall, there will not be wholesale change because of the club's Financial Fair Play position, but it might be worth calling Crystal Palace to see if any of their forward players fancy the Champions League next season.
Best away fans: Despite honourable mentions to the likes of Ajax, Lille and Olympiakos, Hibernian's away fans were on another level to any Premier League visitors. Their rendition of Sunshine On Leith when the score over two legs was getting ugly was one of the true highlights at Villa Park this season. A credit to their club.
For all the best Villa content, scroll through our club page
Bournemouth
Sam Davis, Back of the Net, external
Season rating: 8/10. A superb first season. It took a while to get going, but once the Cherries starting purring, they could be a match for anyone - home or away.
Happy with your manager? To say Cherries fans are happy would be an understatement. The best compliment we could pay Andoni Iraola is that he is the closest manager to Eddie Howe's style and philosophy that we have had since the latter's departure. The Spaniard has finally enabled us to move on from Bournemouth's 'special one'.
Player you would most like to sign: There have been questions over our goalkeeper this season, so the return of Aaron Ramsdale would be music to the ears of many a Bournemouth fan. He will want to be playing regularly, so perhaps Dean Court could be the right place for him once more? However, if we could coax an existing player to stay longer, it would have to be Dominic Solanke.
Best away fans: This season the Arsenal fans were absolutely brilliant. Their side were obviously riding the crest of a wave in the league, but you know you have been visited by a well-supported team when some of their chants subsequently end up in your head for most of the evening. Last season, it was the chant for William Saliba - this time around, it was Kai Havertz's song.
Our dedicated Cherries page for news, analysis and supporter views
Brentford
Ian Westbrook, Beesotted podcast, external
Season rating: 7/10. Our hardest season yet in the Premier League because of the horrendous injury crisis, Ivan Toney's ban and David Raya's departure. Given all that, to stay up comfortably and never be in the bottom three is an impressive achievement.
Unsung hero: Mads Roerslev. The Dane is always playing second fiddle to other full-backs when they are fit, but this season took part in 34 of our 38 Premier League games with others unavailable. He has grown in confidence to become a very reliable player.
Player you would most like to sign: If Ross Barkley decides to leave Luton Town to try to stay in the Premier League, I think he could be an ideal signing for us to add some more experience to our midfield. While we do not normally sign players aged 30 or above, we made an exception with Pontus Jansson, which proved a brilliant decision, and Barkley’s skill and know-how would definitely help us.
Best away fans: It is often hard to hear the away fans from where I sit at the Gtech, but Newcastle United's supporters on Sunday were definitely among the loudest to have visited us this season.
Brighton
Scott McCarthy, We Are Brighton, external
Season rating: 8/10. Most Albion fans knew that domestic performances were likely to drop off with the additional workload of European football. I would have bitten an arm off back in August if offered an 11th-place finish and wins over Ajax, Marseille, AEK Athens and Roma.
Unsung hero: Jan Paul van Hecke has been a revelation this season. It is no mean feat to look comfortably the best centre-back at Brighton when Lewis Dunk is around, but the Dutchman has managed it.
Player you would most like to sign: Wilfried Zaha just for the total meltdown it would cause among both Brighton and Crystal Palace supporters. More realistic is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who the Albion were linked with in January.
Best away fans: Aston Villa were very loud, which was particularly impressive given they were the only team who lost at the Amex in the final two months of the season. Special shoutout to the Palace supporters who stayed until the bitter end of their 4-1 humiliation back in February. All 17 of them out of 3,000!
For all the best Brighton content, scroll through our Albion page
Burnley
Natalie Bromley, No Nay Never podcast, external
Season rating: 2/10. A score that reflects where we finished in the league. After an incredible Championship campaign, we came into this season with hope and (moderate) expectation. The season has just not been good enough on so many levels.
Unsung hero: Sander Berge has been by far our best player this season and losing him in the summer feels inevitable. Off the field, our medical team should be praised for their work with Lyle Foster on his mental health issue. It is truly incredible he was able to play again this season.
Player you would most like to sign: That depends largely on who we have to sell. On the assumption we need strikers, Sammie Szmodics from our neighbours Blackburn Rovers would be amusing on many levels.
Best away fans: Brighton for travelling in numbers and 250 miles for a game that had nothing riding on it for them. Bravo. Runners-up prize to Luton Town.
Chelsea
Cole Palmer scored 22 goals in the 2023-24 Premier League season in 34 appearances
Will Faulks, Chelsea News, external
Season rating: 6/10. Some dreadful moments and still some major long-term questions, but Chelsea reached their minimum aim of getting into Europe despite a quite incredible run of injuries. There was a worrying lack of progress for a long time, but there is no denying that individuals and the collective had improved by the end of the campaign.
Unsung hero: Trevoh Chalobah is underappreciated even among Chelsea fans, let alone the wider footballing world. Supporters had spent the first half of the season waiting for Christopher Nkunku to come back from injury and save their season, but in hindsight it was Chalobah whose return changed the course of the campaign. One of the best English centre-backs around.
Player you would most like to sign: A new contract for Conor Gallagher is essential, and the fact he has not already been rewarded with a long deal is one of the biggest black marks against the current sporting directors. He is homegrown, reliable and makes everyone around him better.
Best away fans: Leeds coming to town in the FA Cup was as good as expected. Their support got the home fans going, and the game delivered too.
Crystal Palace
Alex Pewter, Five Year Plan podcast, external
Season rating: A clear 8/10 season, recovering from a campaign destined for half that rating. Optimism may never have been higher, and it is entirely justified based on performances and an unlikely 10th-placed finish.
Unsung hero: Tyrick Mitchell has been a tireless force down the left flank. He has shown significant development in attack in this new tactical system. Any defensive regression suffered under Patrick Vieira has proved to be a blip, and he remains an excellent one-on-one tackler.
Player you would most like to sign: Not a new player or even a contract renewal. The most important signing Crystal Palace can make this summer is to retain sporting director Dougie Freedman. Currently shrouded in Newcastle United speculation to replace Dan Ashworth, Freedman is the lynchpin in the Palace set-up. Given the pivotal summer ahead, losing the key figure in implementing any transfer strategy would be devastating.
Best away fans: The victory over Manchester United may have been a crowning moment for the home team and Selhurst Park crowd, but a clear low for Erik ten Hag and the travelling supporters. Yet, the away fans endured the game and were vocal until the bitter end.
Scroll through our Crystal Palace page for all the best Eagles content
Everton
Mike Richards, Unholy Trinity, external
Season rating: 8/10. That is solely for the fight and heart the players and manager have shown in such difficult circumstances. External factors have made the season incredibly tough.
Unsung hero: Rightly so, Jarrad Branthwaite should walk away with all the club awards and external praise after a fantastic season. One player who has sometimes been forgotten or overlooked is Vitaliy Mykolenko. If there was an award for most improved player at the club, he would definitely win it. His improvement has been more noticeable, and his importance even more evident, as the season has progressed. He is now comfortable in the Premier League.
Player you would most like to sign: At this point, it is impossible to say who we can sign and with what money. Given his recent form and with his injury woes seemingly behind him, getting Dominic Calvert-Lewin tied down to a new deal is an important job this summer. Looking back to his best and with only 12 months left of his current contract, I would be working incredibly hard to convince him to sign for a few more seasons.
Best away fans: With the vast majority resorting to poverty chanting, it is a difficult award to give. We even made our neighbour's fans turn into blue seats as the second half wore on last month, so they are out of the running. I would give a nod to Sheffield United supporters, though. Sang all game, despite already being relegated and with a hint of good-mannered humour.
Fulham
Sammy James, Fulhamish, external
Season Rating: 7/10. A good campaign overall which included a cup semi-final and big wins over Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United. However, our poor end to the season and bad results in west London derbies have taken the gloss off slightly.
Unsung hero: Antonee Robinson. He has not gone unnoticed by the fanbase, but he has definitely been slept on by the rest of the league. There are not many standout left-backs in the division and Jedi - as he is commonly known - should be in the running for team of the season.
Player you would most like to sign: Gustavo Hamer. He is an absolute gem who we should have pounced on last summer and he should be available for a reasonable fee. He is always capable of magic and has shone in a poor Sheffield United team.
Best away fans: It is always easy to sing when you are winning, but Manchester City were impressive when they visited the Cottage the other week. Bonus points for everyone but Noel Gallagher doing the Poznan.
Our dedicated Cottagers page for the best analysis and fan views
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp said goodbye to Anfield after nearly a decade in charge of Liverpool
Jordan Chamberlain, Empire of the Kop, external
Season rating: 7/10. Imagine winning the title with Jurgen Klopp on his final day at Liverpool. Just a month or so back, the Reds were the Premier League favourites. The fairytale ending was not meant to be and ultimately it fizzled out into a third-place finish and the Carabao Cup. However, we would have taken this at the start of the season.
Unsung hero: Wataru Endo. Mocked upon arrival, the Japanese fought valiantly all season, even though he is of a slightly-below-elite level. His performance in the League Cup final and at home to Manchester City was warrior-like.
Player you would most like to sign: We need a proper defensive midfielder. Sadly, the best one on the market last summer, Declan Rice, went to Arsenal. This was a mistake. Now, new football CEO Michael Edwards needs to get creative. Maybe Manuel Ugarte from Paris St-Germain.
Best away fans: Crystal Palace. Always Palace. One of the few sets of fans who do not sing about poverty and attempt to goad Anfield by singing the national anthem. Since when did that become a thing?
For more fan views, plus all the best Liverpool content, scroll through our Reds page
Luton Town
Ollie Kay, We Are Luton Town, external
Season rating: 6/10. We knew it was going to be a long, hard slog. We were written off before a ball had been kicked - however, we finished top of the relegation zone and if we had taken our chances, or held on in games, we could have been above the dotted line. Regardless, the riches of the Premier League have set us up for the next decade.
Unsung hero: Carlton Morris. This may seem odd as he ended up as our top goal scorer and captain, but he played a key role in stepping up to fill Tom Lockyer's shoes as captain, which would have been tough on a personal level. On top of that, he played 90 minutes week in, week out as we coped with our decimated squad throughout late winter into spring.
Player you would most like to sign: A good right wing-back would be perfect. We had Issa Kabore on loan this season but injury meant he was never a guaranteed pick. For sentimental reasons, signing Cody Drameh would be fantastic after his efforts to help us to promotion while on loan. And a signing like Sammie Szmodics would be brilliant, especially with Premier League clubs circling over Elijah Adebayo.
Best away fans: Newcastle United. The Geordies did themselves proud and came to Kenilworth Road as the first opponents after Lockyer's collapse at Bournemouth. They sang for Tom, brought a banner and sang for their team - despite a 1-0 defeat - and are a thoroughly brilliant fanbase at home and away.
Manchester City
Nigel Rothband, The Man City Show podcast, external
Season rating: It all depends on the result at the weekend in the FA Cup final - 9.5 if City win back-to-back Doubles to go with their fourth Premier League crown in a row. Any other season would be 10/10 - but how can you beat last season's Treble?
Unsung hero: It is crazy that Rodri was not nominated for player of the year. How on earth was he overlooked? He had a better season than Phil Foden - and that is saying something!
Player you would most like to sign: I hope the club are working hard to retain the services of Stefan Ortega. He has never let us down whenever he has stepped into the breach and would be first-choice goalkeeper at most Premier League clubs. Mohammed Kudus looked a special talent for West Ham United at the weekend and it would be interesting to see what he could do in a City shirt.
Best away fans: Newcastle United fans are always fantastic. Beyond that, a nod to the large number of West Ham fans who stayed to witness the trophy lift on Sunday too.
Go to our City page for all the best analysis and discussion
Manchester United
Alex Turk, Stretford Paddock, external
Season rating: 3/10 with the FA Cup - 2/10 without it. United's worst Premier League and Champions League campaigns in recent history, and likely to be no European football next season. Need I say more?
Unsung hero: Jonny Evans. No-one expected Evans to feature so prominently after his surprise return last summer. He has played 29 times this season at the age of 36. United's injury curse - particularly at centre-half - required him to step up, and he has done. Icon.
Player you would most like to sign: Amadou Onana. United have a world-class midfielder in Bruno Fernandes and another in the making in Kobbie Mainoo. Everton need to sell, and the ball-winning specialist would provide the perfect balance alongside a playmaker and box-to-box engine.
Best away fans: Newcastle United. The Geordies had plenty to shout about at Old Trafford this season - ending United's Carabao Cup defence with a 3-0 win. They deserve recognition after travelling in their numbers for a midweek night game involving two weakened sides.
Newcastle
Matty Renton, The Magpie Channel TV, external
Season rating: 7/10. Fitting that we finished in seventh place. I could have scored higher because finishing in seventh, getting European qualification (as long as Manchester City win the FA Cup) after all the injuries, the Sandro Tonali ban and the Champions League group of death is a remarkable achievement. There were also some huge wins, including smashing Paris St-Germain 4-1, and two cup quarter-finals. However, we did finish fourth the season before. Without all the tribulations this year, I think we could have come close again. It is a season of what could have been, but I am still proud of the lads and looking forward to more European adventures.
Unsung hero: I would have to go with Fabian Schar. He signed for only £3m a few years ago and is getting better with age (and Howe's coaching). He is a solid and reliable centre-back, who is also silky, and he stayed fit for the majority of a long season.
Player you would most like to sign: Michael Olise. Go all out for the Crystal Palace star. He would be a big-money signing to excite the fans and the thought of him up front with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon is mouth-watering. On another note, it is just as important to keep our stars - Isak and Bruno Guimaraes.
Best away fans: Borussia Dortmund. The Champions League nights were something special and European fans are something else.
Nottingham Forest
Pat Riddell, The Famous Club, external
Season rating: 4/10. It could be lower but I am not sure it could be much higher. There has been promise and frustration in equal measure, but I think there are enough grounds to hope for better next season.
Unsung hero: In a strange season, there have been lots of players who have impressed, but not all the time. Neco Williams might have been named player of the month three times in a row, but he is often under the radar. The Welshman always puts in a solid shift in and has hugely improved during his two seasons with us.
Player you would most like to sign: Finishing off chances has been one of our Achilles' heels this year and a frontman with an eye for goal must surely be at the top of the shopping list. Given our success with signing unknown Brazilians who can slot straight into the team (Murillo, Danilo), I would happily take somebody we have never heard of if he can score 20 goals next season.
Best away fans: Everton have been in much the same boat as us this season, and their visit in December - not long after their 10-point deduction - demonstrated their fans' loud, passionate support.
For all the best Forest content, scroll through our dedicated page
Sheffield United
Ben Meakin, Blades Pod, external
Season rating: 0/10. Three wins all season, over 100 goals conceded and seven defeats by at least four goals. I expected this season to go badly but somehow we went below my low expectations.
Unsung hero: It may seem trite but it has to be the fans. Still turning up in big numbers and packing out away ends, and somehow not turning overly toxic during matches despite what we have been served up. Yes, some of that is apathy borne out of how we approached this season, but the players have had an (undeservedly?) easy ride from those who have paid to watch them.
Player you would most like to sign: We need to bring in over 10 players this summer just to have a squad next season, but top of my list to keep is John Egan. Signing the club captain to a new deal could be vital with so much change taking place in the rest of the squad.
Best away fans: Virtually every team to come to Bramall Lane has had a big party in the away end this season. Brighton were noisy and sold out their allocation in the FA Cup despite having to play us again a few weeks later - although the fact they won those two games by a combined score of 10-2 probably softened the blow of excessive travel costs.
Tottenham
Anna Howells, Spurs XY, external
Season rating: 7/10. We finished in fifth, which is a lot higher than anyone would have predicted. We had some wonderful moments (the beginning of the season set unrealistic expectations), but also suffered a lot of injuries, so that needs addressing. Plenty to improve on.
Unsung hero: Guglielmo Vicario played in all our games this season and was very solid. It is not an easy ask to come in and replace long-standing goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris, but he did very well.
Player you would most like to sign: Even though we scored a lot of goals, I still think the type of player we need would be a proven goalscorer, like Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig. We create a lot of chances but do not always convert them, so having a confident striker would be ideal.
Best away fans: Nottingham Forest. They have a great travelling support and their fans are some of the nicest people I know.
For more fan views, plus all the best Tottenham content, scroll through our Spurs page
West Ham
David Moyes left West Ham the season after guiding them to their first major trophy for 43 years
James Jones, We Are West Ham, external
Season rating: 6.5/10. It started really well and we did enjoy another memorable run in the Europa League, but form in 2024 cost us massively - and we failed to qualify for Europe again as a result. Ninth is not the worst position, but it probably should have been better.
Unsung hero: Emerson Palmieri. Just consistently solid at left-back - good defensively but also offers a bit of a threat in attack and has a good partnership with Lucas Paqueta. The fact we have been so poor defensively this season means he perhaps has not got the plaudits he deserves because, on the whole, he has been our best performing defender.
Player you would most like to sign: A striker. Do not care which one, just as long as he fits the system and scores goals. We cannot go into another season relying on Michail Antonio and it is unfair to expect Jarrod Bowen to have to deputise when he is already so effective from the right. That has to be a priority for the new manager.
Best away fans: From memory, Bayer Leverkusen were good, but that is no real surprise given what they have been treated to this season. In the Premier League, Luton Town were decent.
For all the best Hammers content, scroll through our dedicated page
Wolves
Matt Cooper, Talking Wolves, external
Season rating: 7/10. Expectations were low at the start but then Gary O'Neil had us dreaming of Europe in January. Sadly, we ran out of steam but it has been a good campaign overall.
Unsung hero: Nelson Semedo has quietly had a great season for Wolves. He has been great in possession and mostly solid in defence. He has been vital to how Wolves play.
Player you would most like to sign: Signings will, unfortunately, hinge on a big departure for Wolves, but it is important to only let one of Joao Gomes, Rayan Ait-Nouri or Pedro Neto go this summer.
Best away fans: I am always impressed by the Manchester United away support and this season was no different. However, I do feel away support - and home support - is getting worse. That could be a by-product of VAR sucking the spontaneity out of the game.
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- Published11 August 2023
