On Christmas Day last year, Manchester City was eight points behind leaders Liverpool in the points table. They had picked up just 23 points from 13 matches, and pundits and ex-players predicted an open title race. But Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola proved them wrong. A 15-game winning run since the 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion saw them establish a 15-point lead over Manchester United at the top. City confirmed their fifth title in nine years with three games left in the season. It was an astounding achievement from Guardiola’s men.
Away dominance, free-flowing style & resurrection
Despite their struggles at Old Trafford, Manchester United remained unbeaten away from home in the league this season. The Red Devils won 12 of their 19 away fixtures and extended their run to 26 games. They also lived up to their nickname ‘comeback kings’ as the 13-time English Premier league winners collected 31 points from losing positions in the 2020-21 campaign.
While newly-promoted Fulham and West Bromwich Albion succumbed to relegation, Leeds United entertained football fans with a free-flowing style of football. The Yorkshire outfit, who scored more goals than Chelsea and Arsenal in the league, defeated City at Etihad Stadium and held Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea at home. A four-game winning streak helped them finish a deserving ninth in the points table.
West Ham United emerged as the surprise package in the 2020-21 season as the David Moyes-coached side finished sixth and grabbed a place in the upcoming Europa League edition. It was the first time they made it to the top six since the 1998-99 season. The Hammers also achieved their highest points tally – 65 points – in the English Premier League era.
Liverpool and Chelsea kept their nerves to seal a Champions League group stage spot. The 2019-20 league champions’ top-four hopes were in disarray after their defeat against Fulham in March. But they won eight of their last ten matches and sealed a third-place finish. Chelsea found themselves in trouble when manager Frank Lampard got the sack in January. However, under new boss Thomas Tuchel they clinched 11 wins from 19 games.
Relegated teams: Fulham, West Bromwich Albion, & Sheffield United
Stats
Top Goalscorers
| Player |
Club |
Goals |
| Harry Kane |
Tottenham Hotspur |
23 |
| Mohamed Salah |
Liverpool |
22 |
| Bruno Fernandes |
Manchester United |
18 |
Most Assists
| Player |
Club |
Assists |
| Harry Kane |
Tottenham Hotspur |
14 |
| Bruno Fernandes |
Manchester United |
12 |
| Kevin De Bruyne |
Manchester City |
12 |
Most Clean Sheets
| Player |
Club |
Clean Sheets |
| Ederson |
Manchester City |
19 |
| Edouard Mendy |
Chelsea |
16 |
| Emiliano Martinez |
Aston Villa |
15 |
Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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