Premier League Conclusions: 5 Key Talking Points from the 2024/25 Premier League Season

As the curtain falls on the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, football fans and pundits alike reflect on another dramatic season in England’s top flight. From tactical shifts to surprise triumphs and troubling trends, EPLNews brings you five crucial lessons we learned from this year’s action-packed season.

Arsenal on the Brink – But a Striker Is Crucial

Although Arsenal’s points total dipped compared to the previous season, Mikel Arteta’s side continue to show signs they are close to achieving silverware. The Gunners produced a memorable run in Europe, reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 16 years. A stunning elimination of Real Madrid highlighted their progress on the continental stage.

Defensively, Arsenal were again the benchmark, boasting the Premier League’s best record at the back. However, their struggles in front of goal proved costly. Kai Havertz finished as their top scorer in the league with just nine goals. Remarkably, it marks the first time in over a century—101 years—that no Arsenal player reached double figures in a top-flight league campaign.

Arteta maintained that his team outperformed their opponents in their European exit, and the underlying stats supported his assertion. Yet, the absence of a reliable goal-scorer ultimately derailed their trophy ambitions. Whether it’s Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko or another target, Arsenal must invest in a clinical number nine to make that final step forward.

Arne Slot’s Impact – Internal Growth Over Transfers

Arne Slot’s managerial debut in the Premier League will go down as one of the most impressive of all time. The Dutchman became only the fifth manager to win the Premier League in his first season in charge. Despite widespread expectations of a decline following Jurgen Klopp’s departure, Slot led Liverpool to an unexpected league title.

His approach stood out in a summer of big spending. Slot chose not to engage in major transfer activity, preferring to assess his inherited squad thoroughly. With Euro 2024 limiting pre-season preparation, he made just one permanent signing—Federico Chiesa—who featured for only 104 minutes in the league.

Instead, Slot focused on maximising existing talent. Ryan Gravenberch flourished in a deeper midfield role, while open and honest discussions with Mohamed Salah helped unlock the best numbers of the Egyptian’s career. While fans often demand exciting new signings, Slot demonstrated that success is forged on the training pitch. His philosophy underlines how internal development can be more valuable than external recruitment.

Is This the End of the ‘Big Six’?

For years, the Premier League’s power structure revolved around the so-called ‘Big Six’: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur. These clubs, consistently among the top revenue generators in Europe, have long dominated English football. However, that hierarchy appears to be under threat.

For the third consecutive season, a team outside this elite group secured Champions League qualification. Additionally, both domestic cup competitions were won by clubs outside the traditional powerhouses, offering fans a refreshing change.

Newcastle United and Aston Villa are leading the charge to dismantle the old order. Villa, in particular, made waves by reaching the Champions League quarter-finals. Meanwhile, both Manchester United and Tottenham endured their worst-ever seasons since the Premier League’s inception.

Astonishingly, the points gap between Manchester City—last season’s champions—and Nottingham Forest, who finished 17th, was just six points at the conclusion of this campaign. With increased financial parity and smart recruitment, the Premier League appears more open than ever before. The dominance of the Big Six is no longer guaranteed.

Traditional Number Nines Make a Comeback

In an era where false nines and fluid front threes became fashionable, traditional centre-forwards had seemingly fallen out of favour. But football is cyclical, and this season marked a strong resurgence for the classic number nine.

Chris Wood led the charge at Nottingham Forest, delivering an outstanding campaign with 20 Premier League goals—his best-ever return. The powerful New Zealander proved that brute strength and penalty-box instincts are far from outdated.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen also caught the eye. Standing at 6ft 4in, the towering Norwegian quietly produced one of the most underrated performances of the season. At Crystal Palace, Jean-Philippe Mateta continued to grow in influence, building on his reputation with another season of consistent scoring.

Down in East Anglia, Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap impressed fans with his blend of physicality and finishing ability. The young forward seemed just as delighted bulldozing defenders as he was scoring goals.

With numerous top clubs now scouring the market for traditional strikers, the number nine role is once again one of the most sought-after positions in the modern game.

Relegation Woes Highlight Growing Championship Gap

The divide between the Premier League and the Championship appears to be widening at an alarming rate. Before last season, only once had all three promoted teams been relegated straight back to the second tier. That scenario has now occurred in back-to-back campaigns.

Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton failed to keep pace with the top-flight demands this term. The trio managed a combined total of just 59 points—the lowest ever for relegated teams in Premier League history. None of them even breached the 30-point barrier, let alone approached the 40-point mark traditionally associated with survival.

Next season will see Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland return to the Premier League. All three clubs will need to significantly strengthen their squads to compete. Sunderland, in particular, face a steep challenge: their current squad was assembled for just £18 million—coincidentally, the same fee relegated Ipswich paid for Omari Hutchinson alone last summer. By contrast, the next lowest-cost squad in the Premier League belongs to Nottingham Forest, valued at £173 million.

Such stark disparities in squad investment and depth suggest the Premier League risks becoming a closed shop, where financial might plays an ever-larger role in survival and success.

Conclusion

The 2024/25 Premier League season provided thrilling football and no shortage of narratives. From Arsenal’s continued progress and Liverpool’s internal revolution, to the blurring lines between the elite and emerging clubs, fans were treated to a campaign full of surprises. However, the struggles of promoted teams also raise concerns for the competitiveness of the league’s structure. As we look ahead, these storylines will continue to shape the ever-evolving drama of English football’s most prestigious competition.