Which side were remarkable? Who were a shambles? Phil McNulty's season review

Figure caption, Arsenal lift the Premier Lague title Chief football writerPublished34 minutes agoThe Premier League season finished with Arsenal crowned champions for the first time in 22 years, while arch rivals Tottenham avoided the humiliation of relegation on the final day. It has been a campaign of surprises, from Liverpool's collapsed title defence despite spending £450m last summer to promoted Sunderland completing the remarkable feat of earning European football. There have been stories right through the division, with Pep Guardiola departing Manchester City after 10 glittering years. Here is my end-of-season review - with a look back to what I predicted in August. Arsenal were deserved winners of their first title since 2003-04. This season was the acid test for manager Mikel Arteta and his players. No more second places. No more nearly men. It had to be this season. Forget the quibbles about not being pleasing on the eye or too many set-pieces. The best team always win the Premier League and Arteta finally found the winning formula, with the Champions League final against Paris St-Germain to come on Saturday. Arsenal's title was built on solid defensive foundations, with goalkeeper David Raya outstanding behind Gabriel and William Saliba in central defence. Declan Rice was my player of the year. Now one title has been won, Arsenal have the foundations for years to come. What I said in August: "This is a team with enough to mount a meaningful title pursuit and challenge for the biggest prizes." Could title win start period of dominance for Arsenal? Published12 hours ago2nd: Man CityPrediction: 3rd Pep Guardiola's final season in charge of Manchester City ended with the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, but this time they were outlasted by Arsenal in the Premier League title race. The best pure football team in the country maybe, but the history books will not say that - only that Arsenal were champions, and rightly so. City simply had too many days - too many draws - where they could not complete the job, and it cost them. Guardiola, however, leaves behind a rebuilt team that have a glittering future. He will not be back at the heart of next season's title race. City will be. What I said in August: "I fully expect City to win a trophy and challenge for the title - but do not think they will reclaim their old crown." Figure caption, I'm leaving with an incredible sense of peace - Guardiola A big achievement, especially by Michael Carrick, who seamlessly cleared up the wreckage of Ruben Amorim's ill-fated time in charge and took Manchester United back into the Champions League. Bruno Fernandes was the inspiration, the player United simply cannot do without, while summer arrivals Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo added quality in attack. Belgium keeper Senne Lammens has been a masterstroke signing, while the rehabilitation of Kobbie Mainoo is more credit in Carrick's ledger. What I said in August: "They surely cannot be as bad again, can they?" What more can be said about Unai Emery's work at Aston Villa? Back to the Champions League and the club's first trophy since 1996 with his fifth Europa League win. Emery's perfectionist streak makes his management of Villa a work of art, with work-rate, organisation and talent making for a top-class team. Morgan Rogers is the centrepiece, but the key to it all is Emery and a team and club built in his own image and likeness. He is on course to go down in history as a Villa legend. What I said in August: "I fully expect them to be at the sharp end of the Premier League once more under the outstanding guidance of Emery." Where do you even start? This was a desperate campaign after strolling to the title last season in Arne Slot's first campaign in succession to Jurgen Klopp. The context should be provided by the tragedy of beloved forward Diogo Jota's death in July. Perfectly understandably, only those inside Anfield will feel and know its full impact. No-one, however, expected the season to end with Liverpool fans turning on Slot. Liverpool splashed out £450m last summer to make the team worse, while few could have predicted Mohamed Salah's form falling off a cliff and into public acrimony with Slot. So will Slot be around to oversee a recovery? Many Liverpool fans do not want him to be, but owner FSG is - currently - standing firm. What I said in August: "It's hard to see past Liverpool as this season's Premier League champions. This is a prediction made with complete confidence." Champions League secured - what's next for Slot and Liverpool? Published14 hours ago6th: BournemouthPrediction: 15th A truly remarkable achievement by Andoni Iraola and Bournemouth as they reached Europe for the first time in their 127-year history. It is even more striking as they lost three first-choice defenders last summer, while main forward Antoine Semenyo joined Manchester City in January. No matter, as this thrilling team never missed a beat, going 18 l

Which side were remarkable? Who were a shambles? Phil McNulty's season review

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