August
The season began with Manchester City’s new £51m signing, Erling Haaland, scoring … a lot. The Norwegian struck twice on his Premier League debut at West Ham, scored another against Newcastle where City rescued a 3-3 draw, and then racked up back-to-back hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. Contrast that with Darwin Núñez, Liverpool’s big summer recruit, who netted on his league debut at Fulham before head-butting Palace’s Joachim Andersen to earn a red card and suspension. The highlight (lowlight?) of the month came after Chelsea’s match with Tottenham, when the rival managers, Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte, became locked in a comically fierce handshake.
The sun sets over Selhurst Park during the opening game of the season between Crystal Palace and Arsenal. Arsenal won 2-0. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland celebrates scoring his side’s second goal of the game at West Ham in a 2-0 win. Photograph: John Walton/PA
Chelsea’s manager Thomas Tuchel (left) clashes with his Tottenham counterpart, Antonio Conte, at full time at Stamford Bridge. The London rivals drew 2-2 following Harry Kane’s 96th-minute equaliser. Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Darwin Núñez of Liverpool reacts furiously after being shown a straight red card for head-butting Joachim Andersen of Crystal Palace at Anfield. The game ended 1-1. Photograph: Paul Greenwood/Shutterstock
Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier scores a free kick to put his side 3-1 up against Manchester City at St James’ Park. City fought back to draw 3-3. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA
The Bournemouth manager, Scott Parker, offers his apologies to the travelling supporters after they were hammered at Liverpool. The 9-0 score-line equalled the Premier League record. Photograph: Visionhaus/Getty Images
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September
Football paid its respects to Queen Elizabeth II following her death on 8 September. After a week of postponements, the action resumed at Villa Park where Steven Gerrard’s men beat Southampton 1-0. Elsewhere, Manchester City’s Jack Grealish copped a nasty kick in the crown jewels, Manchester United’s £82m new boy Antony scored on his debut as United ended Arsenal’s 100% start to the season, while West Ham were left fuming after a VAR check controversially ruled out Maxwel Cornet’s late equaliser at Chelsea. It was Tuchel’s last Premier League match in charge at Stamford Bridge. The Blues soon poached Graham Potter from Brighton, who signed Roberto De Zerbi as his replacement.
Jarrod Bowen of West Ham makes contact with Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Édouard Mendy, leading VAR to rule out an equaliser by Maxwel Cornet in the 90th minute. Chelsea won 2-1. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Haaland scores against Aston Villa at Villa Park, before Leon Bailey’s equaliser earned Villa a point. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA
Antony of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal against Arsenal at Old Trafford in a 3-1 win for United. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Aston Villa and Southampton players during a minute’s silence at Villa Park following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Nathan Collins fouls Manchester City’s Jack Grealish leading to a red card during their match at Molineux. City won 3-0. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images/Reuters
Son Heung-min grabbed a second-half hat-trick as Tottenham put six past Leicester at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Photograph: Tottenham Hotspur FC/Getty Images
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October
Arsenal won the season’s first north London derby against Tottenham, before Manchester City put six past Manchester United thanks to hat-tricks from Haaland and Phil Foden. Elsewhere, Liverpool’s erratic early season form continued as they beat City before losing to the strugglers Nottingham Forest and Leeds. Potter suffered a torrid return to Brighton where his expensively assembled squad were thrashed 4-1 and, by the end of the month, Newcastle had emerged as top-four contenders at Chelsea’s expense – their eye-catching victory at Tottenham followed up by a 4-0 thrashing of managerless Villa.
Arsenal’s players huddle before their match against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium, which they won 3-1. Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images
Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrates scoring the first goal against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. City were 4-0 up at half-time and won 6-3. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
A Brentford fan holds up a scarf inside the stadium before their home Premier League match against Brighton. Brentford won 2-0 with both goals scored by Ivan Toney. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Liverpool’s manager, Jürgen Klopp, remonstrates with the assistant referee during their 1-0 win over Manchester City at Anfield. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Newcastle United fans carry T-Rex inflatables to taunt the Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for supposedly having short arms. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Serge Aurier of Nottingham Forest celebrates with Taiwo Awoniyi after scoring against Liverpool at the City Ground in a 1-0 win. Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Brighton’s Leandro Trossard and Adam Webster celebrate after Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s own goal at the Amex Stadium. It was one of two own goals scored by Chelsea that day. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters
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November
After weeks of sulking and being dropped to the bench, Cristiano Ronaldo departed Manchester United in November saying he had been “betrayed” by the club and had no respect for the manager, Erik ten Hag. His last match was a 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa, who had their new manager, Unai Emery, at the helm for the first time. Elsewhere, Leeds were involved in successive seven-goal thrillers, and Brentford’s 2-1 win at Manchester City courtesy of Ivan Toney’s 98th-minute strike meant that City lay five points behind the leaders, Arsenal, going into the mid-season break for the World Cup. At the foot of the table lay Wolves, Southampton and Nottingham Forest.
Tyler Adams (left), Wilfried Gnonto (centre) and Crysencio Summerville celebrate the latter’s winning goal against Bournemouth at Elland Road. Bournemouth had been 3-1 up but Leeds came back to win 4-3. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Raheem Sterling of Chelsea (top) is tackled by Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal during their match at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal won 1-0. Photograph: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images
Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo (right) reacts hysterically to a decision during the match between Aston Villa and Manchester United at Villa Park. Photograph: Rui Vieira/AP
Hugo Lloris makes a save against Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs came from behind three times to win 4-3. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Newcastle’s Sven Botman falls over Chelsea’s Armando Broja at St James’ Park. Newcastle won 1-0. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/Reuters
Ivan Toney of Brentford celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. He scored again in the 98th minute to hand Brentford a shock 2-1 win. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United scores in the 93rd minute as Bernd Leno of Fulham dives in vain at Craven Cottage. United won 2-1. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
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December
Following Argentina’s win at the World Cup in Qatar, Premier League football resumed on Boxing Day. The month layoff did little to dent Arsenal’s momentum as they registered a 3-1 win over West Ham in front of their former manager, Arsène Wenger. Newcastle leapt into second place thanks to their sixth straight win but ended the month in third. Bruno Guimarães, their Brazilian midfielder, was among those to pay personal tribute to the late, great Pelé, who died on 29 December at the age of 82 from cancer.
Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal (centre) celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal against West Ham during a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Rayan Aït-Nouri of Wolves scores in the 95th minute to seal a 2-1 win at Everton. Photograph: Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Lukasz Fabianski of West Ham looks on in desperation as Ivan Toney scores the opening goal during Brentford’s 2-0 win at the London Stadium. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Newcastle players, including Bruno Guimarães in a Brazil shirt, pay tribute to Pelé during a minute’s applause in memory of the football legend before their match against Leeds. Photograph: Scott Heppell/Reuters
Demarai Gray of Everton beats Ederson of Manchester City to score at the Etihad Stadium. The game ended 1-1. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Getty
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January
Brighton and Brentford both put three past Liverpool as they climbed into European contention, while Aston Villa’s resurgence under Emery continued apace with a 2-0 win at troubled Tottenham. Manchester City’s loss at Old Trafford coupled with Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Tottenham the following day saw the Gunners open up an eight-point lead at the top of the table. Elsewhere, João Félix, one of Chelsea’s many January recruits, was sent off during a lively debut against Fulham, who went nine points clear of their London neighbours, while Southampton recorded a sixth successive defeat, losing 1-0 at home to Forest.
Emi Buendía of Aston Villa celebrates after scoring his side’s first goal in the 2-0 win at Tottenham. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty
James Ward-Prowse of Southampton after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at St Mary’s. Photograph: Robin Jones/Getty
The Chelsea manager, Graham Potter, reacts with dismay during their Premier League match against Fulham at Craven Cottage, which the home side won 2-1. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (centre right) scores the equaliser against Manchester City at Old Trafford, though City felt aggrieved as Marcus Rashford appeared to be in an offside position and, according to many pundits, was interfering with play. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty
Brighton’s Ecuadorian defender Pervis Estupiñán controls the ball on his chest during their match against Liverpool at the Amex Stadium, which they won 3-0. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty
An Everton fan lets off a smoke bomb before the Premier League match against Southampton at Goodison Park. Southampton won 2-1. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA
Harry Kane of Tottenham falls to the turf after a challenge from Gabriel of Arsenal. Photograph: Javier García/Shutterstock
(Left to right) Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel and Granit Xhaka celebrate Arsenal’s win at Tottenham, which opened up an eight-point gap over Manchester City. Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images
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February
Harry Kane became Tottenham’s all-time record goalscorer in February with his 267th strike for the club. It was the only goal of the game as they beat Manchester City. Their north London neighbours, Arsenal, must have been delirious at City’s dropped points, having succumbed to an unlikely defeat themselves that weekend at Everton, who were led by a new manager in Sean Dyche. At the foot of the table, Southampton fans found mirth in the demise of their hapless manager, Nathan Jones, wishing him farewell with a P45 ahead of what proved to be his last game, a 2-1 defeat at home by Wolves.
A graphic on the big screen celebrates the achievement of Harry Kane, who scored his 267th goal for Tottenham to become their record scorer, as they defeated Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
A young Southampton fan holds a mock P45 in protest against the manager, Nathan Jones, before the match against Wolves at St Mary’s. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Vicente Guaita of Crystal Palace makes a save from Deniz Undav of Brighton during the Premier League match between the sides at Selhurst Park. The game ended 1-1. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images
Gabriel of Arsenal looks aghast as the referee, Anthony Taylor, books him against Manchester City, before the decision is reversed following a VAR review. Nevertheless, City beat Arsenal 3-1 in the first league meeting of the season between the top two clubs. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
The actor Tom Hanks celebrates Aston Villa’s first goal against Arsenal at Villa Park during a trip to the UK. Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to win 4-2. Photograph: James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images
Sundown at the match between Bournemouth and Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium. City won 4-1. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images
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March
Arsenal fans might have thought the Premier League title was destined for N7 after their stunning comeback victory against Bournemouth. Having been two goals down with half an hour remaining, Mikel Arteta’s excellent young side celebrated Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute winner deliriously. The next day Liverpool crushed Manchester United 7-0 – the biggest win in the history of the fixture – with six second-half goals. It didn’t count for much, however, as the following weekend the Reds lost to Bournemouth after Mo Salah’s penalty miss. Match of the Day viewers that evening had a curious experience: there was no commentary or punditry alongside the action footage, following a mass walkout by BBC employees in protest at the way the corporation had reprimanded Gary Lineker for his tweet about the government’s asylum policy.
Arsenal’s players celebrate their 97th-minute winner against Bournemouth, scored by Reiss Nelson, at the Emirates Stadium. Photograph: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty
Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot lies on the turf after Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino (not pictured) scores their seventh goal of the game at Anfield in a record victory. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA
Gary Lineker pictured in the stands during the Premier League match between Leicester and Chelsea at the King Power Stadium. The Match of the Day presenter was under fire from BBC bosses after a tweet he wrote about the Tory government’s asylum policy language. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty
Fans watch replays on the big screen as Newcastle’s Elliot Anderson’s goal against Nottingham Forest is disallowed by the VAR. Newcastle won 2-1. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters
Rain-soaked Wolves supporters watch their game against Leeds from temporary seating at Molineux. Leeds won 4-2. Photograph: Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
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April
On the day when the government sent a test emergency alert to people’s mobile phones, there were alarm bells ringing in Tottenham’s defence as they shipped five goals in the first 21 minutes at Newcastle. Travelling fans departed en masse before half-time, while the temporary head coach, Cristian Stellini, was given the boot the next day. Brendan Rodgers also lost his job at Leicester in April with the club in deep trouble. Elsewhere, Arsenal’s title charge blew up spectacularly as they squandered two-goal leads in successive matches, then rescued a point against lowly Southampton, before losing a game they surely had to win against Manchester City.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland scores a bicycle kick, his side’s third goal, against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium. City won 4-1. Photograph: Frank Augstein/AP
Gabriel Jesus and his Arsenal teammates look dejected after the final whistle in their 3-3 draw with Southampton at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal scored in the 88th and 90th minutes but couldn’t force a winning goal. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Joelinton of Newcastle celebrates after scoring to make it 2-0 against Tottenham at St James’ Park, en route to a 6-1 win. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA
Manchester City’s John Stones celebrates scoring their second goal against Arsenal with teammates Rúben Dias and Rodri. City won the big clash at the Etihad Stadium 4-1. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Keylor Navas of Nottingham Forest collects the ball during their match at Brentford. Josh Dasilva scored a 94th-minute winner for the hosts. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images
Diogo Jota of Liverpool (sitting) celebrates after scoring his team’s fourth goal against Tottenham at Anfield in a breathless match that ended 4-3. Only 60 seconds earlier Richarlison had scored an equaliser for Spurs, who had been 3-0 down. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images
Manchester United fans protest against the Glazer family’s ownership of the club outside the stadium before their match with Aston Villa at Old Trafford. Photograph: Ed Sykes/Action Images/Reuters
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May
Brighton killed off Arsenal’s title challenge with a 3-0 win at the Emirates, leaving Manchester City to clinch an inevitable fifth Premier League crown in six seasons. Pep Guardiola’s side ultimately amassed 89 points, five clear of the Gunners, and Haaland broke the goals tally for one season, scoring 36 in 35 games. Behind them, Newcastle sealed a place in the Champions League for the first time since 2005 leading to emotional celebrations at St James’ Park. At the bottom, Southampton, Leeds and Leicester were relegated, while Everton survived thanks to an absolute screamer by Abdoulaye Doucouré on the last day of the season.
A green laser beam hits the face of Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk during their Premier League match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal won 3-1. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images
Caglar Soyuncu of Leicester looks dejected after Willian of Fulham scored his team’s fifth goal at Craven Cottage. Fulham won 5-3. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images
Brighton’s Deniz Undav scores their second goal against Arsenal during a 3-0 win. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters
A young Newcastle supporter wears a mask depicting the face of Eddie Howe, the club’s manager, during their 0-0 draw with Leicester at St James’ Park. The point was enough to seal Newcastle’s place in the top four. Photograph: James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland celebrates winning his first Premier League title. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
A Leicester City fan reacts as his side are relegated despite beating West Ham 2-1 on the final day of the season. Photograph: Craig Brough/Action Images/Reuters
Everton’s players celebrate a goal by Abdoulaye Doucouré which earned a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at Goodison Park and ensured their survival in the Premier League. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
