Premier League 2020-21 season review: Five-star Citizens prove dominant force

The 2020-21 Premier League season has reached its conclusion and we have awarded each of the 20 sides a rating out of five based on their performances.

1 - Manchester City - 5/5

Having led the way since the end of January, Manchester City secured a third Premier League title in four seasons and will be hoping to add the Champions League trophy to their 2020-21 haul as well. The signing of Ruben Dias transformed the club's defence and they remain the team to beat in England.

2 - Manchester United - 4/5

Manchester United were slow starters in the Premier League this season but have gone from strength to strength in 2021 and, thanks to the goals and assists of midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes, they are also in the Europa League final. They are only a couple of signings away from being genuine title contenders.

3- Liverpool - 2/5

The reigning champions salvaged a top-four finish in the final weeks of the season, having looked out of the running for the Champions League places for most of the campaign. But it was nonetheless a feeble title defence from Liverpool and it highlights how reliant they are on centre-back Virgil van Dijk.

4- Chelsea - 4/5

Frank Lampard left Chelsea with the club in the mid-table positions in January but under Thomas Tuchel they have become a defensive powerhouse and made the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League. With the likes of Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic in their ranks, the Blues could be dark horses next term.

Chelsea are capable of improving on their fourth-placed finish under Thomas TuchelCredit: Clive Rose

5- Leicester City - 4/5

It is getting tougher and tougher to make the top four in the Premier League and Brendan Rodgers deserves credit for the way he has handled a catalogue of injuries to get Leicester City into the Europa League again. They claimed silverware in the form of the FA Cup and Kelechi Iheanacho has taken his game to the next level in 2021.

6- West Ham - 4/5

West Ham deserve the award for most improved side this term having gone from finishing 16th last term to securing European qualification this season. They have been built around unexpected heroes such as David Moyes and Jesse Lingard and have ranked among the division's strongest teams since the turn of the year.

7- Tottenham - 2/5

They reached the final of the League Cup but it has otherwise been a disappointing campaign for Tottenham, who face a big rebuilding job this summer after manager Jose Mourinho departed in April and star player Harry Kane is now eager to move on to pastures new.

8- Arsenal - 2/5

Despite their late push for European qualification, it has been a season to forget for Arsenal, who have lacked an identity under Mikel Arteta. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has lost his magic touch in the final third and Willian and Thomas Partey have proven to be underwhelming additions to the squad.

9- Leeds United - 3/5

Few knew what to expect from Marcelo Bielsa's first season in the Premier League but the Argentinian has done well to earn a respectable finish with sleeping giants Leeds United, who were helped massively by the goals of Patrick Bamford and could push for Europe next campaign.

10- Everton - 3/5

There have certainly been signs of improvement from Everton, who placed 12th last season but were in the mix for the European places on the final day of the 2020-21 campaign. Dominic Calvert-Lewin enjoyed another strong season while James Rodriguez has proven to be a great addition for the Merseysiders.

11- Aston Villa - 3/5

The 7-2 home win over reigning champions Liverpool will be a highlight of the 2020-21 season for Aston Villa, who started the campaign on fire. European qualification looked a genuine possibility at stages but in their second season back in the Premier League, a mid-table finish represents progress for the Midlands outfit.

12- Newcastle - 3/5

Steve Bruce remains unpopular on Tyneside but has once again steered Newcastle to safety in the Premier League. The squad needs work if they are to push for a top-half finish but they at least have a fairly consistent goalscorer in Callum Wilson and are worth keeping an eye on if they get their recruitment right this summer.

13- Wolves - 2/5

Wolves were on the back foot for most of the campaign as a result of key forward Raul Jimenez's long-term absence through injury but they struggled to find a Plan B and looked a shadow of the side who finished seventh in 2019-20. The club will look to rebuild after manager Nuno Santo's departure.

14- Crystal Palace - 3/5

It was a solid but unspectacular season from Crystal Palace, who enjoyed highs like a 5-1 thrashing of West Brom and lows such as the 7-0 demolition by Liverpool. Eberechi Eze was a superb addition but now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines and they face a transition period with veteran Roy Hodgson leaving the club.

Crystal Palace are on the hunt for a replacement for Roy HodgsonCredit: Catherine Ivill / Getty Images

15- Southampton - 2/5

Southampton enjoyed a solid start to the season but a seven-game winless run, which included that infamous 9-0 spanking by Manchester United, at the beginning of the year saw them tumble down the table. Should Danny Ings leave this summer, there could be plenty of work to do at St Mary's.

16- Brighton - 2/5

Victory over Manchester City in their final home game of the season showed Brighton have quality in the final third but consistency evaded them and progressive boss Graham Potter could have got more out of this Seagulls squad.

17- Burnley - 1/5

Burnley were a cut above the relegated sides in the Premier League but it was nonetheless a disappointing campaign for Sean Dyche's men, who have seriously struggled for goals beyond striker Chris Wood this season and could do with a few new faces in the summer.

18- Fulham - 1/5

A squad featuring some decent players in Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tom Cairney and Ivan Cavaleiro should have maybe given it a better go in the Premier League this season and Scott Parker's men failed to rise to the occasion when it mattered, going on a run of seven defeats in eight games from mid-March onwards.

Scott Parker could not keep Fulham afloatCredit: Marc Atkins / Getty

19- West Brom - 2/5

Few would have fancied West Brom's chances of staying up this season after they failed to win any of their opening nine matches and even the arrival of survival specialist Sam Allardyce in the dugout was not enough to save their season.

20- Sheffield United - 1/5

It was going to take a disaster of a campaign to spell the end of Chris Wilder's Sheffield United tenure and that is the best way to describe the 2020-21 season for the Blades, who were in the bottom three since their defeat on the opening day and struggled in the final third, scoring a paltry 19 goals.

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