Anfield rises, giants fall: The Premier League’s year of upheaval

The 2024-25 Premier League season was one of seismic shifts, emotional farewells and the arrival of new contenders.

While Liverpool emerged as champions under the guidance of Arne Slot in his first season, the league's unpredictable narrative featured historic breakthroughs, dramatic collapses and the end of long-standing droughts.

Slot's arrival at Liverpool was met with uncertainty. Replacing Jurgen Klopp, a modern Anfield icon, seemed an impossible task. But the Dutchman's tactical discipline and man-management quickly won over fans.

An astonishing 26-game unbeaten league run saw Liverpool clinch the title weeks before the finish line, capitalising on Arsenal's wobble and Manchester City's implosion.

The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid Club was a bitter note, but the club's backbone -- Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah -- remains intact.

For Arsenal, the season was another chapter in a frustrating saga of near-misses. Mikel Arteta's side once again played beautiful football, even making it to the Champions League semifinals.

But as Manchester City crumbled, Arsenal failed to rise. A third consecutive second-place finish -- this time by a wide margin -- has turned hope into pressure. The lack of a clinical striker once again proved costly.

At the blue half of Manchester, a strong start gave way to a disastrous mid-season slump. The long-term absence of Rodri, the Ballon d'Or winner, was critical, with manager Pep Guardiola admitting sleepless nights as his side drifted.

City missed out on a top-two finish for the first time since 2017 and ended the season trophyless -- unthinkable just a year ago.

Chelsea, meanwhile, continued their chaotic resurgence. Enzo Maresca weathered pressure in his debut season, guiding the Blues to fourth place and back into the Champions League.

With over a billion pounds spent in recent seasons by the club's US ownership, expectations are sky-high. A UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis could still end the season on a celebratory note.

Few stories were as uplifting as Newcastle United. Eddie Howe guided the Magpies to their first domestic trophy in 70 years with a League Cup final win over Liverpool and a return to the Champions League. 

Aston Villa, meanwhile, thrilled neutrals with their high-octane, Unai Emery-engineered football. They beat Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in Europe and went unbeaten at home in the league after September.

Yet a final-day loss at Manchester United saw them drop out of the top five. With depth and star power across the pitch, Villa's ceiling remains high.

Further down the table, Nottingham Forest, AFC Bournemouth, and Brighton & Hove Albion punched above their weight. Forest briefly threatened a top-four finish, Brighton stunned top sides but lacked consistency and Bournemouth recorded a best-ever points tally under Andoni Iraola.

Crystal Palace stole hearts and headlines by lifting the FA Cup -- their first-ever major trophy. Under Oliver Glasner, they broke their club points record and earned UEFA Europa League football. With Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eberechi Eze, and Ismaila Sarr leading the charge, this was the club's greatest-ever season.

At the other end, Tottenham Hotspur's dismal league form was offset by a gritty Europa League triumph. Whether it's enough to save Ange Postecoglou's job remains to be seen.

Manchester United endured a season to forget, finishing outside the top ten and losing the Europa League final. Under Ruben Amorim, the club showed little improvement after parting ways with Erik ten Hag in October.

Relegation battles consumed Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United but all survived. David Moyes, Vítor Pereira, and Graham Potter each had moments of salvation in otherwise testing campaigns.

But for Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton, the drop proved inescapable. Leicester suffered nine straight goalless home defeats, Ipswich managed only four wins, and Southampton set a new record with 30 league losses.

As the curtain falls, Liverpool are deserved champions, Crystal Palace are cup royalty, and the Premier League once again proved why it remains the most compelling drama in sport. 

With transfers looming and managerial futures uncertain, the next act promises even more twists.