Grading Every Premier League Team's 2025-26 Season
It was a year filled with parity, set-pieces and a dramatic title race that went until the 37th game.
Arsenal have wrestled the Premier League title away from 19 challengers and put the red side of north London back on its lofty perch.
Meanwhile, former champions Liverpool had a drastic downturn, while Chelsea and Manchester United faced a roller-coaster season featuring multiple managers.
So, how did all 20 teams fare?
Calum Rogers and Leo Collis have provided a grade for every Premier League team this season.
Arsenal
1 of 20
It should be pretty clear what this grade will be.Ā
Arsenal are Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years, and while some might grumble about the way the North Londoners achieved it, you simply can't argue with results.
The Gunners' total of 71 scored is the lowest accumulated by a title winner since Leicester City's surprising romp to the summit of England's top flight in the 2015-16 season. Of Arsenal's 26 wins, eight were earned with a 1-0 scoreline. Only Viktor Gyƶkeres managed to hit double figures in goals (14).Ā
Meanwhile, the clubs' penalty-box wrestling tactics have drawn plenty of ire, but the plan proved successful, with 18 goals earned from corners.Ā
Mikel Arteta's first league title as a manager was built on a rock-solid defense, with just 27 goals conceded in 38 games. The center-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel MagalhĆ£es is up there with the best tandem in the world, and the club's remarkable squad depth has ensured that injuries have not derailed their charge to glory.
It's been an efficient, if not spectacular, title win, and Manchester City kept things close almost up until the last day. But Gooners will simply not care how the trophy was won; it will enter the club's cabinet regardless.Ā
Whatever way you slice it, Arsenal are more than worthy of breaking their Premier League drought, and you wouldn't bet against them claiming the trophy again next year now that the "bottle" anxiety has been lifted from their collective shoulders.Ā
Grade: A+
-Leo Collis
Aston Villa
2 of 20
A top-four finish and a European trophy would've been roughly Villa's best-case scenario entering the season.Ā
While whispers of a potential title challenge around Christmas time ultimately proved fanciful, Unai Emery's side have remained comfortably in the league's top five for the majority of the season.Ā
Doing so while also balancing a successful European campaign is effectively the holy grail for clubs typically viewed as just below the traditional "big six," and Emery deserves huge credit after a difficult summer transfer window that was hamstrung by Villa's requirement to meet profit and sustainability rules.
The challenge for Villa next season will be proving that their performance is sustainable. Understat's expected points model has them as the league's 12th-best team, and while Villa will surely be much happier winning games rather than expecting to, a sharp regression is possible with their squad further stretched by a UEFA Champions League campaign.
For now, though, they can be delighted with their work.Ā
Grade: A+
-Calum Rogers
Bournemouth
3 of 20
Many observers, including myself, tipped Bournemouth for the drop after a summer that saw many of their best players plucked away from the Vitality Stadium.
However, that was a disservice to the managerial talents of Andoni Iraola, who has once again pulled off a remarkable league finish for a club with limited resources and pulling power.Ā
The Spaniard has guided the Cherries all the way up to sixth, their highest league place in history, and has ensured the club's first-ever berth in European competition for next season.Ā While a Champions League spot was tantalizingly close, a Europa League ticket is reward enough.
That Iraola did so while Bournemouth had a net spend of plus-$150 million is unbelievable, and his departure will be sorely felt by all associated with the club.
Marco Rose has a tough act to follow, but if he can keep hold of players like Adrien Truffert, Eli Kroupi Junior, Alex Scott and Tyler Adams ā and add a couple of players with experience in European club football ā he can build on that success and help the Cherries continue to punch above their weight.
Grade: A+
-Leo Collis
Brentford
4 of 20
Brentford were a preseason tip for relegation, with their decision to overlook experienced managerial targets to replace the outgoing Thomas Frank widely questioned. Losing the team's top two scorers from the previous season, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, without ready-made replacements also sounded alarm bells.
Former set piece coach Keith Andrews stepped up as manager, and while European qualification ultimately proved just out of reach, he comfortably surpassed expectations.Ā
Brentford surrendered the ninth-lowest expected goals total in defence and the sixth-most in attack, according to FotMob. The main beneficiary of those created chances, Igor Thiago, scored 22 goals and was nipping at Erling Haaland's heels in the Golden Boot race for much of the season.
Keeping hold of players such as Thiago, right-back Michael Kayode ā whose long throw was a consistent weapon all season ā and center-back Nathan Collins will be a challenge, but the likelihood is that Brentford will just keep chugging along regardless. Quite simply, this is what a well-run midtable Premier League club looks like.
Grade: A
-Calum Rogers
Brighton
5 of 20
Brighton & Hove Albion's otherwise impressive season could have been even better if they weren't so inconsistent.Ā
At the start of the season, a 2-1 victory over Manchester City was followed by a 2-1 loss to Bournemouth, and the cheer after an excellent 3-1 away win over Chelsea was nearly immediately extinguished with a 1-1 draw to Wolves in the next game.Ā
However, in the Seagulls' final 12 games of the season, they clocked up seven wins to send them soaring up the table, eventually settling in eighth place.
Fabian HĆ¼rzeler has done a fine job keeping the team competitive, but he's likely wondering what could have been, especially with an unlikely spot in the Champions League within spitting distance.Ā
Still, a return to the European stage for the second time in three seasons is a huge achievement for a club with a model of developing young players and then selling them for a profit.Ā
Danny Welbeck continued to defy Father Time with 13 Premier League goals in 2025-26, but the club surely can't expect the 35-year-old to keep up his late-career resurgence much longer, and they'll need attacking reinforcements to keep up with Europa Conference League commitments.
Grade: B+
-Leo Collis
Burnley
6 of 20
Since a six-year run at England's top table ended in 2022, Burnley have yo-yo'd to the Championship and back again twice, and each return to the Premier League has ended in relegation by a comfortable distance.Ā
The summer transfer window saw the club recruit just one experienced top-level player, former England right-back Kyle Walker. The rest of the business consisted of a mismatch of younger players with significant question marks over their ability to make an immediate impact.
The strategy gave off vibes of a team that had already accepted relegation and was planning for how to get promoted again in a couple of years' time, and perhaps that is simply the best approach to secure the club's future. Spending big money on transfer fees and wages doesn't guarantee anything for a promoted side after all, and it isn't hard to find examples of teams that fall into difficulties after taking too big of a swing in the Premier League.
But given the successes of both Sunderland and Leeds United following promotion this season, it has to be considered a disappointment that Burnley couldn't make more of an impact.
Grade: F
-Calum Rogers
Chelsea
7 of 20
Chelsea continue to find new and interesting ways to cause themselves problems.
The BlueCo era hit another low in a season that saw three different managers take to the dugout, with Calum McFarlane doing so on two separate occasions.Ā
A 10th-place league finish was far below expectations after Enzo Maresca won the Europa Conference League in his first year and snagged the Club World Cup in the summer, and drama was never far away from Stamford Bridge.Ā
The Italian was dismissed in January with the club sitting a respectable fifth in the Premier Leagueāalthough he effectively forced the hand of the Chelsea board after holding discussions with Manchester City.Ā
Then came Liam Rosenior, a manager groomed under the BlueCo banner at Strasbourg and tipped as a long-term option. He lasted just three months.
After two seasons of apparent progressionāwith a sixth-place finish followed by a spot in the top four after falling to 12th in 2022-23āChelsea will go back to the drawing board, with Xabi Alonso taking the helm for the upcoming campaign.Ā
The Blues will miss out on European football next season, a massive blow for a club that regularly throws money around in the transfer window. Embarrassingly for the shopaholics, only JoĆ£o Pedro can be considered a relative success among the summer's incomings.
Another chaotic, baffling season from a club that seems to revel in messiness.
Grade: D-
-Leo Collis
Crystal Palace
8 of 20
A 12-match winless run across all competitions from mid-December to early February ā which included an FA Cup exit to sixth-tier Macclesfield ā threatened to derail Crystal Palace's campaign. Manager Oliver Glasner's relationship with fans and the club's board also became strained, in particular after the decision to sell center-back Marc Guehi in January.
While Glasner often took issue with players departing the club, incoming transfers also made little impact. Striker Jorgen Strand Larsen has scored just three goals in 14 appearances since a $58 million move from Wolves in January, while forwards Brennan Johnson and Yeremi Pino have also struggled after making moves that cost a combined $81 million.Ā
Any disappointment would be washed away by victory in the UEFA Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, of course. But with Glasner departing, there will be concerns for any incoming manager to address after a season that has seen Palace begin to tread water.
Grade: C
-Calum Rogers
Everton
9 of 20
Everton were never at risk of a relegation scrap, which must have been sweet relief for long-suffering Toffees fans.
Manager David Moyes has done a fantastic job of bringing some semblance of stability, even flirting with European places during stages of the season.
While the momentum wasn't maintained for the whole campaignāEverton haven't won a game since Marchā49 points is the club's highest tally since the 2020-21 campaign, and it at least sets a platform for the Merseysiders to build on.Ā
With fans starting to settle into the new stadium and the club's finances looking a little rosier, hopes will be much higher heading into next season. The performances of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have been particularly promising, and if they can keep Iliman Ndiaye and sign a big-name or two, the Toffees can certainly dream a bit bigger when August comes around.
While 13th-place doesn't sound too impressive on paper, the fact that the campaign was uneventful can genuinely be considered a victory.Ā
Grade: B-
-Leo Collis
Fulham
10 of 20
European football ultimately proved out of reach for Fulham, but they will likely reflect positively on another season comfortably safe from relegation.Ā
The team faded badly, winning just three of their final 10 league games and taking some of the shine off what was setting up to be a special season in west London. The fifth-round FA Cup defeat at home to Championship side Southampton also took some gloss off.
But despite a poor finish, the fact remains that Fulham are not one of the league's big spenders and could easily be viewed as relegation candidates in an incredibly competitive league.Ā
With manager Marco Silva and top scorer and creator Harry Wilson both out of contract, there could be trouble on the horizon. But Fulham possess a strong amount of Premier League experience and quality, and they have a strong track record with other teams' cast-offs, such as Wilson, Alex Iwobi and RaĆŗl JimĆ©nez.
If Silva is to move on, his replacement will likely need to show a similar knack for developing undervalued talent.
Grade: B
-Calum Rogers
Leeds United
11 of 20
Leeds United, and Daniel Farke, survived. That's really all that matters.Ā
The German coach had never managed to keep his Norwich City teams in the top-flight, despite earning promotion with the Canaries twice.Ā
It wouldn't have been a surprise if the Leeds board had considered a contingency plan if a similar pattern played out, but Farke took a back-to-basics approach that yielded crucial results, ensuring the West Yorkshire side will stick around for at least another year.Ā
The signing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer proved to be a masterstroke, with the former Everton striker topping the club's scoring charts with 14. Farke also managed to juggle a number of new players with aplomb, with practically all of the incomers having a crucial impact on the campaign at one point or another.Ā
The worry for the club's ownership is whether the 49-year-old can adapt and take the club to the next level. There were certainly moments of concern this season, and Leeds were perhaps fortunate that the eventually relegated sides were so poor.
But, for now, Leeds can bask in the joy of a job well done. Next season can wait.Ā
Grade: B
-Leo Collis
Liverpool
12 of 20
After a record-breaking summer transfer window, expectations were through the roof for reigning Premier League champions Liverpool.Ā
With that spend came a significant amount of upheaval, though, and manager Arne Slot has struggled to find a workable approach with his new squad. Injuries to Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike haven't helped, but the Merseysiders' failure to make a significant addition at center-back was also a notable oversight.
New full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez haven't made much of an impact either, while Florian Wirtz has yet to show the consistency his $145 million transfer fee required.Ā
If Liverpool stick with Slot, it could be viewed as an acceptance that last summer's recruitment work was splashier than it was smart. In what has been a miserable season, credit may also be given for the fact that the team has still qualified for the UEFA Champions League, which shouldn't be taken for granted.
However, tame exits from cup competitions ā a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, a 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup and a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League ā in addition to a disappointing league performance move this season much closer to being unacceptable.
Data analyst Spencer Mossman also highlighted the decline in Liverpool's underlying numbers since January 2025, with the club consistently performing as a UEFA Europa League-level team in expected-goal metrics this season.Ā
Champions League qualification just about secures a passing grade, but Liverpool will need to work hard over the summer to arrest what has been a worrying drop in standards.
Grade: D-
-Calum Rogers
Manchester City
13 of 20
A title challenge was a welcome return for Manchester City fans after struggles in the 2024-25 campaign, but ultimately, the Citizens have now gone consecutive seasons without a Premier League trophy for the first time since a three-year drought from 2014 to 2017.
On top of that, the Etihad Stadium has now waved goodbye to Pep Guardiola, who has left the club after 10 glorious years.
The Spaniard looked perplexed at multiple points this season, although he managed to keep Arsenal looking over their shoulder until the penultimate matchweek. He will be leaving big shoes to fill, but the transition is made all the easier after a couple of down years in league play.
The arrival of Rayan Cherki provided a thrilling spark for a team that often looked out of ideas the previous season. If he had settled into the Catalan's system a little earlier in the campaign, things could have gone a lot differently.
While Guardiola didn't manage to add league title number seven to his Manchester City collection, he at least hinted that last season's nadir was a temporary blip rather than a sign of unrecoverable managerial decline. He also picked up Carabao Cup and FA Cup trophies, providing a couple of parting gifts after going without silverware last year.
For the club, the incoming coach has a squad capable of mounting a charge for top spot next season, and even though Guardiola's exit will be tough to take, a refresh might be exactly what the Citizens need.Ā
Grade: B
-Leo Collis
Manchester United
14 of 20
This was close to the perfect season for Manchester United. A high-spending summer transfer window appears to have paid off handsomely, as has the decision to replace former manager Ruben Amorim with Michael Carrick.
The only disappointment is the poor performance in the domestic cups, with the club being ousted by fourth-tier Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup under Amorim and losing out to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup while Darren Fletcher was in caretaker charge.
Carrick, though, oversaw a rise from seventh to third over his 17 games in charge, with Bruno Fernandes' insertion back into a No. 10 role vital in the team's transformation. Fernandes has broken the Premier League assist record with 21, and 13 of those assists came under Carrick's stewardship.
New signings Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Senne Lammens have played key roles, while Benjamin ŠeŔko has provided valuable contributions too. It's amazing what a competent series of decisions can do for a football club, and now the challenge for United will be to show they can sustain these performance levels while being more competitive for silverware both in Europe and domestically.
Grade: A-
-Calum Rogers
Newcastle United
15 of 20
The sale of Alexander Isak and the drama surrounding his departure undoubtedly disrupted Newcastle United's preseason preparations, but the loss of just one key player shouldn't excuse the club's rapid decline compared to last season.
After hitting the heights of fifth in 2024-25, the Magpies finished the campaign in a lowly 12th place, with 17 points fewer than the previous year.Ā
The arrival of Nick Woltemade seemed to plug the Isak-shaped hole immediately, with the German bagging four in his first five games. However, the goalsāand manager Eddie Howe's trustādied off soon after that, with the 24-year-old grabbing just four more for the rest of the campaign.Ā
In Year 5 of the PIF-funded project in the north-east, things have gone off the rails. Whether it's down to the manager, the lack of investment in the squad, players underperforming, or other teams improving at a faster paceāor a combination of allāis up for debate, but it does look like things need to change.Ā
That stagnation cannot continue into next season, and a bold decision might have to be made in the summer to get the club back on an upward trajectory.Ā
Grade: C-
-Leo Collis
Nottingham Forest
16 of 20
It's a case of "all's well that ends well" for Nottingham Forest, who have endured a turbulent season largely because of their own questionable decision-making.
After churning through managers Nuno EspĆritoĀ Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche, Forest finally landed on former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager VĆtor Pereira, who has done a commendable job in steadying the ship.Ā
Pereira joined with the club sitting just three points above the relegation zone, but four wins and five draws in his 12 league games in charge led the team clear of danger with games to spare.
The managerial issues also may have led to a busy summer of recruitment largely having little impact on the team's prospects, with only Igor Jesus making much of a difference among the incoming players.Ā
Their best transfer move was actually keeping hold of Morgan Gibbs-White, who scored 15 goals from midfield. Eight of those came under Pereira's management, and Forest's season could've looked a lot different without both men's contributions.
Grade: C
-Calum Rogers
Sunderland
17 of 20
Of the three promoted teams, Sunderland were by far the most impressive.Ā
Manager RĆ©gis Le Bris deserves immense credit for the job he's done, navigating a new league with a host of new players and picking up some fantastic results, and even earning a Europa League place.Ā
The Black Cats picked up two statement wins each against Chelsea and local rivals Newcastle during the campaign, while also getting a point at home against Manchester City and a draw away at Liverpool.Ā
In all, Sunderland earned 14 wins during the season, the same number as Chelsea and Newcastle and more than sixth-place Bournemouth.
That a possible European berth was even on the cards, never mind achieved, is mightily impressive for a club that only earned promotion via the Championship playoffs in 2024-25.Ā
It might be tougher to keep the same pace in the upcoming campaign, with the club likely needing to rein in the spending to remain within profit and sustainability rules. But the Black Cats have proved capable of going toe-to-toe with the big boys, and that should provide confidence heading into the difficult second season.Ā
Grade: A
-Leo Collis
Tottenham Hotspur
18 of 20
Tottenham Hotspur fans can feel pretty good about their team after a final-day victory over Everton that secured survival.
When the dust settles on an almost magical day in north London, though, the club must come to terms with its failures. It's almost impressive to string together the amount of strategic errors that has led Spurs to their second consecutive bottom-four finish.
Through baffling managerial hires to a recruitment strategy that leaned far too heavily on youth and athleticism and neglected technical ability, experience and leadership, Spurs sleepwalked into a relegation battle.Ā
Their refusal to make significant additions in Januaryāonly adding Conor Gallagher to an already crowded collection of midfield duelers and signing a largely untested 19-year-old, Souza, as a potential solution to the problem left-back spotāadded to the feeling that the club's leadership is attempting to row upstream without a paddle.
Roberto De Zerbi did make a significant impact as manager, winning 11 points in seven games to ensure survival.
But one good decision that came so late in the season that the club only barely avoided relegation should be little cause for celebration. Big changes are needed at Spurs, and there are significant questions over whether ownership and decision-makers are capable of turning things around.
Grade: F
-Calum Rogers
West Ham United
19 of 20
While West Ham United at least had a chance of survival up until the final day of the season, the unescapable fact is they will be playing in the Championship in 2025-26.
Just one win in their first nine games under Julen Lopetegui hinted at the direction their season was taking, and while Nuno EspĆritoĀ Santo was able to coax some better performances out of the east Londoners, his efforts weren't enough to spare the Hammers from the drop.
In truth, West Ham have been run poorly for close to a decade, with the success of David Moyes papering over the cracks at a club that honestly has ideas above its station.Ā
A succession of terrible transfer moves, a switch to a soulless stadium, and a habit of constantly thinking the grass is always greener on the other side have finally hit the Hammers where it hurts, and the route back to the top flight looks like a long one.Ā
Jarrod Bowen will almost certainly be waving goodbye to the club, and they will struggle to keep hold of players like Mateus Fernandes, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Crysencio Summerville. Whether Nuno sticks around is another story.
The club will be stripped for parts in the summer, and it might be a while before they grace the top flight again.
Grade: F
-Leo Collis
Wolverhampton Wanderers
20 of 20
A fourth consecutive season of regression for Wolverhampton Wanderers has seen them finish bottom of the Premier League.Ā
While managers VĆtor Pereira and then Rob Edwards and the players likely could have performed better, it's hard to point the blame anywhere other than the ownership group, Fosun International.
Just last summer, Wolves sold Matheus Cunha and Rayan AĆÆt-Nouri for a combined $128 million ā key starters on an already relegation-threatened team. While it is always difficult for clubs lower down the food chain to prevent players moving on, there had to be more ambition shown in replacing their departing stars and improving the team around them.
Just look at the efforts to replace Cunha's 15 goals from the 2024/25 season: summer signing Tolu Arokodare registered three goals, and Fer LĆ³pez returned to Celta Vigo in January after scoring no goals and failing to lock down a starting spot on the worst team in the league. January transfer Adam Armstrong didn't fare much better, scoring two goals in 14 games.Ā
These recruitment errors have been a consistent theme in Wolves' downfall, and they will need to correct those failings to return to the Premier League and then stay there.
Grade: F
-Calum Rogers
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