Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and GOAL's Premier League Player of the Season rankings

West Ham weren't able to ride the wave of their 2022-23 Europa Conference League success for long, but did still manage to record another top-half finish under departing boss David Moyes. A lot of the credit must go to Jarrod Bowen, who scored the winner in their now famous final victory over Fiorentina last May, as he's improved his finishing to help the Hammers become one of the most effective counter-attacking sides in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old racked up 16 Premier League goals, 10 more than he managed in the whole of last term, and his stunning hat-trick in a 4-2 away win at Brentford will live long in the memory. Bowen has also managed to set up another six as the focal point in West Ham's attack, forcing his way into the England squad as a result, and might find himself on the radar of a number of top clubs in the summer transfer window.

It's no exaggeration to suggest that Manchester United would have been fighting to avoid being dragged into a relegation dogfight had it not been for Bruno Fernandes. Erik ten Hag's side were dire as a collective throughout the season, and won't be playing Champions League football next term as a consequence, but Fernandes can still hold his head up high after a string of superb individual performances.

The Portuguese has somehow managed to record 18 goal involvements in this terrible United team, leading by example with his work rate and exceptional passing range. Fernandes does divide opinion among neutrals with his theatrics and body language, but there is no denying his quality.

If United are to start building towards a far brighter future under new minority owners INEOS, it's imperative that Fernandes is right at the centre of the project. The Red Devils are lucky to have the magical 29-year-old, who would probably get into the starting XI at every other elite club in Europe.

There was a lot of pressure on Son to deliver for Spurs this season. After Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich, the South Korea international became the main man in the team, which was further underlined by Ange Postecoglou's decision to hand him the captaincy.

By his own admission, the 2022-23 campaign was Son's most disappointing in a Tottenham shirt to date. However, the 31-year-old has shown he still has plenty left in the tank while swapping between his usual position on the left and a central striker role this term.

Son netted 17 goals, including three across two pulsating north London derby games against Arsenal, showing once again that he is peerless when it comes to the art of finishing. Spurs may have missed out on the Champions League, but Postecoglou's first season in charge must still be deemed a success, and Son certainly seems to be enjoying his football again under the no-nonsense Australian.

City are still one of the best defensive sides in England, which is mainly down to the presence of Dias, who is one of the few players in Guardiola's line-up that doesn't seem to be at risk of rotation when fully fit. The Portuguese is a master defender with superb positional sense and excellent technical qualities, and always takes on a leading role in his partnerships with Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake.

John Stones' continued struggles with injury robbed Dias of his main right-hand man, and he had his share of setbacks earlier in the season, but it's impossible to keep such a smooth operator down for long. Dias was front and centre once again as the general in Guardiola's ranks at the business end of the campaign, and one of the main reasons that City have been able to continue their unprecedented dominance of English football.

So many people wrote Virgil van Dijk off after a dismal 2022-23, but he's largely shown that class is permanent in Klopp's final season at the helm, rolling back the years to lead a new crop of 'mentality monsters'. There isn't a more complete defender in the game than Van Dijk when he's firing on all cylinders, and that was the case more often than not this term, as he dominated in one-on-one duels and won everything in the air while setting the tone for Liverpool's attacks with his composure and quality on the ball.

Klopp's shock decision to step down as head coach at the end of the season initially seemed to give Van Dijk another injection of motivation, as evidenced by his stunning performance in the Reds' Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea, which he capped by heading in the winning goal.

The Dutchman would have been desperate to ensure Klopp signed off with a second Premier League crown, but Liverpool imploded at the worst possible time, with a 2-0 derby defeat to Everton essentially ending their title challenge. The 32-year-old was as guilty as anyone of allowing his standards to slip, but helped to ensure that the Reds finished the campaign on a positive note, and he will still have a vital role to play under new boss Arne Slot in 2024-25.

Alexander Isak's first two seasons in the Premier League have been significantly disrupted by injury, which makes his haul of 31 goals in 52 appearances all the more remarkable. Twenty-one of those efforts have come this term, with Newcastle's initial £60 million ($75m) investment in the forward now looking like a steal, and he has broken Zlatan Ibrahimovic's record as the highest scoring Swedish player in a single Premier League season.

Comparisons between Isak and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry have also been drawn because of the Newcastle star's elegance on the ball and composure in the final third. After seeing Isak hit a stunning brace against Spurs, former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch said on TNT Sports: "He is so calm when he gets in those positions. He cut [Mickey] Van de Ven up a few times... You always know he is going to score, he has great feet and leads the line. He's not got the blistering pace Henry had, but the calmness in front of goal."

All the top Premier League clubs are now interested in Isak, and Newcastle may have a fight on their hands to keep hold of him in the summer. If the 24-year-old can finally put his fitness problems behind him for good, there is no limit to what he could achieve in the coming years.

Salah's status as a Liverpool legend has long been secured, and he proved his loyalty to the club beyond all reasonable doubt when Al-Ittihad came calling in the summer window. A lucrative move to Saudi Arabia was on the table, but Salah stayed put, and has since shown his unique value to Klopp's side once again.

Salah recorded 18 goals and 10 assists to help Liverpool re-emerge as title contenders, and the 31-year-old is expected to stick around at Anfield for at least one more year. A second Premier League winners' medal would have cemented Salah status among the greatest players to ever grace English football, but they didn't quite have the legs this time around, not least because their star man had been struggling for rhythm after suffering an unfortunate injury with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.

A return of just three goals from his last 10 Premier League appearances highlights how rusty Salah has been, and he allowed his frustration to boil over in a shocking touchline spat with Klopp after being benched at West Ham. It would be foolish to write Salah off just yet, though, and he will already be backing himself to challenge for the Golden Boot again next term.

Arsenal were able launch an even stronger title challenge this season with Saliba providing a rock solid base in the heart of the defence. The Frenchman was in the treatment room for the finishing stretch of the 2022-23 campaign and the Gunners fell apart in his absence, but he has returned in better shape than ever before.

Arteta's side posted the best defensive record in the division, largely thanks to Saliba's immense displays. The 23-year-old is a master when it comes to timing tackles and has the cool head to help Arsenal turn defence to attack within the blink of an eye.

No one is more important to the collective cause than Saliba, which he proved once again as Arsenal wrapped up their campaign with six successive wins and four clean sheets. He didn't cover himself in glory during the Gunners' damaging 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa, but showed real strength of character to lift the team afterwards, and will only get better as he approaches the prime years of his career.

Rodri's status as the best defensive midfielder in Europe is unquestionable. The Spaniard was the driving force behind City's run to the treble in 2023, and even scored the winner in the Champions League final. The 27-year-old looked as motivated as ever in 2023-24 too, with his tenacity and energy setting the tone for City's pursuit of even more silverware.

Guardiola initially brought in Rodri as a successor to Fernandinho, but he must now be classed as a huge upgrade on the Brazilian. The former Atletico Madrid man has no flaws in his game and City usually suffer when he is absent, as illustrated when Guardiola's side slumped to back-to-back defeats against Wolves and Arsenal in October without their suspended star midfielder.

Rodri maintained discipline when it mattered, though, delivering a sequence of towering performances during the run-in, the most notable of which saw him lay on two assists in a 5-1 rout of Wolves. Rodri also hit a total of eight Premier League goals in 2023-24, including another memorable final-day strike, and he can always be relied upon to seize the initiative in the tightest matches.

Saka spearheaded Arsenal's surprise title charge in 2022-23, and made another huge stride forward under Mikel Arteta this term. The 22-year-old reached a total of 25 goal involvements for the second year in a row, scoring from a variety of different angles while opening up defences at will with his creative qualities.

Arteta had to manage Saka's minutes more effectively due to burnout concerns, but he was still the one player who gave Arsenal an X-factor in the biggest games, and it's getting harder and harder for critics to refrain from admitting that the winger has entered the world-class bracket. That debate will rage on after the Gunners' latest title failure, but Saka's presence alone means they have every chance of knocking City off their perch next season.

The best is still yet to come, with Saka displaying a level of skill and maturity far beyond his years.

Haaland has become only the seventh man to win back-to-back Golden Boots, finishing his second season with City on 27 league goals, despite being absent in December and January due to injury. It took a while for Haaland to build up a rhythm again, with Roy Keane claiming he "looked like a League Two player" during City's 0-0 draw with Arsenal, and it is certainly fair to say that the Norway international needs to work on the technical side of his game.

However, as Guardiola has pointed out repeatedly, he's still the best striker in the world. Even when Haaland is on the periphery of games, he will still get chances because of his intelligent movement and natural intuition in and around the box. He's also a strong character who doesn't let negative comments bring him down and instead uses them as fuel.

A return of nine goals from his final seven appearances in 2023-24 silenced his detractors, with four of those coming in the rout of Wolves as he proved the clinical edge to his game remains firmly intact. It's easy to forget he's still just 23, too, and it's entirely possible he will keep re-writing the history books for years to come.

Watkins has been Villa's main source of goals since his arrival at the club in 2020, and bagged 15 during the club's run to a top-seven finish last season, but has ascended to a whole new level under Emery.

The 28-year-old posted a career-best haul of 19 goals this term, including a superb finish to cap off Villa's massive victory over Arsenal at the Emirates, while he also managed to lay on another 13 for his team-mates, earning the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award for the most assists in the process.

Villa eventually fell off the pace at the top of table, which was always a likely scenario given their lack of squad depth, but still ended up in fourth place thanks to Watkins' ruthlessness. The Villa talisman has done more than enough to make the plane for Euro 2024, and is very capable of being the perfect back-up striker for Harry Kane as England bid to win their first major trophy since 1966.

Palmer made the brave decision to leave Man City last summer in search of regular minutes, and proved to be the bargain of the season for Chelsea at £42.5 million ($54m). The 22-year-old was the biggest bright spark throughout another frustrating campaign for the Blues, taking on a leading role in Mauricio Pochettino's set-up.

The Argentine deployed Palmer in a number of different positions, and he rose to the challenge each time, with his brilliance on the ball adding a new dimension to Chelsea's attack. Palmer can execute a defence-splitting pass from anywhere on the pitch and has a real eye for goal - with his standout display coming in the 6-0 demolition of Everton that saw him find the net four times - which has earned him senior recognition for England.

Chelsea still have a long way to go before they can challenge the elite again, but they have one of the most exciting talents in Europe on their hands in Palmer, who racked up more goal contributions than any other Premier League player - a remarkable achievement given the Blues' inconsistency. It will be fascinating to see how he continues to develop at Stamford Bridge, but it's safe to say that Palmer has already earned a special place in the hearts of the Chelsea faithful.

"The way he behaves himself in front of the group and the standards that he sets are outstanding," Mikel Arteta said after Martin Odegaard's Man-of-the-Match performance for Arsenal against Luton on April 3. "He's a really important player. We needed that balance. Martin is vital to connect everything in the way we play."

Odegaard hit his seventh Premier League goal of the season in that 2-0 home victory, and produced another masterclass three days later to help the Gunners breeze past Brighton, while he produced one of the finest individual displays of the entire season in their derby demolition of Chelsea. The Norwegian never made the grade at Real Madrid, but they must now be rueing their decision to give up on him so soon, as he's proven himself as one of the best playmakers on the continent at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal know they can rely on Odegaard to take the ball under pressure and make things happen, while he also makes a vital contribution with his work rate out of possession, setting a shining example for his team-mates. Odegaard is the Gunners' most threatening player and has vowed that they will be back to win everything next season, which is not beyond the realms of possibility if he continues to improve at such a rapid rate.

Arsenal's club-record £105m ($131m) signing, Declan Rice has been at instant hit since swapping West Ham for the bright lights at the Emirates Stadium, having opted for a move across London instead of joining up with Guardiola's winning machine at City. Rice is now the first name on Arteta's team-sheet, having instantly endeared himself to supporters with a crucial late goal for the Gunners that set them on their way to a home win over Manchester United in August.

The 25-year-old is unmatched when it comes to ball recoveries and interceptions, but he also carries a real threat going forward - as evidenced by his stunning long-range efforts against Chelsea and West Ham. Rice has also shown off his dead-ball expertise since being appointed Arsenal's new permanent corner-taker at the turn of the year, which might just give England an edge at the Euros.

Rice's willingness to embrace extra responsibility is what really makes him special, and his relentless aggression has lifted Arsenal. Winning a first Premier League crown since 2003-04 may still be a pipedream for the Gunners, but in Rice they have arguably best all-round midfielder in the country right now, and he'll do everything within his power to make it a reality in the coming years.

City have been blessed with a host of creative geniuses during the Guardiola era, but Foden is well on his way to eclipsing all of them. At just 23, he already looks like a complete player, and is now the one City turn to to open games up with his agility and speed of thought in possession.

Foden scored 19 Premier League goals this season, his best-ever total, including a quite magnificent long-range strike against West Ham to set City on their way to a 3-1 final-day victory. He has become the most feared member of an all-star City team and looks unstoppable right now, with Guardiola finally unlocking his full potential after carefully managing his development over the past six seasons.

England's status as favourites for the Euros also has a lot to do with Foden, who has all the attributes to go on and become one of the greatest players of his generation - with the 2024 Ballon d'Or now well within his sights.