Ian Darke's Premier League season grades: How well did the 20 teams do?

Arne Slot achieved an impressive debut season by winning the Premier League with Liverpool, spearheaded by a talented Mohamed Salah, who undoubtedly became the best player in the league.

The Reds finished with high marks, but what about the other 19 teams this season? Well, it's report card time for the Premier League. Did your club fly or flop? Was their season a success or a shocker? Here are my grades considering what teams actually achieved based on their expectations from last August.

LIVERPOOL

First place, 84 points

It would have been an A+, had it not been for defeats against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final. Other than that, Liverpool were stylish and unexpected champions in what was supposed to be a transition year for new coach Arne Slot.

Slot barely put a foot wrong as his side cruised to a 20th title, aided by a record 47 goal involvements for Premier League Player of the Season Mohamed Salah. New deals for him and captain Virgil van Dijk, with the promise of significant summer signings, will mean Liverpool start as favorites to retain their crown. The only sour note was the booing of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who looks to be on his way to Real Madrid.

GRADE: A

ARSENAL

Second place, 74 points

After two runners-up finishes, many felt this would be the Gunners' year, so it was easy to dismiss them as "nearly men." But another second-place spot and a thrilling run to the semifinals of the Champions League -- which included a comprehensive defeat of Real Madrid -- is hardly a failure. The reticence to buy a quality striker in January came back to bite them hard, while 14 draws told a story of the Gunners failure to put teams to the sword.

GRADE: B+

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2:14

Michallik: Finishing second isn't a successful season for Arsenal

Janusz Michallik and Luis Miguel Echegaray react to Arsenal securing second place in the Premier League.

MANCHESTER CITY

Third place, 71 points

After four successive titles, nobody saw City's implosion coming. Pep Guardiola's team ended without a major trophy when every expectation was that they would seize more silverware. Why did it happen? The absence of key man Rodri, the loss of form of several players -- including Phil Foden -- injuries to others, and a definite loss of appetite. That said, City did well to recover to grab third place and stay in the Champions League. Guardiola later admitted: "We are not what we were, but we will be again."

GRADE: C-

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2:22

Guardiola snaps at journalist - 'Don't ask me about Grealish'

Pep Guardiola was not impressed when a journalist kept asking about Jack Grealish's omission from Manchester City's match day squad vs. Fulham.

CHELSEA

Fourth place, 69 points

Enzo Maresca's patient possession game was not to everyone's taste at Stamford Bridge, but he had the league's youngest team in title contention until Christmas. Form fell away until a late revival secured the Champions League return, which was the minimum requirement at a club with lofty ambitions. Look likely to add the UEFA Europa Conference League crown to their portfolio this week when they start as favorites in a final against Real Betis.

GRADE: B+

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2:05

Why Chelsea 'deserve a lot of credit' for UCL qualification

Steve Nicol talks about Chelsea's Premier League season after finishing fourth to secure their spot in the Champions League.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Fifth place (and Carabao Cup winners), 66 points

Both targets hit for the Toon. Firstly, delivering a first domestic trophy after 70 years as they beat Liverpool deservedly to lift the Carabao Cup, sparking wild and emotional scenes among their fans. But fortune favored them on the final day as they squeezed into a Champions League berth on goal difference despite losing at home to Everton. Having top European football to offer will help them keep 23-goal top scorer Alexander Isak.

GRADE: A-

ASTON VILLA

Sixth place, 66 points

An agonizing and controversial failure to make the top five on the final day took the shine off what was, for so long, a memorable season. Deep runs in the Champions League and FA Cup illuminated the campaign. Villa drop to the UEFA Europa League next season and it looks like they will lose award-winning keeper Emiliano Martínez this summer, but they took their fans on a heck of a ride.

GRADE: B

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Seventh place, 65 points

Will return to European football for the first time in 29 years in September, but only in the third-tier Conference League. It looked for so long like being the Champions League as their fast counter-attacking style made them the surprise packet of the season.

Forwards Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White, defenders Murillo and Nikola Milenković, and goalkeeper Matz Sels all starred, but sadly, Forest rather ran out of gas, or did teams just begin to work them out late in the season? They won only two of their last eight games and blew a 10-point cushion.

GRADE: B+

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

Eighth place, 61 points

Guided by the youngest-ever Premier League manager in Fabian Hürzeler, they finished three places and 13 points better off than last season under Roberto De Zerbi, one short of their record tally. A little erratic but always watchable, they have uncovered another gem in midfielder Carlos Baleba, another who might get transferred for a huge profit.

GRADE: B+

AFC BOURNEMOUTH

Ninth place, 56 points

Another team to tot up their record points total in the top flight. Andoni Iraola, the architect of their success, will be on the radar of top clubs around Europe. Two electric displays in January underlined how dangerous these all-action high-pressers could be, demolishing Newcastle 4-1 at St James' Park and then hammering Nottingham Forest 5-0. Center-back Dean Huijsen became a sensation at only 20, who will be at Real Madrid next season.

GRADE: A-

BRENTFORD

10th place, 56 points

A team to watch inspired by the goals of Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, and Kevin Schade, all of whom hit double figures. Served up a series of goal festivals in home matches (4-2 wins against Newcastle and Brighton, 4-3 against Manchester United and Ipswich Town). Broke their Premier League points record by getting 56.

Can they keep superb manager Thomas Frank off the shopping lists of rivals for much longer? And they are open to offers for Mbeumo?

GRADE: A-

FULHAM

11th place, 54 points

Up two places and seven points on last season, they were yet another club to break their record for Premier League points. In European contention until losing three of their last four matches, they were always a team to be reckoned with, as Liverpool found out in a 2-2 draw at Anfield. Too many dropped points at Craven Cottage proved costly.

GRADE: B-

CRYSTAL PALACE

12th place (and FA Cup winners), 53 points

A historic year for Palace as they collected the first trophy in their 119-year history, winning the FA Cup with a brilliant defensive display in the final against Manchester City. Only a bad start (they were in the drop zone in late November) prevented them from storming the top six. The question now is how many of their stars can they retain as rivals cast eyes at Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton, Marc Guéhi, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Ismaïla Sarr, and not to mention, manager Oliver Glasner.

GRADE: A

EVERTON

13th place, 48 points

A feel-good factor at last for the Toffees. Rescued from their habitual relegation fight by the return of David Moyes in January, they finished well clear of trouble with three wins to sign off their final year at Goodison Park.

With shrewd work in the summer, they could well kick on next season under new owners in their sparkling new stadium at Bramley Moor Dock.

GRADE: B

WEST HAM UNITED

14th place, 43 points

Down five places and nine points from last season. Desperately disappointing. Fancied to go well after some big spending last summer, but they never got going under Julen Lopetegui or his successor Graham Potter. No dynamism through central midfield, and they need more pace in the team. On the plus side, Hammer of the Year Aaron Wan-Bissaka proved a great signing.

GRADE: D+

MANCHESTER UNITED

15th place, 42 points

United's worst season since they were relegated 51 years ago. This campaign was a calamity, starting with the ill-judged decision to retain Erik Ten Hag only to fire him in November after he had spent £200 million. The expected upturn under Ruben Amorim failed to materialise amid his slavish adherence to a 3-4-2-1 system, which did not suit the players at his disposal.

The team had a great chance to save the season, but failed to show up for the Europa League final against Spurs in an abject display. Amorim promised that "the good times are coming back", but it will take major surgery and some financial gymnastics this summer.

Amorim could well be gone by November unless results and performances change.

GRADE: D-

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2:06

Is Amorim right to take the heat for Man United's struggles?

Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens look back at Ruben Amorim's end-of-season speech at Old Trafford after Manchester United's nightmare campaign.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

16th place, 42 points

Vitor Pereira proved one of the best managerial appointments of the season, coming in to replace Gary O'Neil in December with Wolves five points adrift of safety. In between drinking beer with the fans, the likeable Pereira tightened the defense and got the team shooting up the table with six successive wins in March and April, pulling them well clear.

Losing the lethal Matheus Cunha for £62.5m -- probably to Manchester United -- will be a blow, but the team coped well when he was injured or banned.

GRADE: C+

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

17th place (and Europa League winners), 38 points

Winning the Europa League and ending the club's 18-year trophy drought gave Spurs fans a magical and historic night. In the final, Ange Postecoglou showed he does have a tactical Plan B as his team defended superbly. But 22 league defeats and a finish one place outside the bottom three is appalling. Postecoglu's job is hanging by a thread.

GRADE: B+

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1:52

Will Ange Postecoglou still be sacked despite Europa League win?

Gab & Juls discuss Ange Postecoglou's future after Tottenham finished the Premier League season with 22 defeats.

LEICESTER CITY

18th place, 25 points

They were keeping their heads just above water until they fired Steve Cooper after only 12 games. Replacing him with the relatively unproven Ruud Van Nistelrooy did not work. At one stage, the Foxes lost eight successive home games without scoring as the season became a horror show. But a fitting finale for Jamie Vardy as he scored his 200th Leicester goal at least lifted the mood at a club with enough recent storylines to fill 10 Hollywood movies.

GRADE: D

IPSWICH TOWN

19th place, 22 points

After rocketing up from England's League One to the Premier League in successive years, they found the top flight a bridge too far. Manager Kieran McKenna agreed they had risen too far, too soon, and conceding 82 goals underlined a defensive naivety at this level. But don't bet against a quick return. Liam Delap will be staying in the Premier League after delivering 12 goals, with Manchester United reportedly being a possible destination for him.

GRADE: D+

SOUTHAMPTON

20th place, 12 points

Managed just 12 points and finished with a goal difference of minus 60, making them one of the weakest teams ever to play in the Premier League. Neither Russell Martin nor his successor Ivan Jurić ever looked like stopping the tidal wave of defeats. The only bright spot was the emergence of young Tyler Dibling.

GRADE: E