By Score More
The 2023-24 Premier League season marked the 32nd year of the Premier League and the 125th season of top-flight English football. Beginning on 11 August 2023 and concluding on 19 May 2024, this season was notable not only for the high level of competition but also for several unprecedented events and rule changes that made it one of the most memorable seasons in recent history.
Manchester City Dominates Once Again
Manchester City entered the season as the defending champions and lived up to their reputation by clinching their fourth consecutive Premier League title. Their dominance on the pitch was a testament to the tactical brilliance of their manager and the exceptional talent within their squad.
Key Season Highlights and Controversies
Winter Break and Transfer Windows
This season was the third to feature a winter break, providing every team a two-week hiatus from all competitions between 2 January and 30 January 2024. The summer transfer window ran from 14 June to 1 September 2023, while the winter transfer window spanned from 1 January to 1 February 2024.
Everton’s Historic Points Deduction
For the third time in Premier League history, a team was deducted points due to financial irregularities. On 17 November 2023, Everton was docked 10 points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Following an appeal, the deduction was reduced to six points on 26 February 2024. However, further breaches resulted in an additional two-point deduction on 8 April 2024, bringing their total penalty to eight points for the season.
VAR Controversy
On 30 September 2023, a match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool was marred by a significant VAR error when Luis Díaz’s legitimate goal was disallowed. The Premier League’s refereeing body, PGMOL, admitted the mistake, which was attributed to VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook being fatigued from an eight-hour flight from the UAE the previous day.
Managerial Changes
Several managerial changes occurred throughout the season, impacting team performances and league standings:
- Sheffield United: Sacked Paul Heckingbottom on 5 December 2023 after a heavy defeat and appointed Chris Wilder.
- Nottingham Forest: Dismissed Steve Cooper on 19 December 2023 and replaced him with Nuno Espírito Santo, who initially struggled but eventually secured a crucial win against Newcastle United.
- Liverpool: Jürgen Klopp announced his intention to step down at the end of the season on 26 January 2024.
- Crystal Palace: Roy Hodgson resigned on 19 February 2024, with Oliver Glasner taking over.
- West Ham United: David Moyes announced he would leave at the end of the season on 6 May 2024.
Match Abandonments and Dramatic Comebacks
The match between Bournemouth and Luton Town on 16 December 2023 was abandoned after Luton’s captain, Tom Lockyer, suffered a cardiac arrest. The game was replayed on 13 March 2024, resulting in a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory for Bournemouth.
Relegation Battles
The relegation fight was intense, with Sheffield United becoming the first team to drop to the Championship after a crushing defeat to Newcastle United on 27 April 2024. Burnley and Luton Town also faced relegation, with Luton’s fate sealed after Nottingham Forest’s victory over Burnley on the last day of the season.
Rule Changes and Their Impact
This season saw the implementation of new stoppage time rules to combat time-wasting and improve the accuracy of time added on for stoppages. These rules led to longer periods of stoppage time and increased the drama and unpredictability of matches. While some praised the initiative, others called for a switch to actual timekeeping for greater transparency.
Conclusion
The 2023-24 Premier League season was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with triumphs, controversies, and unforgettable moments. Manchester City’s dominance, significant managerial changes, controversial decisions, and dramatic relegation battles all contributed to a season that will be remembered for years to come.
League table
- ^ If Manchester City (qualified for the Champions League) wins the 2023–24 FA Cup, the spot given to the FA Cup winners (Europa League league phase) will pass to the sixth-placed team.
- ^ Since the winners of the 2023–24 EFL Cup, Liverpool, qualified for the Champions League, the spot given to the League Cup winners (Conference League play-off round) was passed to the highest-placed team not already qualified for European competition.
- ^ Everton was deducted eight points for breaching profitability and sustainability rules. They were originally deducted 10 points but this was reduced to six after an appeal. The club was then deducted an additional two points for further PSR breaches.
- ^ Nottingham Forest was deducted four points for breaching profitability and sustainability rules. The club appealed the decision but was unsuccessful.
References:
- “Premier League 2023/24 fixtures announced.” Premier League, 15 June 2023.
- “Manchester City win fourth consecutive Premier League title.” BBC Sport, 19 May 2024.
- “Everton’s historic points deduction.” The Guardian, 17 November 2023.
- “VAR controversy in Tottenham vs Liverpool.” Sky Sports, 30 September 2023.
- “Sheffield United sack manager Paul Heckingbottom.” The Independent, 5 December 2023.
- “Nottingham Forest appoint Nuno Espírito Santo.” ESPN, 19 December 2023.
- “Jurgen Klopp to step down as Liverpool manager.” The Athletic, 26 January 2024.
- “Roy Hodgson resigns from Crystal Palace.” The Times, 19 February 2024.
- “Sheffield United relegated after defeat to Newcastle.” The Telegraph, 27 April 2024.
- “New stoppage time rules implemented in Premier League.” Daily Mail, 11 August 2023.