2017–18 Premier League


The 2017–18 Premier League was the 26th season of the Premier League, the top English professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 11 August 2017 and concluded on 13 May 2018. Fixtures for the 2017–18 season were announced on 14 June 2017. Chelsea were the defending champions, while Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town entered as the promoted teams from the 2016–17 EFL Championship.
Manchester City won their third Premier League title, and fifth English top-flight title overall, with five games to spare. The team broke numerous Premier League records over the course of the season, including: most points, most wins, most away wins, most goals, most consecutive league wins, highest goal difference, fewest minutes behind in matches and biggest winning points margin. All three promoted clubs avoided relegation for the first time since the 2011–12 campaign, and for only the third time in Premier League history.

Overview

Sleeve sponsorship

From this season on, club strips can feature sleeve sponsorship, whereby sponsors' logos will appear on the left sleeve of the strip in lieu of the Premier League patch.

Deception by simulation

From this season on, a three-man panel consisting of a former player, a former manager and a former match official will independently review video evidence on the Monday after games. Any player whom the three-man panel unanimously decide has caused an opponent to be sent off or has won a penalty as a result of deceiving the referee by simulation will be charged by the Football Association with "Successful Deception of a Match Official" which carries a penalty of suspension for two matches. Everton striker Oumar Niasse became the first Premier League player to be punished under the new rule.

Summary

were confirmed as Premier League champions following Manchester United's 0–1 defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion in the 33rd round. Manchester City had started the Premier League season with an away win over Brighton & Hove Albion in August. After a draw against Everton, Manchester City won eighteen games in a row. During this time they secured first position and held it for the remainder of the season. On 7 April, Manchester City lost to Manchester United in the local derby, in which a win would have secured their position as champions. The following week, Manchester United lost to bottom club West Bromwich Albion, and Manchester City defeated Tottenham. These results ensured Manchester City held an unassailable lead with five games left.
Defending champions Chelsea started the season badly, losing their opening game to Burnley 2–3; the first time the holders were defeated at home in their first match. A win at one of the title favourites, Tottenham, in their second game seemed to get their defence back on track, but results in September, including losing 0–1 to Manchester City, left them six points behind the leaders in fourth place. They failed to show the consistency of the previous season, and finished in fifth place. Manchester United started the season strongly winning their first three games without conceding a goal and led the table until mid-September. However, following convincing wins against Liverpool, Watford and Crystal Palace, Manchester City went top of the league in September and remained there for the rest of the season. During the campaign Manchester City broke and set several new club and English football records. They established national records in consecutive away and overall victories in all competitions; set a new English record for consecutive league wins ; equalled the Premier League record for consecutive away league wins and set club records by achieving 28 consecutive games unbeaten in all competitions; 30 consecutive games unbeaten in the league; 20 consecutive home wins in all competitions; and winning 14 away games in a season. They won their fifth English league title, and completed their second league and League Cup double in four years.
Arsenal had a poor season, finishing sixth overall. Long-serving manager Arsène Wenger announced his departure from the club on 20 April 2018. Their final home game was an emphatic 5–0 defeat of Burnley which guaranteed qualification to the group stage of the Europa League.
Despite the defeat, Burnley finished in seventh place, their best finish in English football since 1973–74. This meant they would be entered into the second qualifying round of the Europa League, their first competitive European football campaign in 50 years. Their strong finish led to manager Sean Dyche and defender James Tarkowski being nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Season and Premier League Player of the Season awards respectively.
Stoke City were the first team to be relegated to the EFL Championship when they lost 1–2 to Crystal Palace in their penultimate game. Although Stoke were only three points from safety with one game remaining, fellow strugglers Swansea and Southampton still had to play each other, meaning that Stoke would be unable to catch both of those teams and finish fourth from bottom. The game between Swansea and Southampton ended in a 1–0 away win for Southampton, which also meant that despite a five-game unbeaten run, West Bromwich Albion became the second team to be relegated to the Championship on 8 May 2018. Following their 1–2 defeat at the hands of Stoke on the final matchday, Swansea City were also relegated.

Teams

Twenty teams competed in the league – the top seventeen teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the Championship. The promoted teams were Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town, returning to the top flight after an absence of one, thirty-four and forty-five years respectively. This was also both Brighton & Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town's first season in the Premier League. They replaced Hull City, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

Stadiums and locations

Personnel and kits

League table

Results

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Mohamed SalahLiverpool32
2 Harry KaneTottenham Hotspur30
3 Sergio AgüeroManchester City21
4 Jamie VardyLeicester City20
5 Raheem SterlingManchester City18
6 Romelu LukakuManchester United16
7 Roberto FirminoLiverpool15
8 Alexandre LacazetteArsenal14
9 Gabriel JesusManchester City13
10 Eden HazardChelsea12
10 Riyad MahrezLeicester City12
10 Glenn MurrayBrighton & Hove Albion12
10 Son Heung-minTottenham Hotspur12

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef
Manchester CityWatford6–0 16 9 2017
ChelseaStoke City4–0 23 9 2017
BournemouthHuddersfield Town4–0 18 November 2017
EvertonWest Ham United4–0 29 November 2017
Tottenham HotspurBurnley3–0 23 December 2017
Tottenham HotspurSouthampton5–2 26 December 2017
Manchester CityNewcastle United3–1 20 1 2018
ArsenalEverton5–1 3 02 2018
4Manchester CityLeicester City5–1 10 2 2018
4LiverpoolWatford5–0 17 3 2018

;Notes
4 Player scored 4 goals
– Home team
– Away team

Top assists

RankPlayerClubAssists
1 Kevin De BruyneManchester City16
2 Leroy SanéManchester City15
3 David SilvaManchester City11
3 Raheem SterlingManchester City11
5 Dele AlliTottenham Hotspur10
5 Christian EriksenTottenham Hotspur10
5 Mohamed SalahLiverpool10
5 Paul PogbaManchester United10
5 Riyad MahrezLeicester City10
10 Henrikh MkhitaryanManchester United/Arsenal9

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean
sheets
1 David de GeaManchester United18
2 EdersonManchester City16
3 Thibaut CourtoisChelsea15
3 Hugo LlorisTottenham Hotspur15
5 Petr ČechArsenal11
5 Nick PopeBurnley11
7 Ben FosterWest Bromwich Albion10
7 Loris KariusLiverpool10
7 Jonas LösslHuddersfield Town10
7 Jordan PickfordEverton10
7 Mathew RyanBrighton & Hove Albion10

Discipline

Player

Monthly awards

Annual awards

Attendances