On Sunday afternoon (May 19), all 20 Premier League came out to fight for one last time in the 2023-24 season. All eyes were on the clashes at the Etihad Stadium and the Emirates Stadium, where Premier League aspirants Manchester City and Arsenal were in action. Man City needed to win against West Ham United to clinch the title, and thanks to a brace from Phil Foden, they attained said goal quite comfortably. Bagging a 3-1 win over the Hammers, Pep Guardiola’s champions became the first-ever team to win four consecutive Premier League titles.
On the other end of the spectrum were Luton Town, Burnley, and Sheffield United. The three underdogs tried their hardest to be competitive but could not keep up with the rest of the pack. As a result, they dropped to the Championship, with Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and either Leeds United or Southampton taking their places for next season.
Today, we will take a look at the individuals who stood out in the 2023-24 season, winning the most coveted individual accolades the league has to offer. Continue reading to meet the Premier League Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season, Golden Glove winner, Golden Boot winner, Playmaker Award winner, and the possible Manager of the Season.
Manager of the Season*: Pep Guardiola
Arguably the greatest tactician of the 21st century, Pep Guardiola guided Manchester City to a historic fourth-consecutive Premier League title on Sunday, surpassing Sir Alex Ferguson’s three-peat with Manchester United. Under his tutelage, Man City won 28 games, drew seven, and lost only three. His ability to switch tactics mid-air came in handy as the Cityzens overwhelmed their rivals often without going beyond the second gear.
Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery, Guardiola, Andoni Iraola, and Jurgen Klopp are the contenders for this year’s Barclays Manager of the Season award. But given how brilliant Guardiola performed over the 2023-24 campaign, there is little hope of the award going to anyone other than the four-time winner. Barclays will officially name their Manager of the Season on Tuesday, May 21.
Young Player of the Season: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Chelsea did not have the best Premier League campaign, as they finished sixth in the rankings and once again missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification. However, had it not been for the genius of debutant Cole Palmer, they would have had a hard time finishing in the top half of the table.
Palmer, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City last summer, enjoyed a stellar Premier League campaign, emerging as the Blues’ leading goal contributor. Playing 34 games in the league, he scored 22 times and provided a cool 11 assists, finishing second in both the Golden Boot and Playmaker Award races. The English top flight, however, did not overlook the 22-year-old’s exploits and rightly awarded him the Young Player of the Season award.
Golden Glove Winner: David Raya (Arsenal)
Many criticized Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s decision to sign David Raya in the summer transfer window, as he already had an in-form Aaron Ramsdale in his ranks. The Spaniard, however, did not give in to the pressure and appointed the Brentford loanee as his first-choice goalkeeper. At the end of the season, it is safe to say that the decision paid off, with the Spain international clinching the Golden Glove award in style.
Playing 32 Premier League matches, Raya managed to keep 16 clean sheets — three more than second-placed Jordan Pickford. He also conceded only 24 goals, emerging as the most economical shot-stopper in the division.
Arsenal will understandably make Raya’s stay permanent in the coming weeks. The north Londoners will pay £27 million ($34.31 million) for his services.
Playmaker Award Winner: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa have not played in the UEFA Champions League since the tournament got a facelift in the 1992-93 season. The drought will finally end next season when they join Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool in the most famous club cup competition in Europe.
Every player and member of the management played a part in pushing Aston Villa over the line, but Ollie Watkins deserves a special shoutout. The England international single-handedly led the attack, scoring and creating goals for fun. Watkins scored 19 times and provided 13 assists across the 2023-24 Premier League season, finishing joint-fourth in the Golden Boot race and clinching the coveted Playmaker of the Season award.
Golden Boot Winner: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
The likes of Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins pushed hard for the Premier League Golden Boot, but in the end, it was not even a contest. Manchester City goalmachine Erling Haaland successfully defended his title as the most prolific forward in the Premier League, scoring a cool 27 times in 31 matches. Had he not missed as many matches due to injuries, he could have gotten considerably closer to last season’s historic 36-goal haul. The Norwegian sharpshooter also claimed five assists in the 2023-24 Premier League season.
Haaland, 23, got a little unwarranted flak from a section of fans and pundits for his work off the ball. However, by delivering at the business end of the season — 9 games in the last 7 games — the ex-Borussia Dortmund man proved he was the right man for Guardiola’s impeccably-tuned winning machine.
Player of the Season: Phil Foden (Manchester City)
The man of the hour, Phil Foden, took the final step toward global recognition in the 2023-24 season, going from a world-class prospect to a world-class player. The Manchester City academy graduate showed the world his might time and again throughout the season, producing mesmerizing goals and assists practically on cue.
Foden, who was the Young Player of the Season last season, claimed the Player of the Season award before the final Matchday of the 2023-24 Premier League season. He proved his worthiness of the prestigious accolade once more on Sunday, scoring twice to seal Man City‘s 3-1 victory over West Ham United.
Foden, who will be eyeing to produce the goods once more when Man City face Manchester United in the FA Cup final next weekend, ended the league season with 19 goals and eight assists in 35 games. He also created 10 big chances, played 15 through balls, and hit the woodwork once.
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