Season Dates: August 2016 – May 2017
Champions: Chelsea
Top Scorer (Golden Boot): Harry Kane (Tottenham) – 29 goals
Relegated Teams: Hull City, Middlesbrough, Sunderland
European Qualification:
Champions League: Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Liverpool, Man United (via Europa League win)
Europa League: Arsenal, Everton
Season Overview:
The 2016/17 Premier League season saw Chelsea dominate under new manager Antonio Conte, reclaiming the title with a record-breaking 30 wins. Chelsea’s switch to a 3-4-3 formation proved pivotal, with players like Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kanté, and Diego Costa excelling.
Tottenham finished as runners-up with their best-ever Premier League campaign, while Man City and Liverpool secured Champions League qualification. Arsenal missed out on the top four for the first time in 21 years, while Man United finished sixth but secured a Champions League spot as a result of winning the Europa League.
At the bottom, Hull City, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland were relegated. Harry Kane claimed the Golden Boot for the second consecutive season, while Chelsea’s N’Golo Kanté was named Player of the Season in his first season with the Blues.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
August 2016 – The Season Begins
Chelsea and Man United started strong, while Liverpool shocked Arsenal with a 4-3 win at the Emirates thanks to a fantastic effort from debutant Sadio Mane.
Player of the Month: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
September 2016 – Guardiola’s City Impress
Man City won all their matches under new boss Pep Guardiola, while Chelsea suffered their first setbacks under their new number one, Conte.
Player of the Month: Son Heung-Min (Tottenham)
October 2016 – Chelsea Find Their Form
Chelsea switched to a 3-4-3 system and defeated Man United 4-0, kick-starting their dominant run and showing the tactical quality Conte posseses.
Player of the Month: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
November 2016 – Liverpool Enter the Title Race
Liverpool topped the table at the end of the month, playing an exciting brand of attacking football under Jurgen Klopp.
Player of the Month: Diego Costa (Chelsea)
December 2016 – Chelsea’s Winning Streak
Chelsea won six consecutive matches, while Man United climbed the table with an unbeaten run.
Player of the Month: Zlatan Ibrahimović (Manchester United)
January 2017 – Spurs Stop Chelsea’s Streak
Tottenham ended Chelsea’s 13-game winning streak with a 2-0 victory at White Hart Lane.
Player of the Month: Dele Alli (Tottenham)
February 2017 – Leicester Sack Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri was dismissed as Leicester manager just months after their fairytale title win, a decision that upset not only Foxes’ fans, but pundits and neutrals alike.
Player of the Month: Harry Kane (Tottenham)
March 2017 – The Title Race Narrows
Chelsea maintained their lead despite pressure from Tottenham, while Everton pushed for European qualification.
Player of the Month: Romelu Lukaku (Everton)
April 2017 – Chelsea Close In
Chelsea defeated Man City and Everton, effectively sealing the title in the process.
Player of the Month: Heung-Min Son (Tottenham)
May 2017 – Champions Crowned
Chelsea secured the title with a 1-0 win over West Brom, while Tottenham finished as runners-up.
Season Stats & Key Records
Golden Boot & Top Goal Scorers
- Harry Kane (Tottenham) – 29 goals
- Romelu Lukaku (Everton) – 25 goals
- Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal) – 24 goals
Most Assists
- Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – 18 assists
- Christian Eriksen (Tottenham) – 15 assists
- Gylfi Sigurðsson (Swansea) – 13 assists
Golden Glove (Most Clean Sheets)
- Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) – 16 clean sheets
- Hugo Lloris (Tottenham) – 15 clean sheets
- David de Gea (Manchester United) – 14 clean sheets
Big Matches & Moments
Best Match: Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (March 19, 2017) – A high-quality encounter between two attacking teams.
Biggest Upset: Hull City 2-0 Liverpool (February 4, 2017) – A shock defeat for the Reds, with ex-Everton striker Oumar Niasse scoring the second.
Most Dramatic Match: Swansea 5-4 Crystal Palace (November 26, 2016) – A thrilling goal-fest between two sides towards the bottom of the table.
Best Goal: Emre Can (Liverpool vs Watford – May 1, 2017) – A stunning bicycle kick from a the German midfielder who isn’t exactly known for his goalscoring touch.
Managerial Changes
- Swansea – Francesco Guidolin sacked (October 3, 2016) – replaced by Bob Bradley
- Crystal Palace – Alan Pardew sacked (December 22, 2016) – replaced by Sam Allardyce
- Swansea – Bob Bradley sacked (December 27, 2016) – replaced by Paul Clement
- Hull – Mike Phelan sacked (January 3, 2017) – replaced by Marco Silva
- Leicester – Claudio Ranieri sacked (February 23, 2017) – replaced by Craig Shakespeare
- Middlesbrough – Aitor Karanka left by mutual consent (March 19, 2017) – replaced by Steve Agnew (caretaker)
Transfers & Squad Movement
- Paul Pogba – Juventus to Manchester United – £89m (world-record fee at the time)
- John Stones – Everton to Manchester City – £46m
- Leroy Sane – Schalke to Manchester City – £43m
Awards & Honors
- Premier League Manager of the Season: Antonio Conte (Chelsea)
- Premier League Player of the Season: N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea)
- Premier League Young Player of the Season: Dele Alli (Tottenham)
- Premier League Goal of the Season: Emre Can (Liverpool vs Watford – May 1, 2017)
European Performance
- Leicester – UCL Quarter-Final to Atletico Madrid
- Arsenal – UCL Round of 16 to Bayern Munich
- Manchester City – UCL Round of 16 to Monaco
- Tottenham – UCL Group Stage and UEL Round of 16 to Gent
- Man United – UEL Winner
- Southampton – UEL Group Stage