Season Dates: September 2020 – May 2021
Champions: Manchester City
Top Scorer (Golden Boot): Harry Kane (Tottenham) – 23 goals
Relegated Teams: Fulham, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United
European Qualification:
Champions League: Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea
Europa League: Leicester City, West Ham United
Conference League: Tottenham Hotspur
Season Overview:
The 2020/21 Premier League season was unique due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a delayed start and matches played behind closed doors for most of the season. While things were different in so many ways, they very much remained at the same at the top of the table, with Man City reclaiming their title with a dominant campaign, finishing 12 points clear of rivals Man United.
Liverpool, who struggled with defensive injuries, mounted a late surge to secure a top-four finish, while Chelsea, under new manager Thomas Tuchel, secured fourth place and went on to win the UEFA Champions League.
At the bottom, Sheffield United, West Brom, and Fulham were relegated after difficult campaigns. Tottenham endured an inconsistent season, but Harry Kane claimed both the Golden Boot and Playmaker of the Season awards.
Transfers, Kits, and More
Off the pitch, there was plenty to talk about as well. The season saw some big-name transfers, with players moving to and from clubs in search of new challenges and opportunities. And let’s not forget the kits – the 2020-21 season brought us some stylish and eye-catching designs, adding an extra dash of colour and flair to the proceedings.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
September 2020 – A Late Start
The season kicked off on September 12, with Arsenal securing a 3-0 win over Fulham. Liverpool edged out Leeds 4-3 in a thrilling opener.
Player of the Month: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
October 2020 – Goals Galore
A historic 7-2 defeat of Liverpool by Aston Villa and Tottenham’s 6-1 thrashing of Man United highlighted a goal-heavy month. It was a bad month for the Reds, with Virgil van Dijk rupturing his ACL and Everton leading the league early on.
Player of the Month: Heung-Min Son (Tottenham)
November 2020 – Spurs & Chelsea Lead the Way
Tottenham and Chelsea climbed to the top, while Man City and Liverpool found their form. Ole Gunnar Solskjær faced pressure at Man United after inconsistent results but remained in his job.
Player of the Month: Bruno Fernandes (Man United)
December 2020 – Festive Fixtures Shake Things Up
Liverpool ended the year on top after a 7-0 win over Crystal Palace. Man City began their dominant run, climbing the table, following a slow start to the campaign.
Player of the Month: Bruno Fernandes (Man United)
January 2021 – City Take Control
Man City went unbeaten and surged into first place, while Frank Lampard was sacked by Chelsea, being replaced by Thomas Tuchel.
Player of the Month: Ilkay Gündogan (Man City)
February 2021 – Liverpool Collapse
Liverpool lost four straight home games, effectively ending their title defence. Man City extended their lead at the top.
Player of the Month: Ilkay Gündogan (Man City)
March 2021 – Top Four Battle Heats Up
Chelsea’s form improved under Tuchel, while West Ham emerged as surprise top-four contenders thanks to performances from loan signing Jesse Lingard.
Player of the Month: Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester)
April 2021 – Man City Close In
City dominated, with Kevin De Bruyne instrumental in their title charge. Spurs sacked José Mourinho, replacing him with interim Ryan Mason.
Player of the Month: Jesse Lingard (West Ham)
May 2021 – Champions Crowned
Man City secured the title, while Liverpool snuck into the top four with a final-day win. Leicester missed out on Champions League qualification again.
Player of the Month: Joe Willock (Newcastle)
Season Stats & Key Records
Golden Boot & Top Goal Scorers
- Harry Kane (Tottenham) – 23 goals
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 22 goals
- Bruno Fernandes (Man United) – 18 goals
Most Assists
- Harry Kane (Tottenham) – 14 assists
- Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – 12 assists
- Bruno Fernandes (Man United) – 12 assists
Golden Glove (Most Clean Sheets)
- Ederson (Man City) – 19 clean sheets
- Edouard Mendy (Chelsea) – 16 clean sheets
- Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa) – 15 clean sheets
Big Matches & Moments
Best Match: Liverpool 4-3 Leeds (September 12, 2020) – A thrilling opening-day contest.
Biggest Upset: Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool (October 4, 2020) – An astonishing defeat for the reigning champions, taking place just hours after Spurs beat Man United 6-1.
Most Dramatic Match: West Ham 3-3 Tottenham (October 18, 2020) – A stunning late comeback from the Hammers capped off by a breathtaking goal from Manuel Lanzini.
Best Goal: Erik Lamela (Tottenham vs Arsenal – March 14, 2021) – A breathtaking rabona finish in the North London Derby.
Managerial Changes
- West Brom – Slavan Bilic sacked (December 16, 2020) replaced by Sam Allardyce
- Chelsea – Frank Lampard sacked (January 25, 2021) – replaced by Thomas Tuchel
- Sheffield United – Chris Wilder left by mutual consent (March 13, 2021) – replaced by Paul Heckingbottom (Interim)
- Tottenham – José Mourinho sacked (April 19, 2021) – replaced by Ryan Mason (Interim)
Transfers & Squad Movement
- Kai Havertz from Bayern Leverkusen to Chelsea – £66m
- Timo Werner from RB Leipzig to Chelsea – £44m
- Ben Chilwell from Leicester to Chelsea – £33m
Awards & Honors
- Premier League Manager of the Season: Pep Guardiola (Man City)
- Premier League Player of the Season: Ruben Dias (Man City)
- Premier League Young Player of the Season: Phil Foden (Man City)
- Premier League Goal of the Season: Erik Lamela (Tottenham vs Arsenal – March 14, 2021)
European Performance
- Man City – UCL Final to Chelsea
- Liverpool – UCL Quarter-Finals by Real Madrid
- Chelsea – UCL Winners
- Man United – UCL Group Stage and UEL Final to Villareal
- Tottenham – UECL Group Stage
