MANCHESTER CITY absolutely dominated the 2017-18 Premier League season.
Breaking the 100-goal and 100-point tally for the first time in history en route to lifting their third crown is a simply incredible achievement.
Mohamed Salah scored the most goals in a 38-game season too, as records tumbled in the Premier League.
But as the curtain comes down on the 2017-18 season, there were some new records set that you might now know about.
Check out some of them, below…
CIT OF ALRIGHT
IT’S not breaking news to say Pep Guardiola’s City had a phenomenal campaign… but the records they broke are still unbelievable.
As well as cracking three-figures for points and goals – City also racked up the most wins, most away wins, biggest positive goal difference, biggest title-winning margin and least time trailing.
In fact, in 2017-18, City lead the league in shots taken, shot conversion percentage, passing, possession, fewest goals conceded, fewest shots faced and most set-piece goals.
On top of that, the top four in the assists chart all came out of the Etihad. Scintillating.
KLOPP AND CHANGE
CLAUDIO RANIERI was called “The Tinkerman” at Chelsea for his tweaking of the starting XI… but he’s got nothing on Jurgen Klopp.
The Liverpool boss made more starting XI changes this season by a country mile at a staggering 135.
For context, Sean Dyche made just 34 first-team alterations all season… 101 fewer.
AGE BEFORE BEAUTY?
DESPITE the chopping and changing, Liverpool stayed true to their ethos… blooding youngsters like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez.
In fact, the average age of the Reds’ starting XI was the youngest in the league, at 25 years and 351 days… the only team to break the sub-26-year-old barrier.
While youth doesn’t always mean success, neither does age… with relegated West Brom boasting the oldest first-team at 29 years and 185 days.
TERR-Y IMPRESSIVE
SO outrageous was Man City’s 2017-18 dominance, only FOUR teams spent any time at the top of the Premier League.
Guardiola’s side spent 240 days (87 per cent) in No1, while Man United (34 days) and Arsenal (one day) joined them… briefly.
Amazingly, the fourth team to sit in the top spot were Huddersfield, who enjoyed a dream start to life in the top-flight – with a sole day in first.
YA BLUE IT
CHELSEA missed out on the top four this season, with last season’s champions managing just a fifth-placed finish.
But the Blues actually spent more time in the top four this term than third-placed Tottenham.
Chelsea spent 58 per cent of the season in the Champions League places, compared to Spurs’ 55.4 per cent… but it’s all means nothing now.
SOARING EAGLES
AMAZINGLY, Crystal Palace spent the second-most time (50 per cent) in the relegation zone this season.
Frank De Boer lost his first FOUR games in charge without scoring a single goal before being sacked, as the Eagles faced a mountain to climb.
Yet, thanks to Roy Hodgson, Palace rose fiercely to finish the season in 11th – despite spending half their time in the bottom three.
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COMEBACK KINGS & BOTTLE JOBS
BOURNEMOUTH were forced to work very hard to maintain their Premier League status.
In fact, the Cherries won the most points from losing positions with an astounding 21.
Meanwhile, West Brom were relegated in no small part down to dropping 26 points from winning positions.
BOOM XHAKA-LAKA
HE copped plenty of flak at Arsenal this season… but Granit Xhaka actually led the league in passes.
The Gunners midfielder made a total of 3,117 passes at an accuracy rate of 86.9 per cent.
The Swiss star was one of just two players – along with Nicolas Otamendi – to crack the 3,000-pass barrier – with playmaker extraordinaire Kevin De Bruyne miles behind on 2,694.
DEFEND, DEFEND, DEFEND
IT’S something of a lost art in the Premier League these days, defending…
But Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi certainly doesn’t shy away from the challenge, leading the league in tackles, with 138 – 21 ahead of second-placed Idrissa Gueye.
Meanwhile the pitch-covering star that is N’Golo Kante had the most interceptions with 85 – ahead of Palace’s Yohan Cabaye, on 78.
The Chelsea star was also third in tackles, with 113.
SALAH-VATING
LIVERPOOL were truly indebted to Salah in 2017-18, following his bargain £36.9million move from Roma.
As well as breaking the 38-game goal record with 32, he won 16 points by himself as the Reds battled into the top four.
To go with his Champions League heroics, Salah was actually directly responsible for exactly HALF of all Liverpool goals.
No one player was more important to their team in the Premier League this season.
THREE-SY
IN an incredible twist, all three promoted teams – Newcastle, Huddersfield and Brighton – survived.
It’s only the third time in Premier League history this has happened – along with 2011-12 and 2001-02.
Blackburn, Bolton and Fulham were the trailblazers, while Norwich, QPR and Swansea achieved it exactly a decade later.
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