The penultimate chapter of our season report cards takes us from the champions to one of the newest arrivals. Today we assess Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest, four clubs who all finished the campaign feeling pretty satisfied, albeit for very different reasons.

Manchester City — Grade: A+

Another year, another Premier League title, City completed a three-peat, winning the league for the third straight season and finishing with 89 points. But this wasn’t just any title-winning year: it was part of a historic treble, capped off with the FA Cup and Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s mid-season tactical shift defined their surge. The introduction of John Stones into a hybrid midfield role, the arrival and evolution of Erling Haaland (who casually smashed the Premier League goalscoring record with 36 goals), and a ruthless spring run turned a once-tight race into a coronation.

City weren’t perfect early on, some winter wobbliness allowed Arsenal to open up a gap, but once the machine clicked, the rest of the league were left chasing shadows.

Season summary: Tactical innovation, record-breaking goals, and unstoppable momentum.
Final verdict: A generational campaign from a generational team.

Manchester United — Grade: B+

Erik ten Hag’s first season at Old Trafford was exactly what United needed: stability, progress, identity. After the shambles of 21/22, a 3rd-place finish, a Carabao Cup trophy, and a run to the FA Cup final marked a major step forward.

The lows were notable, the 4–0 disaster at Brentford early in the season, the 6–3 derby loss, and the infamous 7–0 defeat to Liverpool, but the highs outweighed them. United were excellent at home, Marcus Rashford enjoyed the best season of his career (30 goals in all competitions), and Lisandro Martínez and Casemiro transformed the spine of the team.

Creativity remained an issue, and squad depth showed cracks late on, but the Ten Hag project made a convincing start.

Season summary: Cup winners, top-four return, renewed purpose.
Final verdict: A strong rebuild year with growing optimism.

Newcastle United — Grade: A

The story of Newcastle’s season is simple: ahead of schedule.

Finishing 4th and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years was beyond even optimistic expectations. Eddie Howe developed one of the league’s best defensive units, losing only five games all season, fewer than anyone except City.

They were intense, disciplined, and remarkably consistent. Bruno Guimarães continued to shine, Kieran Trippier was outstanding on both sides of the ball, and the mid-season arrival of Alexander Isak added flair and unpredictability. While scoring could occasionally dry up, Newcastle’s organisation carried them through.

To think this team narrowly avoided relegation just a year earlier makes the turnaround even more staggering.

Season summary: Top-four finish, elite defence, superb coaching.
Final verdict: A remarkable leap into Europe’s elite competition.

Nottingham Forest — Grade: B

Given that Forest signed essentially a new squad, over 30 players across the two windows, and spent much of the season hovering near the drop zone, survival alone feels like a major achievement.

They finished 16th, thanks largely to strong home form at the City Ground and Steve Cooper’s ability to instil belief amid the chaos. Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White were crucial, Keylor Navas provided experienced stability, and the late-season win over Arsenal effectively sealed safety.

Were Forest inconsistent? Absolutely. Were they chaotic? Completely. But staying up after a 23-year absence from the Premier League is a success on every metric.

Season summary: Massive squad churn, emotional home performances, survival earned.
Final verdict: Mission accomplished, now to build sustainably.