Plenty would have predicted that Manchester City would end up champions at the start of the campaign, but few if any could have seen how it would all play out.
With Arsenal leading for the vast majority of the season, at had looked as though the Gunners' 19-year title drought was coming to an end, only for City to eventually overhaul them and claim a fifth trophy in six years.
But as the dust settles on the campaign, what can we expect next season?
With Liverpool expected to add players, Manchester United progressing under Erik ten Hag, Newcastle gatecrashing the Champions League and change to come at Tottenham and Chelsea, could they be City's closest challengers next season? Or will it be Arsenal again?
We asked our team what they think.
Ben Husband
It's ridiculous to say that Man City opened the door considering they finished on 89 points...but they did. This felt like a transitional season where Pep Guardiola looked to evolve his side's style of play, spearheaded by the irrepressible Erling Haaland.
Next season, there is a good chance City won't have as much of a patchy start to the campaign, meaning anyone hoping to mount a push will have to start strong. Manchester United still feel a way off their 'noisy neighbours' and their away form against the top six would need to be improved beyond measure.
Arsenal gave it a good go, but their lack of depth ultimately proved fatal. They will recruit this summer, but the question remains of whether 'Diet Man City' will ever overtake the real thing.
Liverpool endured a very below-par season, but few should ever write off Jurgen Klopp. Their summer needs to be transformative, but they have the track record that they can live with City's unrelenting firepower. If any team is going to run City close again, it may still be them.
Alex Richards
Gary Neville had it right on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football when he was asked this question: The answer is Liverpool.
Over the past five years, Jurgen Klopp's side have been the only one to get anywhere near the record-breaking feats required to overhaul Pep Guardiola's men. Only once has it claimed them the title themselves, but TWICE their points total would have been good enough in ANY OTHER YEAR in English football history to take the top honour, while only Chelsea 2005 beats their 2022 points total.
Yes, Arsenal were greatly improved this term, but to beat Pep's side you need to be hitting that 90+ point mark. We don't know that the Gunners are capable of doing that.
But Liverpool we do. Twice they've taken them right to the wire, three times they've been over 90 points in the last five years. And last time they had an off season - like this - they came roaring back the following year.
And while there will be changes at Anfield this summer, they should only enhance the Reds ahead of next season's challenge. Some stale parts of the squad have needed freshening up for a while. Having no Champions League should also help in terms of rotation and keeping star men fresh.
City will be odds on favourites when August rolls around. But they'll be aware that if Klopp's Kop heroes build up an early head of steam in 2023-24, then they'll push them all the way.
Mike Walters
Forgive the facetious take, but Manchester City's biggest 'rivals' next season will be the Premier League hawks chasing them with a rap sheet containing 115 charges of financial jiggery-pokery.
One hundred and fifteen charges. They can't all be phishing expeditions. That's a lot of potential scandal to bat away. City's best formation will be their formidable XI of King's Counsel and big-shot lawyers.
It might even make the title race more interesting if they were docked 30 points, like Luton were in 2008. They haven't done too badly since then - the Hatters will start next season as City's equal partners in the top-flight.
On the pitch, I don't see Arsenal repeating this season's near-miss with the title. Their best chance was this year, and those six points tossed away against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton may haunt them for years to come.
Manchester United are showing signs of the giant awakening from its slumber but they still look horribly vulnerable away from home, so for a surprise contender to turn another City procession into a contest, how about Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea?
Poch Spice can't do any worse than the last 12 months of execrable under-achievement at Stamford Bridge - and if he gets off to a flyer, it could take him further than anyone outside SW6 imagined...
Who will be Manchester City's biggest title challengers next season? Have your say in the comments section
John Cross
This is a bit of a cheat when it comes to saying who will be Manchester City ’s closest challengers next season.
But I’m gonna say Manchester United AND Liverpool. It will be a bit of a return to the status quo with City, United and Liverpool in the title race.
However, I don’t think anyone will be able to stop City until after Pep Guardiola leaves the Etihad because they are so far ahead of the rest in every sense.
But Erik ten Hag has done so well at Old Trafford. To get them back into the top four with a funny looking squad, making square pegs work in round holes and, with more time and a chance to build again in the transfer window, United will be so much closer next season.
Liverpool’s problem is so obvious: the midfield. Not just the midfield but the midfield’s protection for the back four, the creativity for the attack and finding the right balance in the middle.
If Liverpool buy well - and their track record suggests they will - then I expect them to be back next season in terms of being closer challengers.
Neil McLeman
Arsenal have lost momentum this season while Liverpool and Chelsea need too much work to challenge for the title next season. But Manchester United are the team trending in the right direction.
They have found a proper manager in Erik ten Hag who has reached two cup finals and qualified for the Champions League in his first season.
Takeover permitting, more big spending this summer - especially the purchase of a top-class centre forward like Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen - will push them up to the next level.
It might not be enough to overtake their City rivals in the next 12 months but they will get the closest.
Tom Victor
The concern for Manchester City’s Premier League rivals isn’t that they can’t make up at least some of the ground on Pep Guardiola’s team, but rather that Guardiola’s team are likely to get even better themselves.
What’s more, the potential challengers all have fresh issues of their own. Arsenal, Newcastle and Man Utd will have the added distraction of Champions League football, Liverpool face a rebuilding mission after losing senior figures, and Chelsea are still, unmistakably, Chelsea.
The age makeup of Arsenal’s squad marks them out as the likely closest challengers, and that’s how I see things going as long as Arteta’s players stay healthy. The names the Gunners are being linked with in the transfer market look like offering that familiar blend of quality and room to grow, as has been the case with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Ben White in recent windows.
Now they just need to benefit from a drop-off from the champions, which at this moment looks implausible. Sorry everyone.
Sam Meade
History would suggest Liverpool, but much depends on who comes in throughout the summer. Midfield is in desperate need of some TLC and, should those players be able to hit the ground running, then the Reds can begin to push City once again. Defensively too they need some attention, Virgil van Dijk isn't what he once was, which has been overlooked by many.
United and Chelsea are the other shouts, but I feel like they have more ground to make up, even though they finished above Liverpool. The Reds know what it takes but those at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge haven't tasted league success for some time.
The Red Devils need a striker and they need to address their poor away form against proper sides. Mauricio Pochettino will need to quickly get a tune out of the expensive flops in west London, but the young squad in need of direction does appear ready made for him and his qualities.
Kieran King
I might be thinking a bit outside the box here but I believe Newcastle will push on and closely challenge Manchester City for the title next season.
Although the Magpies will have the extra distraction of Champions League football, I think they will add to their squad and compete on several fronts. James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, Declan Rice and Kieran Tierney are amongst the players being linked with Newcastle, and should they strengthen, I believe they have the credentials to fight alongside City at the top of the Premier League.
They have made a massive improvement this term and it wouldn't surprise me if they do it again. Eddie Howe has done wonders transforming players into being better such as Miguel Almiron, Fabian Schar, Joe Willock and Joelinton, while blending the new ones into the squad - like Bruno Guimaraes, Nick Pope and Alexander Isak.
If they can offload the deadwood and replace with high-quality Premier League players, then they will push on. I don't have any doubt.
Simon Bird
It’s five titles in six years for City, but there are ways that the Premier League can avoid becoming a one team league. A points deduction for a start.
City face charges that they breached Premier League financial rules more than 100 times over a nine year period. But that is probably kicked into the legal long grass for a few years yet.
Next season the only way they can be touched is if Arsenal kick on and learn from this campaign.
Can Declan Rice help bridge a five point gap? Maybe. A new driving force in midfield and another couple of elite recruits could see the Gunners put up a fight.
Liverpool will be stronger and with a refresh, look like the only club that could put together 15 game winning streaks needed to lift a title.
If, early in the season, a top rival can find a way of exposing City, and others then tap in to that formula, then perhaps it will see the champions losing the seven or eight times needed to give others a chance.
Who will be Manchester City's biggest title challengers next season? Have your say in the comments section
Felix Keith
Such is the dominance of Manchester City at the moment, having won five of the past six titles, that it is hard to see a different winner in 2023-24.
History would tell you that Liverpool are the most likely, given they are the only team to have managed to break Pep Guardiola’s grip on the trophy. But they will have to undergo a major rebuild over the summer and an assessment of their chances will therefore have to wait.
Arsenal were closest this season, but they clearly lack the squad depth to sustain a 38-game challenge.
I think that Manchester United are probably the best bet at the present moment. They have a manager with a clear philosophy in Erik ten Hag and are on the up. The signings of Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez have both made a huge impact this season and they now have the lure of the Champions League to attract big names.
A world-class centre-forward to support Marcus Rashford is an absolute must this summer and if (and admittedly it’s a big if) the Glazers can get their act together and get the takeover done soon, they can bolster the squad for an improved campaign next season.
Mark Jones
The more pessimistic of the seasoned Liverpool watchers would have told you that this campaign was inevitable at some point.
For a long time the Reds relied on repeated smart decisions and transfer window pragmatism to stay on the coattails of a Manchester City machine that was desperate to get away from them, but players get older, and people leave jobs.
With that in mind the hysterical reaction claiming that it was last summer's sale of Sadio Mane which caused the drop-off can and should be repeatedly ignored. It isn't going backwards that will see Liverpool move towards competing again, but a freshness and a vibrancy that they need now.
But they've already got it.
They may have finished fifth, but an unbeaten 11-game run at the end of the season shows that they do possess the ability to string the results needed for a title charge together, and to me they look to have the edge on the sides who finished second to fourth. When all is functioning, they are better than all of them.
The less pressurised environment of the Europa League, where star names can be rested and new signings bedded in, should help too, and if next season's title goes for 89 points as well I'd expect Liverpool to be close to it.
