sport news Mail Sport's alternative awards for the Premier League season  trends now

Nine and a half months, one World Cup, numerous dramatic moments and several dubious VAR calls later and the Premier League season concluded on Sunday.

In what was a pulsating and entertaining campaign, there has been a title race and an intriguing battle for Europe, along with a desperate relegation scrap.

Manchester City eventually overtook Arsenal to secure their fifth league title in six seasons, while Manchester United and Newcastle made up the top four.

At the bottom, Southampton, Leeds and Leicester headed through the dreaded trap door after multiple twists and turns and will be playing Championship football next season.

Further fascination and jeopardy was added to a season that has seen 11 different teams undergo at least one managerial change by a winter World Cup in Qatar that saw the league break for six weeks between November and December. 

Following the conclusion of the campaign, Mail Sport looks back at some of the most iconic moments to hand out our alternative awards. 

LONGEST FAREWELL NOTE

It seems an age ago but Cristiano Ronaldo was a Manchester United player at the start of the season, until a 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan burned bridges more spectacularly than any formal transfer request could.

Ronaldo, who had been left out of United's team by Erik ten Hag after they started the season with defeats against Brighton and Brentford, didn't hold back during the November sit-down

'Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club. Nothing had changed,' he said. And while many United fans at that time would have agreed, his view on ten Hag was more contentious.

'I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me,' fumed the former Ballon d'Or winner. That was the end game. While Ronaldo was on World Cup duty, it was announced he and United had separated – and he now plays in Saudi Arabia.

MOST EXPLOSIVE RANT

Antonio Conte's fiery response to a friendly question after Tottenham's 3-3 draw at Southampton meant he could never manage the club again.

'We are not a team,' he raged in breaking down why Spurs had let a 3-1 lead slip. He then proceeded to lambast his players, ownership and the club history. He went to Italy for the forthcoming international break and never returned.

Managers are becoming increasingly cute about how to use their platform to relay messages.

Pep Guardiola forcibly challenged his players as they lagged behind Arsenal by stating football couldn't all be about 'happy flowers.' Erik ten Hag set his stall out early by calling Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to leave a pre-season match early after he'd been substituted as 'unacceptable'.

PUNDITS 'AT WAR' 

Jamie Redknapp and Gary Neville repeatedly spoke over each other with growing emotion as they dissected United's 4-0 defeat at Brentford in August. Neville wanted The Glazers to take the main hit, Redknapp blamed the players.

Presenter Kelly Dalglish stood by, partly because it was impossible to interrupt, but mainly because it made for great television. 'Jamie, Jamie' said an exasperated Neville at one point. 'Look at me when I'm talking to you,' snapped Redknapp.

Such confrontations have made the analysis almost as watchable as the football at times this season.

Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness sitting opposite Neville and Keane after Liverpool's 7-0 thrashing of United was almost cruel. When Neville tried to write it off as a 'freak' one-off, Souness jabbed his finger and retorted 'he wasn't watching the same game as I was', as Carragher also piled in.

VAR CRIME AGAINST COMMON SENSE 

Manchester United's winner against City at Old Trafford in January still beggars belief when

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