Team of the season

1 Heurelho Gomes, Tottenham Hotspur

2 Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur

3 Patrice Evra, Manchester United

4 Thomas Vermaelen, Arsenal

5 Richard Dunne, Aston Villa

6 Frank Lampard, Chelsea

7 James Milner, Aston Villa

8 Florent Malouda, Chelsea

9 Didier Drogba, Chelsea

10 Wayne Rooney, Manchester United

11 Carlos Tevez, Manchester City

XI best before Christmas

1 Brian Jensen (Burnley)

2 Glen Johnson (Liverpool)

3 Maynor Figueroa (Wigan)

4 James Collins (Aston Villa)

5 Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham)

6 Denilson (Arsenal)

7 Tamir Cohen (Bolton Wanderers)

8 Lee Bowyer (Birmingham City)

9 Louis Saha (Everton)

10 Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea)

11 Stephen Hunt, right (Hull City)

XI most disappointing

1 Ben Foster (Manchester United)

2 Rafael Da Silva (Man United)

3 Gael Clichy (Arsenal)

4 Kolo Toure (Man City)

5 Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)

6 Michael Carrick (Man United)

7 Stephen Ireland (Man City)

8 Steven Gerrard, right (Liverpool)

9 Dimitar Berbatov (Man United)

10 Andriy Arshavin (Arsenal)

11 Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

XI most improved

1 Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham)

2 Alexandre Song (Arsenal)

3 Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham)

4 Michael Dawson (Tottenham)

5 Abou Diaby (Arsenal)

6 Darren Fletcher, right (Man United)

7 Lucas Leiva (Liverpool)

8 David Dunn (Blackburn Rovers)

9 Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal)

10 Bobby Zamora (Fulham)

11 Nani (Manchester United)

Five moments that settled the season

1 Rafa Benitez gains full control of Liverpool's transfer dealings 17 March, 2009

Having ousted Rick Parry and secured a power beyond even that of Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger, Benitez's major pieces of business last summer were the root of many – if not all – of Liverpool's problems. Xabi Alonso was replaced with a midfielder, in Alberto Aquilani, who didn't really start playing until March, removing all of last season's cohesion. And, although money was recouped, it was arguably wasted on Glen Johnson in a position Alvaro Arbeloa already filled when other areas required enhancing. The result was an ill-equipped squad was chasing from the start and never caught up. The big four was broken before the season started.

2 Jimmy Bullard gets injured 5 December, 2009

After missing Hull's atrocious start to the season through another long lay-off, the Premier League's crown prince returned to the starting XI in November to immediate effect. In three games, Hull beat Stoke 2-1 at home, drew away to Manchester City and home to West Ham with Bullard scoring three and proving influential. Hull had hope again and the relegation run-in a very open appearance. Then, in his fourth, his ligaments gave way after 18 minutes and his side did the same, losing 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Neither Hull nor Bullard were the same, even after his second return, illustrated by a missed penalty against Sunderland. From that day in December Hull were effective certainties for the drop.

3 Owen Coyle joins Bolton 4 January, 2010

Before Coyle's departure, Burnley at least put something of a battle at Turf Moor while Bolton looked like they could get drawn into a fierce fight for survival. Having only lost one home game before then though, Burnley then lost to Portsmouth, Wolves, Hull and three others in eight remaining matches at Turf Moor. As they plunged, Bolton picked up enough points against the weaker sides to be comfortable by the close of February. Those sudden turns in trajectory removed the drama from the race against the drop and, like Hull's fall, ultimately helped ensure West Ham's survival was secured long before the last day.

4 Wayne Rooney gets injured 30 March, 2010

In a swinging season in which top spot changed for the most times in Premier League history, pinpointing a moment with lasting effect can't really go beyond the last time it happened. Or, at least, the moment that caused it. All season, the wary talk about Manchester United had been 'what if Rooney gets injured'. Well he did and, by losing him for a mere five games after the Bayern Munich first leg, United also lost the key game against Chelsea, a place in the Champions League semi-finals and then any initiative as they drew with Blackburn. So, the first game after Rooney's injury, United lost first place. And the odds have remained against them reclaiming it.

5 Arsenal 0-0 Manchester City 24 April, 2010

A depleted and deflated Arsenal were there for the taking – as illustrated by Wigan the week before – yet Mancini's City sat back again, banking on beating Spurs in Wednesday's Champions League play-off. It handed all the initiative to Tottenham, however, who ultimately emulated their own recent victory over Arsenal with a win at Eastlands and saw their adventure rightly rewarded with the top-four spot City craved.

Games of the Season

1 Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City 20 September 2009, Old Trafford

The most expensive Manchester derby of all time was also one of the most exciting, with seven goals – two in stoppage time – and a winner scored by a former Liverpool legend over an ex-United icon bringing the best out of what amounted to a battle for the city. Michael Owen very quickly endeared himself to Old Trafford while Mark Hughes started to see his control loosen.

2 Chelsea 2-4 Manchester City 27 February 2010, Stamford Bridge

The handshakes mightn't have lived up to the hype but the second half did. A match with all the ingredients of great drama – morality play, love, betrayal – ultimately had all the ingredients of a great football match as an engaging encounter saw the title race swing open again

3 Everton 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur 6 December 2009, Goodison Park

Tottenham produced some of the most entertaining football in the Premier League this season so only right they feature in a best-games section. Yet what really made this match was the tenacity and desire of the often-dour Everton who fought back from two goals down – thanks to young Irishman Seamus Coleman – and still had to keep out Jermain Defoe's stoppage-time penalty.

Goals of the Season

1 Fernando Torres, Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland, 28 March 2010

In a season with a huge number of stunning long-range strikes but very few actual stand-out efforts, this arguably had the most to it. Cutting in from the left near the corner flag, Torres gave it a few stepovers to evade the flat-footed duo of Teemu Taino and Kieran Richardson before driving an arcing shot from an angle over Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon and into the top corner. Top class finish from the Spanish striker.

2 Cameron Jerome, Liverpool 2-2 Birmingham, 9 November 2009

An exhilarating move from one the season's most improved players. Driving at the Liverpool goal like – hyperbole ahoy – a younger Wayne Rooney, Jerome left the midfield in his slipstream before spotting Pep Reina just a few yards off his line. He then unleashed a fearsome strike from well outside the box that gave Reina no chance with its height but dipped just enough to jangle the net.

3 Maynor Figueroa, Stoke 2-2 Wigan, 14 December 2009

Back about 14 years ago, this would have undoubtedly made goal of the season. You can't fault the opportunism, the execution or even the glorious arc of the ball. From a few metres inside his own half, Figueroa saw Thomas Sorenson attempting to organise his defence for a free-kick only to launch the ball over them with a flight that was much more pleasing to the eye than Beckham's in 1996. It is one that ignites debate, but it was some hit.