Premier League 2023-24 Season Review: The Essential Facts

A proper Premier League 2023-24 season review is an audit of margins, not a summary of results. The final table is the first thing people check, but it is built from tiebreakers, squad limits, and substitution rules that most recaps skip. Start with those mechanisms, and the whole season comes into focus.

Premier League 2023-24 season review: how the table is decided

Every Premier League season follows the same skeleton. The 2023-24 campaign, like every campaign since the league settled at 20 clubs, is made up of 20 clubs playing 38 matches each, one home and one away, for a total of 380 matches. A win earns three points, a draw earns one, and the bottom three are relegated to the Championship. Three clubs come up in return: two automatically and one through the play-off.

That is the frame. The review must then fill the frame with details that turn a fixture list into a story. Why did one team finish above another on the same points? Why did a club with a strong first choice eleven fade in April? Those questions point toward squad rules, substitution windows, and the order of tiebreakers.

When two or more clubs are level, the league uses a strict sequence: goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head record. If the clubs are still level and the position decides the title, relegation, or European qualification, a play-off at a neutral venue can be used. For a season review, that order matters because it tells you which results were worth more than they looked. A 3-2 win and a 1-0 win are both three points, but the first one changes goal difference and goals scored. Draws also matter in the same way. A 2-2 draw away from home can be more valuable to a team's final position than a dull 0-0 at home, even though both are one point. The table does not show this nuance. A review should.

History: why the league has this shape

The Premier League's structure is a product of a deliberate breakaway. It was founded on 20 February 1992 as the FA Premier League, when First Division clubs left to negotiate their own broadcast deals. The first season, 1992/93, had 22 clubs. That format lasted until the league reduced to 20 clubs in 1995/96.

This history explains the shape of a season review. The reduction to 20 clubs created the 38-match format that fans now treat as permanent. It also intensified the value of every fixture. With 380 matches in a season, the difference between survival and relegation can come down to a single result, or a single tiebreaker later in the table. A writer covering the 2023-24 season cannot ignore that context, because the clubs are competing under rules designed in the 1990s.

Squad rules and substitutions shape the story

The squad list is one of the most underrated parts of any season review. Premier League clubs must name a 25-player squad for players over 21, and at least 8 of those must be homegrown players. Homegrown for this purpose means a player trained in England or Wales for three years before turning 21. Players under 21 do not count against the 25, so clubs can lean on young players without sacrificing squad depth.

Substitutions also changed the tactical story. Teams can make five substitutions per match, but only in a maximum of three windows plus half-time. That rule affects how reviews judge managers. A manager who uses all five changes late can chase a game, protect a lead, or manage minutes. A season review that ignores the bench is missing one of the main ways modern results are shaped.

This is where the 2023-24 season review needs to separate itself from a simple results list. The clubs that used their squad best are not always the clubs with the most expensive starting eleven. The rules create a hidden competition in squad building, and that competition shows up in the final table.

Edge cases and common confusions

The most common mistake in reading a league table is assuming goal difference is the only tiebreaker. It is the first one, but not the last. If goal difference and goals scored are identical, head-to-head record decides. If the clubs are still level, and the position matters, a play-off at a neutral venue may decide it.

Promotion and relegation also need a clear explanation. The bottom three go down to the Championship. In their place, two clubs are promoted automatically and one wins a play-off. That is why the Championship final is one of the most financially important matches in English football, though that importance is not part of the standard league table.

The table also feeds into European qualification, and a season review should trace the knock-on effects. The top four clubs go to the Champions League league phase. Fifth place goes to the Europa League, as does the FA Cup winner. The League Cup winner goes to the Conference League play-off. Additional Champions League places can be earned through UEFA coefficient performance, and if a cup winner has already qualified through the league, the place passes down.

There is also a fantasy football layer to a season review. Many readers experience the campaign through FPL, so the scoring rules are worth knowing. A 15-player squad with 11 starters and a £100.0m budget can carry no more than three players from one club. Goals are worth 6 points for a goalkeeper or defender, 5 for a midfielder, and 4 for a forward. Assists earn 3, clean sheets earn 4 for goalkeepers and defenders but 1 for midfielders. Appearance points are 1 under 60 minutes and 2 for 60 or more. Bonus points go 3-2-1 to the top three BPS scorers, while yellow cards cost minus 1, red cards minus 3, own goals minus 2, and penalty misses minus 2. A goalkeeper earns 1 extra point per 3 saves and 5 for a penalty save, and every two goals conceded costs a goalkeeper or defender minus 1. The captain scores double, and a transfer beyond the free allowance costs minus 4.

That level of detail might sound like a different sport. It is not. The FPL rules mirror the real game's building blocks, and a season review that can speak in those terms connects the table to the way fans actually track it.

FAQ

How are Premier League positions decided if points are level?

Goal difference is used first, then goals scored, then head-to-head record. If the teams are still level and the position decides the title, relegation, or European qualification, a play-off at a neutral venue may be used.

How many teams are relegated from the Premier League?

The bottom three are relegated to the Championship. Two clubs come up automatically from the Championship, and one more wins through the play-off.

How many substitutions can a Premier League team make?

Five substitutions per match, made in a maximum of three windows plus half-time.

What is the homegrown rule?

A club's 25-player squad must include at least 8 homegrown players, meaning players trained in England or Wales for three years before turning 21. Players under 21 do not count against the 25.

Key takeaways

• A Premier League season is 20 clubs playing 38 matches each, making 380 matches, with three points for a win and one for a draw.
• Level clubs are separated by goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head, with a possible play-off for decisive positions.
• The league was founded on 20 February 1992 and reduced from 22 clubs to 20 in 1995/96.
• Squad rules matter: 25 players over 21, at least 8 homegrown, and five substitutions in three windows plus half-time.
• A Premier League 2023-24 season review is really a review of the rules: 380 matches, 25-player squads, five substitutions, and a clear order of tiebreakers.