Alan Shearer Exclusive: My best and worst of 2024/25 and, whisper it, but I am pleased Sunderland are back | OneFootball

Alan Shearer's Best and Worst of Season 2024/25

Player of the season: Mo Salah

It has to be Mo Salah. I don't think many will disagree with that. What he's given Liverpool, helped them win the title, equalled the record for goal involvements, albeit, in a 38-game season. It has to be Salah.

Manager of the season: Arne Slot

Eddie Howe and Oliver Glasner are candidates but, because of the task and who he was coming in to follow, you'd have to give it to Arne Slot.

Surprise of the season: Newcastle and Crystal Palace

I should say Newcastle winning a trophy because it's the first in my lifetime. Nottingham Forest for being in the top four for so long and I guess Crystal Palace as well for winning their first major trophy and finishing mid-table after the start they had. It has to be either Newcastle or Crystal Palace winning a trophy.

Moment of the season: Seeing my team lift a trophy

It has to be Newcastle winning a trophy. No one will take that away from me or any fan who hasn't been around long enough to lift a trophy. Other people and players will have different opinions but my personal moment has to be Newcastle lifting that trophy.

Disappointment of the season: Manchester United

I don't know whether it's a disappointment but when you look at the state of Manchester United, I don't think anyone saw them finishing where they did or being as bad as they have been on or off the pitch.

I'd have to say Manchester United are the disappointment of the season, although I have rather enjoyed it!

Liverpool were standouts while underdogs triumphed in cups

Liverpool were the outstanding team in the Premier League. No one could keep up with them. What they did better than anyone was get over the line even when they didn't play particularly well. That was the impressive thing, especially considering they only signed Federico Chiesa, who hardly played any league football.

That is an achievement in itself, when someone is trying to fill the boots of a giant of Liverpool in terms of Jurgen Klopp. Arne Slot came in and the way he did it and handled everything was really impressive. That, without doubt, is one of the standouts.

Obviously, Newcastle winning their trophy too. It's been the year of the underdog with Crystal Palace winning the FA Cup. It's been a really interesting season when you look at the likes of Nottingham Forest, who were in the Champions League places for so long, Brighton, Fulham and what Crystal Palace and Newcastle have done.

No one expected what happened at Manchester City and if we're being truthful, no one expected Liverpool to do what they did. It's been a really difficult season to predict.

It has been very refreshing. Look at Nottingham Forest, I know they'll be really disappointed because of where they finished but they're in the Europa Conference League and, if you'd have said that to them before the season, they'd have snapped your hand off. I do get that they're disappointed. It gives everyone a bit of hope that if they can have a season like they have, then why not anyone else.

Arsenal were poor and down in performance. Man City were clearly down from the very high standards they've set over the years. No one saw Manchester United or Tottenham doing what they did in the Premier League. They were miles down on what anyone could've predicted.

The best Newcastle season of my life

From a Newcastle perspective, this has been the best season of my lifetime because of the trophy win. We qualified for the Champions League a few years back but to do that again and to win a trophy, without doubt this is the best season ever for me, although older people may disagree with me.

It wasn't all plain sailing, there were difficult times for Newcastle during the season. There was a period where they were playing Brentford, Leicester and Ipswich - really important games and there was even talk of Eddie Howe being under pressure which, when you consider where he's taken us from, it seems bizarre to think about.

Eddie has done what Sir Bobby, Kevin Keegan and so many great managers before him couldn't - he's won a trophy for Newcastle - and we'll never, ever, forget that day, the scenes of the trophy parade and everything else. He's been unbelievable for Newcastle.

Newcastle will challenge if smart this summer

Newcastle have to go out, spend and bring in at least three or four first-team players who are not only going to challenge, but get into the first-team. And if they do that, they won't be far away next season. They'll be challenging for trophies again.

You've got to remember that Newcastle haven't signed anyone of significance for three transfer windows now. That tells you that there has to be cash available and they have to provide Eddie Howe with the reinforcements he needs because if you're not learning from how the last Champions League campaign went, then what's the point?

Last time, they got a load of injuries from the amount of games they were playing and they couldn't cope or compete. We've had a taste of Europe, and now we have that to come again, but they can't fall short again. They have to go out and spend.

Depending on who they decide to sell, I think they need to bring in a centre-forward, a right-sided midfielder and probably another centre-half. Those would be the three key positions for me. And on top of that, maybe another midfielder depending on what happens with Sean Longstaff or Joe Willock.

Alexander Isak is going nowhere. He's got his contract, Newcastle have won a trophy and qualified for Champions League football so from my point of view, there's no worry about losing him but what Newcastle have to do is make this kind of season a regular occurence.

Eddie will appreciate what he's got in Isak. He is a top class centre-forward and most, if not all, clubs would love him. That must make Eddie feel good but it also means that Newcastle have to back it up with more signings because what has been Newcastle's best season in my lifetime has to be a regular - and I don't see why it can't be.

Jack Grealish is not an option for Newcastle

I think Jack's best position is coming off the left. That's where we saw the best of him at Aston Villa and for Manchester City. That's the position where Newcastle are really strong. They've got Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon for that side so I'd be surprised if Newcastle were in for him.

It looks from the outside that there's no future for him at Manchester City. Not whilst Pep is there. When this situation happens, you either sit there and take your money or you think: "I've got enough money, I need to get out and play." I know Jack isn't the type to sit around and do whatever.

From a City point of view, you have to remember they paid £100million for him, the length of his contract and the salary he's on, there'll be a lot of things that have to be worked out before he goes elsewhere because no one's paying £100million for him again and I guess no one would pay the salary that he's getting.

There will be a lot of things that need to fall into place for him to leave and I guess City would help with that in terms of a payoff.

There's no doubt Jack is a talented lad and a really nice guy. He just lost his way at City for whatever reason and whenever that happens, you've just got to get out and play football again.

I know the questions Pep has faced towards the end of the season and I saw his answers. He's been as diplomatic as he could be and, don't forget, he's trying to protect the club because they have an asset that they may have to sell and if Pep says anything negative then that brings down the asset's price. From the outside looking in, it looks as if Grealish's career at Man City is done and he has to move on.

If playing abroad is the only option then he'll have to look at it but I'm sure he'll have options in the Premier League. You have to look at everything else we've mentioned. Whether a deal can be done or not, or whether he has to go out on loan, I don't know. You'd be foolish to rule out a move abroad or to a Premier League club. He has to look at whatever options are available to him.

I've missed the derbies against Sunderland

For large parts of the play-off final, Sunderland got battered but they defended very well and managed to get the goals to hold Sheffield United off. I also think that watching the final also told you how far they have to go to actually stay in the Premier League. It's one thing getting to the Premier League, and another staying there. You can say the same for Leeds and Burnley too.

I know I've joked about Sunderland in the past, but in seriousness, it's a much better season, as a player and fan, when you've got the derby to look forward to. They're great games to play in, the fans look forward to them, you get away with a little bit more in terms of what you do and how you play. I wouldn't say I'm pleased they got promoted, but in terms of the entertainment of the derby and having it to look forward to, I'm pleased they're back in the Premier League.

They're going to find it difficult next season, there's no doubt about it. When you look at the squad, it'll be very, very difficult for them to stay in the Premier League as the evidence proves over the last two years because every team has gone back down and I don't see anything different happening unless there's a radical change and they bring an influx of players in.

I see Sunderland having a tough season and I think even the fans will say that, but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy last weekend's promotion.

We had the cup game a couple of years ago when Newcastle won comfortably and I'd hope that happens again next season for obvious reasons but, as much as I laugh and joke about Sunderland, they really are good games to play in. As a fan now, I'm pleased they're back but not for any other reason. Hopefully Newcastle can take six points off them.

Man Utd won't be in top six for years

It won't be difficult for Manchester United to improve on this season's performances and perhaps that's what Ruben Amorim meant when he was speaking on the pitch after their final game.

Do good days mean challenging for the top six? Can Manchester United do that? There is a huge amount of work to be done at Old Trafford. We've said how desperate they've been and how poor the season was and there's a lot of work to be done in terms of shipping players out and getting players in.

Who they sell, I don't know. If they need to raise funds then they have a couple of options to do that. It looks as if the Matheus Cunha deal is going to happen.

Manchester United need an overhaul but it won't happen in one or two transfer windows and that's why, as a player, you have to think long and hard about needing or wanting to go there because it's going to take two or three years for the club to get anywhere near the levels to challenge for the top six again.

If funds are going to be tight due to PSR then their assets in Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes may have to be sold to bring funds in. Nothing surprises me with Manchester United on or off the field because they've been an embarrassment over the last 12 months.

Remarkable Ronaldo will retire when he's ready

Cristiano Ronaldo is not as good as he was obviously. It's impossible to be at that age but he's still going somehow and scoring goals. I haven't got a clue what's going on with him. He's still playing for Portugal, they won't retire him, he'll have to retire himself.

Whether he wants to play in the Club World Cup, and the World Cup next year, I don't know but it'll be really interesting to see what happens with him and what his next step is.

You have to be surprised to see him still doing it at his age. To be playing at 40 at any level is remarkable. To still be playing and scoring for Portugal is even more remarkable but he's been just that all through his career.

Mo Salah has also suggested that he could play till he's 40. Regardless of that, he may get the Premier League goals record anyway with Liverpool because, when you look at how he's performed, he's always been, really, really consistent and he very rarely misses games. If he does stay for that length of time then there's a big chance he'll get to 260 plus goals.