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2023 was a memorable year for a number of clubs on the pitch with sides in both the Premier League and Football League left to reflect as they head into a new year
It was the year that saw Manchester City become just the second team in English football history to complete the treble, while Hollywood-backed Wrexham captured the imagination on their return to the Football League.
Pep Guardiola’s side claimed the Champions League for the first time in their history to secure all three major trophies, including the Premier League and the FA Cup. Wrexham put together a record-breaking campaign to seal promotion back to the EFL, with the Notts County side that pushed them to heights previously unseen in Non-League joining them back in the fourth tier too.
There were plenty of shocks and surprises, successes, failures and downright daft moments along the way. With the year now over, take a look at how all 92 current league clubs compare…
When looking at the best-performing sides in the country over the past 12 months – virtue of points per league game – Manchester City are by far and away the best. They won 29 of their 41 league games in 2023 – seeing them rack-up 2.27 points per game.
Predictably, Wrexham are the runners-up. The Welsh side, now plying their trade in League Two, won 31 of their 47 league games for an average of 2.21ppg.
Rising up the EFL and Championship high-fliers Ipswich deservedly claim the bronze medal. Kieran McKenna’s side were promoted from League One last term and are enjoying a dream return to the second tier.
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They averaged 2.19ppg throughout the year. There are even more impressive statistics for the Tractor Boys. They lost the least amount of games throughout the year with four, while scoring 103 goals.
Aston Villa are the final side to have claimed over two points per game at 2.02 following brilliant work from Unai Emery in the Midlands. There are an array of Premier League sides included in the the top 20 including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Brighton, Newcastle and Tottenham. Leicester also secure a spot after their stunning start to life under Enzo Maresca.
While some sides have put together brilliant 2023s, the same cannot be said for others – with wins at a premium. Forest Green endured a rotten year as they cycled through five managers – including history-making caretaker Hannah Dingley.
That is not a tactic that worked as they won just five games at 0.51ppg – some distance away from the year’s next worst team in QPR who claimed 0.78ppg. Reading (0.84) and Rotherham (0.87) are next in the list, with Sutton, Doncaster and Cheltenham also below a point per game.
Chelsea are notably among the sides in the Premier League with a wretched 2023 record. The Blues had each of Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino at the helm but could only see them claim 1.12ppg. Everton, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace all possess awful records at 1.15, 1.07 and 1.05 respectively.
Back to the impressive records of the 92 now, Wrexham and Notts County were among the highest scorers in the country. The latter can boast the most prolific marksman across the divisions in the form of Macauley Langstaff.
The 26-year-old netted an eye-watering 39 goals throughout the year. Alfie May plundered 30 following his impressive escapades for Cheltenham and Charlton, while Man City’s Erling Haaland also notched the same amount.
Wrexham’s Paul Mullin was always going to feature after he hit 29. Bradford’s Andy Cook and Liverpool’s Mo Salah are next with 25 goals each, with Conor Chaplin of Ipswich and Notts County’s David McGoldrick boasting 24 strikes in 2023.
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