When Mohamed Salah joined Liverpool in the summer of 2017, the Premier League was naturally a very different place to the one we know in 2026.
Since the announcement of his departure, social media has been filled with TV broadcaster graphics featuring the stars of seasons gone by, including Salah alongside the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Harry Kane and Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang.
Casting an eye back to the close of play on the 2016-17 season, there is a lot more to think about than just those star names.
Liverpool finished fourth in Jurgen Klopp's first full season in charge, having come eighth the season before.
Philippe Coutinho had the most league goal contributions, with 13 goals and seven assists, and Sadio Mane was named in the PFA Team of the Season in his debut campaign at Anfield.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Wilson were among academy graduates to make appearances for a side being captained by Jordan Henderson.
Elsewhere, Salah's former club Chelsea had just been crowned Premier League champions under Antonio Conte, in what proved to be long-time captain John Terry’s final season with the club.
Manchester City and Manchester United had each spent a year under the management of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho respectively, Olivier Giroud had just scored his iconic scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace and Everton’s 25-goals-a-season striker Romelu Lukaku was about to leave for Old Trafford.
The team with the most jarring difference between 2016-17 and 2025-26 is almost certainly Tottenham. Kane won the Premier League’s Golden Boot in 2016-17 as Spurs finished second behind Chelsea.
Middlesbrough,Sunderland and Hull City were the three sides relegated from the top flight in 2017, to be replaced by Newcastle,Brighton and Huddersfield Town.
And also, they did not yet have VAR in the Premier League back then.
