DAVID RAYA (ARSENAL): A contender for Player of the Season, goalkeeper Raya has been frequently superb in helping to ensure Arsenal finished the season with the Premier League’s meanest defensive record for the third successive campaign. The 30-year-old’s involvement in every minute of their top-flight campaign illustrates his reliability and degree of influence on their success.
Jurriën Timber (Arsenal): There is a case for not including Timber on the basis that his last appearance was 14 March, and he missed the all-important title run-in. However, the defender still finished the campaign with 30 Premier League appearances, including an especially impressive October, as he earned a Premier League Player of the Month nomination. It is also hardly a coincidence that some of the Gunners’ late-season wobbles coincided with his absence from the team.
Nico O’Reilly (Man City): One of the surprises of the season and a strong candidate for Young Player of the Year. O’Reilly had just nine Premier League appearances under his belt before this campaign, but has since made the left-back spot his own for Pep Guardiola’s side. The 21-year-old, who is also capable of playing midfield, memorably scored a brace amid a man-of-the-match performance in the EFL Cup final. His ascent also proves that, for all Man City’s riches, they are still occasionally capable of integrating homegrown talent.
Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal): Along with centre-back partner William Saliba, Gabriel has looked the Premier League’s most accomplished defender for several seasons now. The key to Mikel Arteta’s side’s success has been a strong base, and the Brazil international has been crucial in that regard, featuring on 31 occasions for a Gunners side that have conceded only 26 times, chipping in with three goals along the way.
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Marc Guehi (Man City): The 25-year-old Ivory Coast-born England international has been a revelation this year, featuring 20 times for Crystal Palace before slotting in seamlessly to the Man City backline, making 15 top-flight appearances since his arrival for a reported €23 million fee in January. The centre-back will surely have a big part to play if the Three Lions go on to enjoy success at the World Cup this summer.
Declan Rice (Arsenal): Many people’s choice for Player of the Season, as much credit as Arsenal’s defence gets for the team being so hard to beat, Rice is equally deserving of praise in this regard. The 27-year-old’s energy, athleticism and reading of the game are essential to the North Londoners’ style of play and their effectiveness in consistently stopping opponents’ attacks. The England international’s quality down the other end should also not be overlooked either. His set pieces have also been pivotal – last month, Arsenal broke the Premier League record for most goals from corners, after succeeding for the 17th time, eclipsing Oldham Athletic’s 16 set in the 1992-93 42-game campaign.
Bruno Fernandes (Man United):Equalled the Premier League assist record of 20 in Man United’s recent win over Nottingham Forest. Fernandes must surely now be regarded as the Red Devils’ best signing of the post-Alex Ferguson era. The fact that the Portuguese international spent the early parts of the season out of position in a more deep-lying midfield role before Ruben Amorim’s departure makes his achievement all the more remarkable. Close to leaving Old Trafford at the end of last season, the recently crowned Premier League Footballer of the Year is the biggest reason behind his team’s unlikely success, going from the lows of a 15th-place finish last year to comfortably securing Champions League football under Michael Carrick.
Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth): A remarkable season – only two players have scored more than Semenyo’s 16. His January signing is a big reason why Man City kept pressure on Arsenal when many felt they lacked the stomach for a serious title challenge. His stellar performances in the first half of the campaign were also key to Bournemouth securing European football. It’s an amazing achievement for the 25-year-old Ghana international, who has featured in five different divisions in England and was playing Championship football as recently as 2023.
Rayan Cherki (Man City): Not an obvious fit for Pep Guardiola’s Man City, the 22-year-old France international joined for a reported initial fee of €36.5 million from Lyon last summer. The winger has provided further class and unpredictability to City’s attack line, with his 12 assists this season only bettered by Fernandes. Four goals constitute a less impressive return for a player of his ability; however, one of those was a stunning individual effort last month in what was a potentially season-defining win for the Etihad outfit against Arsenal.
Erling Haaland (Man City): By his impeccable standards, it has been an imperfect season for Haaland. With 27 goals, he was comfortably the league’s top scorer. However, there were long dry spells, especially in the second half of the campaign, as City repeatedly surrendered the initiative to title rivals Arsenal. Yet few would argue against the suggestion that the Norway international is the best striker in England, and a less-than-vintage year for Haaland is still better than most forwards at their peak.
Igor Thiago (Brentford): The breakthrough performer of the year. At the start of the season, many people were tipping Brentford for relegation following the departure of several key players and the installation of an inexperienced manager in Keith Andrews. Instead, they finished the campaign fighting for a European spot as their squad significantly exceeded expectations. Thiago was arguably their best player, and perhaps the Brazil international’s rise is no real surprise when you consider Brentford paid €38 million for his services in February 2024, plucking him from the relative obscurity of the Belgian Pro League. It didn’t necessarily look like money well spent, after a return of zero goals from eight appearances amid a 2024-25 campaign largely ruined by injury. But with 22 goals from 37 appearances this year, the 24-year-old’s class has belatedly shone through.
Subs: Robin Roefs (Sunderland), William Saliba (Arsenal), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), João Pedro (Chelsea).
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DAVID RAYA (ARSENAL): A contender for Player of the Season, goalkeeper Raya has been frequently superb in helping to ensure Arsenal finished the season with the Premier League’s meanest defensive record for the third successive campaign. The 30-year-old’s involvement in every minute of their top-flight campaign illustrates his reliability and degree of influence on their success.
Jurriën Timber (Arsenal): There is a case for not including Timber on the basis that his last appearance was 14 March, and he missed the all-important title run-in. However, the defender still finished the campaign with 30 Premier League appearances, including an especially impressive October, as he earned a Premier League Player of the Month nomination. It is also hardly a coincidence that some of the Gunners’ late-season wobbles coincided with his absence from the team.
Nico O’Reilly (Man City): One of the surprises of the season and a strong candidate for Young Player of the Year. O’Reilly had just nine Premier League appearances under his belt before this campaign, but has since made the left-back spot his own for Pep Guardiola’s side. The 21-year-old, who is also capable of playing midfield, memorably scored a brace amid a man-of-the-match performance in the EFL Cup final. His ascent also proves that, for all Man City’s riches, they are still occasionally capable of integrating homegrown talent.
Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal): Along with centre-back partner William Saliba, Gabriel has looked the Premier League’s most accomplished defender for several seasons now. The key to Mikel Arteta’s side’s success has been a strong base, and the Brazil international has been crucial in that regard, featuring on 31 occasions for a Gunners side that have conceded only 26 times, chipping in with three goals along the way.
Marc Guehi (Man City): The 25-year-old Ivory Coast-born England international has been a revelation this year, featuring 20 times for Crystal Palace before slotting in seamlessly to the Man City backline, making 15 top-flight appearances since his arrival for a reported €23 million fee in January. The centre-back will surely have a big part to play if the Three Lions go on to enjoy success at the World Cup this summer.
Declan Rice (Arsenal): Many people’s choice for Player of the Season, as much credit as Arsenal’s defence gets for the team being so hard to beat, Rice is equally deserving of praise in this regard. The 27-year-old’s energy, athleticism and reading of the game are essential to the North Londoners’ style of play and their effectiveness in consistently stopping opponents’ attacks. The England international’s quality down the other end should also not be overlooked either. His set pieces have also been pivotal – last month, Arsenal broke the Premier League record for most goals from corners, after succeeding for the 17th time, eclipsing Oldham Athletic’s 16 set in the 1992-93 42-game campaign.
Bruno Fernandes (Man United): Equalled the Premier League assist record of 20 in Man United’s recent win over Nottingham Forest. Fernandes must surely now be regarded as the Red Devils’ best signing of the post-Alex Ferguson era. The fact that the Portuguese international spent the early parts of the season out of position in a more deep-lying midfield role before Ruben Amorim’s departure makes his achievement all the more remarkable. Close to leaving Old Trafford at the end of last season, the recently crowned Premier League Footballer of the Year is the biggest reason behind his team’s unlikely success, going from the lows of a 15th-place finish last year to comfortably securing Champions League football under Michael Carrick.
Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth): A remarkable season – only two players have scored more than Semenyo’s 16. His January signing is a big reason why Man City kept pressure on Arsenal when many felt they lacked the stomach for a serious title challenge. His stellar performances in the first half of the campaign were also key to Bournemouth securing European football. It’s an amazing achievement for the 25-year-old Ghana international, who has featured in five different divisions in England and was playing Championship football as recently as 2023.
Rayan Cherki (Man City): Not an obvious fit for Pep Guardiola’s Man City, the 22-year-old France international joined for a reported initial fee of €36.5 million from Lyon last summer. The winger has provided further class and unpredictability to City’s attack line, with his 12 assists this season only bettered by Fernandes. Four goals constitute a less impressive return for a player of his ability; however, one of those was a stunning individual effort last month in what was a potentially season-defining win for the Etihad outfit against Arsenal.
Erling Haaland (Man City): By his impeccable standards, it has been an imperfect season for Haaland. With 27 goals, he was comfortably the league’s top scorer. However, there were long dry spells, especially in the second half of the campaign, as City repeatedly surrendered the initiative to title rivals Arsenal. Yet few would argue against the suggestion that the Norway international is the best striker in England, and a less-than-vintage year for Haaland is still better than most forwards at their peak.
Igor Thiago (Brentford): The breakthrough performer of the year. At the start of the season, many people were tipping Brentford for relegation following the departure of several key players and the installation of an inexperienced manager in Keith Andrews. Instead, they finished the campaign fighting for a European spot as their squad significantly exceeded expectations. Thiago was arguably their best player, and perhaps the Brazil international’s rise is no real surprise when you consider Brentford paid €38 million for his services in February 2024, plucking him from the relative obscurity of the Belgian Pro League. It didn’t necessarily look like money well spent, after a return of zero goals from eight appearances amid a 2024-25 campaign largely ruined by injury. But with 22 goals from 37 appearances this year, the 24-year-old’s class has belatedly shone through.
Subs: Robin Roefs (Sunderland), William Saliba (Arsenal), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Adrien Truffert (Bournemouth), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), João Pedro (Chelsea).
Manager of the season: Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
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Declan Rice EPL Premier League Soccer standouts Team of the year