Premier League 2025-26 Team of the Season: Bruno Fernandes, Declan Rice, Dominik Szoboszlai

The 2025-26 Premier League season was one for the annals; the all-time appearance record was broken, the youngest goalscorer record was broken, Pep Guardiola vacated his Etihad office and a VAR decision almost decided the destiny of the title.

Amid all the on-field and off-field chaos, Mikel Arteta's five-phase Arsenal plan finally bore fruit, as the Gunners ended their torturous 22-year wait for another slice of Premier League glory at the expense of Manchester City and faltering holders Liverpool.

The soon-to-be-Guardiola-less Sky Blues at least secured Champions League football alongside the Reds, Aston Villa and Michael Carrick's Manchester United, who have seen fit to reward their erstwhile midfielder with a permanent managerial contract.

By handing the reins to Carrick, the Red Devils overlooked Andoni Iraola, departing Bournemouth after guiding the Cherries to European football for the first time ever; they will be joined in the Europa League by none other than newly-promoted Sunderland.

The Black Cats sealed a seventh-placed finish at the expense of Chelsea, who will not be in any European competition next season, also losing out to Brighton & Hove Albion for a place in the Conference League.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur's plights were further proof that the traditional Big Six is no more, but Spurs at least staved off relegation in a nerve-wracking final day, as West Ham United were instead sent down alongside the doomed Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley.

As the dust settles on another nine months of unforgettable action, Sports Mole whittles down the division's best players to bring you our Premier League Team of the Season, with some honourable mentions along the way.

Goalkeeper: David Raya (Arsenal)

© Imago

That save against Mateus Fernandes. That save against Yankuba Minteh. That save against Kevin Schade. And many, many more that we simply do not have time to list.

Winner of a third successive Golden Glove - a feat only Pepe Reina, Ederson and Joe Hart have also achieved in the Premier League, David Raya kept a clean sheet in over half of his Premier League appearances, registering 19 shut-outs in 37 matches.

No Arsenal goalkeeper has ever registered more in a PL campaign - David Seaman also managed 19 in 1993-94 and 1998-99 - but Raya's title-winning feats may still not be enough to earn him Spain's number one jersey at the World Cup.

Honourable mentions: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Man City), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

Right-back: Jurrien Timber (Arsenal)

© Iconsport / Every Second Media/Alamy Live News

Before a mystery injury unexpectedly ruled him out of the final two months of the season, Jurrien Timber played a pivotal role in many of Raya's aforementioned clean sheets, while also demonstrating an improved impact at the other end.

The 1v1 specialist registered nine goal involvements from 30 appearances at right-back, in addition to making 66 tackles, proving a nightmare for left-wingers up and down the land.

Honourable mentions: Matheus Nunes (Man City), Nordi Mukiele (Sunderland), Michael Kayode (Brentford)

Centre-backs: William Saliba (Arsenal), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)

© Iconsport / PA Images

Ever since William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes paired up in the 2022-23 season, one has often been the bridesmaid and the other the bride when it comes to team of the season nominations.

However, two centre-backs who helmed a defence that conceded just 27 goals were automatic picks, as well as one who made equally vital contributions at the other end of the field.

Seven goal involvements for Gabriel represented the Brazilian's best return in a top-flight season, while only two players - Ezri Konsa and Ruben Dias - registered a better pass completion percentage than Saliba's 93.1%.

Honourable mentions: Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Marc Guehi (Man City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Daniel Ballard (Sunderland)

Left-back: Nico O'Reilly (Man City)

© Imago / Sportimage

An obvious winner of the Young Player of the Year prize, Nico O'Reilly may very well have made himself England's starting left-back at the World Cup thanks to his displays over the past nine months.

The latest of the versatile Guardiola disciples, O'Reilly - transformed into a bulldozing left-back after coming through as a number 10 - has not lost his attacking instincts, claiming five goals and three assists in the league season.

Honourable mentions: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham), Luke Shaw (Man United)

Right midfield: Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)

© Iconsport / News Images LTD/Alamy Live News

Arne Slot accurately labelled Liverpool's laborious 2025-26 season as "injury", but Dominik Szoboszlai did his utmost to heal the Reds' wounds, whether he was firing in ferocious free kicks or setting up teammates.

The Hungary international managed six goals and seven assists in the top flight alone, and reached double figures in both categories in all competitions - the first Liverpool midfielder to do so since Steven Gerrard in 2013-14.

Honourable mentions: Bryan Mbeumo (Man United), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)

Central midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Man United), Declan Rice (Arsenal)

© Iconsport / PA Images

The picture above not only displays the two best midfielders in the 2025-26 Premier League season, but arguably the two best players in the 2025-26 Premier League season.

Captain and creator extraordinaire, Fernandes now looks down on Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, having amassed an unparalleled 21 assists throughout the Premier League season while also scoring nine of his own.

Fernandes set up 10 more goals than Rice managed involvements in the campaign, but the Arsenal metronome's game is not totally defined by goals or assists - although they still come consistently for the £105m man.

It was Rice's corners that set up Arsenal's crucial winners against Man United and Newcastle in the early stages of the season, and if the Englishman can add Champions League and World Cup medals to his CV this year, something something Ballon d'Or.

Honourable mentions: Casemiro (Man United), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Bernardo Silva (Man City), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Granit Xhaka (Sunderland), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

Left midfield: Antoine Semenyo (Man City)

© Imago / IPS

Sticking with the theme of transformative signings, Antoine Semenyo succeeded where the likes of Phil Foden and Savinho failed for Manchester City this season, seamlessly adapting to Guardiola's rigid system.

Excelling in both red and black and sky blue, Semenyo struck 17 goals in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, bringing a new sense of directness, vigour and robustness to City's menacing attack.

However, what is perhaps even more impressive than the Ghanaian's numbers, is Bournemouth extending their extraordinary unbeaten run after parting ways with their most influential player - or so it seemed.

Honourable mentions: Rayan Cherki (Man City), Eli Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth), Rayan (Bournemouth)

Strikers: Erling Haaland (Man City), Igor Thiago (Brentford)

© Iconsport / PA Images/Andrew Yates/Sportimage

South America and Scandinavian strikers combined to fire in a phenomenal 49 goals between them during the top-flight campaign, in which the latter's Golden Boot was momentarily under threat.

However, Erling Haaland eventually left Igor Thiago in his wake to take home a third top scorer accolade in four seasons, and the 25-year-old also finishing fourth in the assist charts - with eight - could easily fly under the radar too.

Speaking of flying, Thiago will be flying to the World Cup with Brazil after re-writing the Brentford record books, becoming the highest Premier League scorer in a single campaign for the Bees with 22 strikes.

Despite the breakup of the Ivan Toney-Bryan Mbeumo-Yoane Wissa trident, Thiago and co have ensured Brentford remain an offensive force to be reckoned with, but his exploits were still not enough to fulfil the Bees' European dream.

Honourable mentions: Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Danny Welbeck (Brighton), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Season

© Sports Mole / Azzuu