Best 11 in the Premier League in 25/26 So Far Based on Stats

With over a third of the 2025/26 season now over, the Premier League table is starting to take shape. Contenders are being sorted from pretenders, while potential relegation candidates are becoming clearer with every passing week.

Football fans are also getting an idea of which players are going above and beyond expectations and who is failing to hit the mark. Several players have stood out for their efforts so far, but who exactly deserves to make the Team of the Season right now?

It’s easy to get bogged down in conjecture over who merits a place in the XI, but GIVEMESPORT have turned to WhoScored to navigate that problem. Using their rating system to see who ranks highest in each position, supporters can see exactly who belongs in the ‘true’ Team of the Season so far.

Goalkeeper and Defence

Considering that Arsenal have the best defence in the league by quite some way, it’s perhaps a surprise not to see them lock out the back five. The Gunners are hoping to match Chelsea’s 20-year record of least goals conceded in a single season, and appear on track to at least challenge it.

However, only three players from the north London club are included in the back line. David Raya might have expected to make it in, considering that no goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets than him. But instead, it’s Sunderland’s Robin Roefs who steals a march on him. The Black Cats have been mightily impressive since getting promoted, with fears of relegation giving way to optimism — and a big reason for that has been because of their Dutch shot-stopper.

Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori take the full-back spots thanks to their fantastic performances on the flanks so far for Arsenal. And there’s also a spot for Gabriel Magalhaes, who has been at his dominating best so far this term. The Brazilian international has also been effective at the opposite end of the pitch, becoming a menace from set-pieces.

The centre-back, however, is only tied for the defence’s highest rating, an honour which he shares with Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace captain has been immense for Oliver Glasner’s Eagles, helping to keep the second-most clean sheets so far this season (seven). Having been linked with Liverpool for much of the summer and this season, you can only imagine how much of a difference the England international would have made to what has been a hapless Reds backline.

Midfield

Some might say that Phil Foden is at his best when playing through the middle for Manchester City, with the club’s academy graduate looking back to his best under Pep Guardiola in his preferred position. But he’s equally capable of lining up on the right, so his five league goals so far this season mean he just has to get into the team. The 25-year-old’s form is giving England manager Thomas Tuchel a real headache right now ahead of the 2026 World Cup, considering that the German is blessed with options in Foden’s favoured position.

Moving infield, it’s little surprise to see Declan Rice take up one of the central-midfield spots. Arguably the best midfielder in the league right now, the 26-year-old has been given more licence to roam forward thanks to Martin Zubimendi’s arrival. And the Gunners are reaping the rewards consequently, with the former West Ham skipper popping up with two goals and four assists so far this season.

Partnering him is Granit Xhaka, who gives this midfield an Arsenal past-and-present feel. Having played his part in Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga success, the Swiss international is back in the Premier League with Sunderland, providing a steel in the engine room which Regis le Bris’ side will need if they are to maintain performance levels. Touted as the signing of the season thus far, he’s proven to be an absolute bargain for £13m.

Completing the midfield is Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku, who has taken his game to new heights under Guardiola this season. Having shown glimpses in 2024/25, he’s been a nuisance for opposition full-backs, using his blistering pace and dribbling to cause chaos. With one goal and five assists so far, he’s nearly matched his goal contribution total after just 14 games this term.

Related

20 Best Players in the Premier League Right Now [Ranked]

Erling Haaland, Rodri and Mohamed Salah are all in the top 20 best players in the Premier League.

Advertisement

Forwards

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Erling Haaland is one of the strikers leading the line for this team. Becoming the fastest player to reach 100 goals in the Premier League simply showcases how much of a freak of nature the Norwegian is, but to be averaging more than a goal a game (14 matches, 15 goals) is absolutely obscene.

His partner, though, has been equally effective in a much weaker team. Many predicted Brentford to struggle following the departures of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, but Igor Thiago has filled those boots and then some. Having played just 169 minutes of football in England’s top flight last season, the 24-year-old has flown out of the blocks this time around, scoring 11 times in 14 games.