Premier League Power Rankings: The 20 Best Players Lighting Up 2025/26

Right then, with the 2025/26 campaign in full swing and new faces bedding in across the division, it’s time to separate the genuine headliners from the hype. Some shiny summer signings have flashed promise, but the Premier League’s pecking order is built on sustained class, availability and delivering when the lights are brightest. If you’re weighing the title race or just scanning the form book, our top 20 is your compass—though if you fancy a flutter, do your homework via the best betting sites before you punt.

Ranking factors (how we’ve called it)

Simple test: who’s influencing matches right now? Our order blends current form, minutes and availability, big-game impact, consistency since last season, and how much a player truly elevates their side’s structure and results. Data checks via Transfermarkt; stats correct as of 27-12-25.

20–16

20) Rodri (Manchester City) – Not long removed from sweeping major honours, but injuries have ravaged his year and he’s logged only six outings this term. Legacy and sky‑high level keep him hanging on—just.

19) Jurrien Timber (Arsenal) – A defender who locks the door and posts the keys. Positionally superb, athletic, and now productive: two goals and three assists already. One of Europe’s smartest full-backs on current evidence.

18) David Raya (Arsenal) – Mr. Reliable. Golden Glove in 2024/25 and joint-best nine clean sheets so far, underpinning a title charge. Distribution calm, handling cleaner than a whistle.

17) Reece James (Chelsea) – Maresca’s used him at right-back and in midfield, and it’s showcased the full toolkit: range, ball striking, defensive nous. The big win? Fitness returning—Chelsea look miles better with their captain.

16) Rayan Cherki (Manchester City) – New league, same swagger. Passing lanes others don’t see, shots that sting, and the vision to knit attacks. Feels a tailor-made bridge from the De Bruyne era to City’s next iteration.

15–11

15) Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth) – Eight goals and three assists in 17. Relentless form, relentless running, and interest from both sides of Manchester tells you plenty. Could rocket up this list with a big move.

14) Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – The courage to swap Manchester for the Bridge paid off: 40 goal contributions in his debut year and 15g/8a in 37 league games last term. But a dip in 2025 plus fitness issues knocks him from the top 10—for now.

13) Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool) – Outstanding in last season’s title tilt, yet Liverpool’s wobble has dragged him down a peg. Still a classy carrier; needs a run of authority to climb again.

12) William Saliba (Arsenal) – Ice-cold presence. Not many centre-halves deter strikers by aura alone, but Saliba does. Arsenal’s defensive platform is different gravy with him marshalling.

11) Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) – Versatility personified. Shifted to right-back and still influencing games with power and purpose. When others tailed off, he fronted up.

10–6

10) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – Feels sacrilegious putting him here given his historic output, but a dip in form—and occasional benching—has consequences. The pedigree remains; the current punch has wavered.

9) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) – United’s metronome and mischief-maker rolled into one. Eight goals and 10 assists last year even as the team struggled; already on 12 goal contributions this term. Never hides.

8) Alisson (Liverpool) – Injuries have limited him, which tempers his standing, but the standard when fit is still elite. Shot-stopping that rescues points is a habit, not a purple patch.

7) Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – The bar he set was freakishly high. A few uncharacteristic errors have crept in, nudging him down the order, but he’s still a defensive general more often than not.

6) Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea) – Chelsea’s first name on the teamsheet. One rash red aside, his screen work and ball-winning let Maresca’s structure breathe. Range, tempo, bite—proper holding midfielder’s season.

5–1

5) Phil Foden (Manchester City) – Last year dipped below his dazzling 23/24 heights, but he’s purring again: nine goal contributions in 15, England recall in the bag, and poised to light up 2026.

4) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) – Ever-present, ever-dangerous. Five goal contributions in 15 this season, but that barely captures his constant threat, gravity and work rate down the right.

3) Gabriel (Arsenal) – Long the understudy in perception, the leader in reality. Arsenal have looked looser without him, which tells its own story. One goal, two assists, and a magnet for clean sheets when fit.

2) Declan Rice (Arsenal) – The metronome with menace. Ball recoveries, field coverage, and now goals to boot. He sets Arsenal’s tempo and mood—captain’s influence without the armband.

1) Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – A numbers hurricane. 32 goals in all comps last season was called a “quiet” year; now he’s rattled in 19 in 17 and became the fastest to 100 Premier League goals. Let’s be clear: Haaland is the standout No.1 in the country right now.

Pundit’s verdict

Arsenal’s spine—Raya, Saliba, Gabriel, Rice, Saka—looks built for a long haul, while Chelsea’s uptick owes plenty to Caicedo and a fit-again James. City, as ever, have the cheat code up front. Liverpool’s icons are here on reputation plus flashes, but they’ve got gears still to find. The chasers will shuffle as fitness and January moves bite, yet the summit feels set: catch Haaland if you can.

All statistics referenced are via Transfermarkt and correct as of 27-12-25.