Premier League Icons: Stars of the 2025-26 Season

Published: 25 May 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Midfield Mavericks and Creative Catalysts

The modern game places immense pressure on creative players to deliver under heavy scrutiny. Bruno Fernandes has truly defined what it means to lead from the front this year. The adulation offers a fine indication of how good the Manchester United captain has been. At the start, he was dragging Ruben Amorim’s interpretation of a team through matches. He then spent the past five months leading Michael Carrick’s unified side with great aplomb. Awards and records keep coming his way after a series of stunning weekly performances. Winning the Football Writers’ Association player of the season award was a massive personal achievement. That success was swiftly followed by picking up a record Premier League assist tally of twenty-one. He secured that historic landmark at Brighton on the dramatic final day of the season.

Considering United were very open to selling Fernandes less than a year ago, questions remain. One wonders what would have happened at Old Trafford without his incredible creative output. At one point he was going to leave for another elite team abroad. He knew he would have won many trophies during that specific football season. However, he decided to stay not only for family reasons but for the club. He genuinely likes the club and wanted to see them succeed at the top. But from the club’s side, he felt a bit of an unsettling indifference. If he decided to go, it was not really that bad for them. That specific attitude from the boardroom hurts the Portuguese international a little bit. More than hurting, it makes him sad because he is a top professional. He is a player they have absolutely nothing to criticise him for right now. He is always available for every match, showing incredible physical resilience each week. He always plays, whether well or badly, giving his absolute maximum for the badge. Fernandes brings incredible intelligence and work rate on the pitch during every single match. This work ethic is supported by stunning technique that has put him above teammates. The rest of the squad all feed off his energy and precise passing. It is hard to argue that any other Premier League captain is more influential. United have reaped the awards of his loyalty and brilliant technical consistency this year.

Morgan Gibbs-White has also experienced a whirlwind campaign filled with intense pressure and change. Thirteen games for club and country came and went without a single goal scored. Not many could blame Gibbs-White, who was in the eye of the storm. The club experienced immense instability with new managers coming and going like fast tornadoes. Sean Dyche’s arrival brought a sudden upturn in form for the talented midfield playmaker. He managed to score four goals in six games during a crucial period. But Gibbs-White really came into his own under the guidance of Vítor Pereira. Embracing the responsibility of the armband is part of the player’s personal football mantra. This leadership was a key factor in Forest maintaining their place in the league. They also made it all the way to the Europa League semi-finals. His Premier League record is impressive, with fifteen goals scored in thirty-seven games. This output makes him one of the most feared number tens in the country. Forest did well to keep hold of him last summer despite major interest. It feels as if plenty more clubs will come calling this time around. It may be difficult for Forest to match his high ambitions moving forward. When things are not happening in the way that you want, players struggle. When the team is struggling in the game, a lot of players hide. They do not want the ball because they fear making a mistake. But Morgan wants the ball, showing courage in every difficult situation he faces. He wants the responsibility, he wants to score goals, and he assists others.

Defensive Standard Bearers and Elite Marksmen

Often when a team win the title, all the focus is on forwards. People look at the goalscorers who do the damage in the final third. It is hard to select one individual from a league-winning Arsenal side. However, goalkeeper David Raya deserves plenty of praise for his incredible consistency this year. Few fans were complaining about Aaron Ramsdale’s performances before the big positional switch. But the talented Spaniard has been a huge upgrade for the north London side. He has had at least a share of the Golden Glove award recently. He won it for the most Premier League clean sheets in three seasons. He started every game, apart from the final match of this long season. Sitting out at Selhurst Park was a rare rest for the reliable goalkeeper. This selection choice was a sign of how important he is to Arteta. The abilities of those in front of Raya mean he has quiet games. He regularly goes long periods without having to make a single difficult save. But when he is called into action, he is always focused. He is prepared, making crucial saves at critical moments to secure three points. This elite concentration ensured Arsenal edged out Manchester City in a tight title race.

Meanwhile, Erling Haaland continues to dominate headlines with his incredible goalscoring exploits for City. The Norwegian still has his detractors who think he has an easy ride. They believe he benefits too much from leading the Manchester City attacking line. Some believe anyone would score the same amount with such creative riches available. This season he has twenty-seven goals, proving his elite status once again. He scores a goal every one hundred and ten minutes on the pitch. For context, the Premier League golden boot runner-up needs extra time to score. Igor Thiago needs an extra thirty-nine minutes per goal compared to the striker. The usual complaints abound that he does not do enough in games. Critics argue his general link-up play lacks the quality of other modern forwards. This critique is obviously complete nonsense to anyone who understands the sport well. Anyone who has played at the top level will explain the reality. Scoring goals is the hardest part of being an elite professional footballer. Pep Guardiola seems to think Haaland is integral to achieving sustainable long-term success. The experienced Catalan manager knows a thing or two about the modern game. Erling is the best striker in the world, Guardiola said in February. Trying to argue with his expert assessment seems a touch pointless right now.

Igor Thiago has also proved the doubters wrong in spectacular fashion this season. After Brentford sold Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo, many expected a massive decline. Thomas Frank leaving to take charge at Tottenham added to the pre-season anxiety. Many pundits were tipping the club for relegation into the Championship before August. Keith Andrews and Thiago had other ideas, leading the west London side forward. They finished in an incredible ninth place against all the pre-season odds. There were understandable reasons for doubt surrounding the striker before the season started. Thiago had two serious injuries in his first season in English football. These physical setbacks caused him to play only eight times in the league. He scored no goals during that difficult period, leading to intense criticism. He spent the summer getting up to speed and preparing his body well. He wanted to make sure he was finally ready for the challenge. He responded by scoring twelve in his first fourteen games in all competitions. There has rarely been a lull in his potency before opposing defences. No less a judge than Carlo Ancelotti was impressed by his form. The legendary manager named him in Brazil’s competitive World Cup squad this year. He has already shown he can be a top performer in England. Andrews said he gives the opposition a massive headache with his physical style. I am not sure many defenders will relish playing against him next year.

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