The Premier League is the most watched league on the planet and home to the greatest players in the world.
Mohamed Salah cemented himself as one of the best wingers of all time last season, picking up the PFA Player of the Year award for a record third time. But who is the best player in the English top flight right now?
Ranking factors Current form Importance to team Reputation and honours 50-41
50. Samuel Chukwueze
Fulham
49. Mo Salah
Liverpool
48. Omar Alderete
Sunderland
47. Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa
46. Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool
45. Harvey Barnes
Newcastle
44. Jan Paul van Hecke
Brighton
43. Gianluigi Donnarumma
Man City
42. Ismaila Sarr
Crystal Palace
40. Josko Gvardiol
Man City
The notable fallers this week, understandably, include two Liverpool players. Salah has gone from being the best player in the top-flight to someone Arne Slot can afford to drop. The Egyptian has been on the bench in the last two games and will be off to AFCON soon.
Times are also tough for centre-back Virgil van Dijk, who looks a shadow of his former self in defence. Against Sunderland in their 1-1 draw, he allowed Chemsdine Talbi the freedom of Anfield to get his shot away. The forward’s effort deflected off Van Dijk and flew into the net. It was a moment that summed up the Dutchman’s campaign.
40-31
40. Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Leeds
39. Lewis Hall
Newcastle
38. Cristian Romero
Spurs
37. Robin Roefs
Sunderland
36. Sandro Tonali
Newcastle
35. Malick Thiaw
Newcastle
34. Jeremy Doku
Man City
33. Riccardo Calafiori
Arsenal
32. Bryan Mbeumo
Man Utd
31. Granit Xhaka
Sunderland
Dominic Calvert-Lewin deservedly shoots up the rankings this week. He has struggled to find his form in recent years but has now scored in back-to-back games for Leeds. Has Daniel Farke finally found someone capable of saving them from relegation?
Newcastle defenders Malick Thiaw – a scorer of two goals last weekend – and Lewis Hall both feature inside the top 40.
30-21
30. Pedro Neto
Chelsea
29. Nico O’Reilly
Man City
28. Martin Zubimendi
Arsenal
27. Iliman Ndiaye
Everton
26. Jack Grealish
Everton
25. Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool
24. Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea
23. Nick Woltemade
Newcastle
22. Yankuba Minteh
Brighton
21. Antoine Semenyo
Bournemouth
Antoine Semenyo is one of the biggest fallers this week. During the opening months of the term, the Cherries winger looked like one of the best players in the league. Now, however, he’s failed to register a goal involvement across his last six matches.
Elsewhere, Nico O’Reilly soars up the rankings following an impressive few weeks for Manchester City. Despite the summer arrival of Rayan Ait-Nouri, the Englishman is now Pep Guardiola’s undisputed first choice at left-back.
20-11
20. Morgan Rogers
Aston Villa
19. David Raya
Arsenal
18. Jean-Philippe Mateta
Crystal Palace
17. William Saliba
Arsenal
16. Marc Guehi
Crystal Palace
15. Daniel Munoz
Crystal Palace
14. Bruno Guimaraes
Newcastle
13. Bukayo Saka
Arsenal
12. Gabriel Magalhaes
Arsenal
11. Eberechi Eze
Arsenal
20-11 is dominated by Crystal Palace and Arsenal players. Deservedly so, too. Daniel Munoz has firmly established himself as one of the best full-backs in the Premier League, notably scoring the winner for the Eagles against Wolves. Coincidentally, the man just below him in the rankings, Marc Guehi, assisted that strike.
Eberechi Eze, the hat-trick hero in the North London derby a few weeks ago, drops out of the top ten following a few quieter games for Arsenal against Chelsea and Brentford.
10 Elliot Anderson – Nottingham Forest
Anderson has been phenomenal in the middle of the park for Forest this season, earning praise from England boss Thomas Tuchel who described him as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.” It’s hard to disagree with that statement.
9 Phil Foden – Manchester City
When Phil Foden is on, he is on it. The 2023/24 Premier League Player of the Year had a quiet campaign by his standards in 2024/25 but he’s finally rediscovering his mojo. Foden has scored a brace in each of his last two league outings against Leeds United and Fulham.
8 Mikel Merino – Arsenal
The most underrated player in world football right now? Quite possibly. Mikel Arteta has transformed the Spaniard from a duel-winning monster in midfield to an elite number 9. He has scored vital headers against Chelsea and Brentford across the last two gameweeks.
7 Moises Caicedo – Chelsea
Caicedo may well have been sent off for a late challenge on Merino during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with the Gunners but he’s still very much one of the best in the division. Red card aside, he has been phenomenal in 2025/26.
6 Jurrien Timber – Arsenal
Is there a better right-back in world football right now than Timber? We don’t think so. The Netherlands international has made Arsenal’s right flank his own and has been tremendous across the last few weeks, notably registering an assist in the Gunners’ big win against Spurs and then even filling in at centre-half against Brentford.
5 Bruno Fernandes – Man United
Put a little quality around him and suddenly you see the real Bruno. The United skipper has assisted five goals in his last six games and is without a doubt the most important player for the Red Devils.
4 Igor Thiago – Brentford
Only second to Erling Haaland in the Premier League’s scoring charts, Igor Thiago is enjoying quite the season as Keith Andrews’ leading man. He has scored nine goals in his last nine outings for the Bees.
3 Reece James – Chelsea
All of the talk this season has been about how good Declan Rice and Caicedo are but James has more than proven he’s a match for both players in midfield. delivering a man of the match performance against Arsenal last weekend.
2 Erling Haaland – Man City
While the fierce Norwegian blanked against Newcastle and Leeds, he was back among the goals in that ridiculous 5-4 win over Fulham, also assisting twice. Haaland is absolutely unstoppable and is on track to obliterate the record for goals in a 38-game Premier League season.
1 Declan Rice – Arsenal
Adding end product to his game over the last 12 months, Rice is perhaps the standout midfielder in world football at present. Adding another assist to his tally against Tottenham, Arsenal’s number 41 dominated proceedings in the North London derby and his partnership with Martin Zubimendi looks virtually unplayable.
