Who are the footballers that make up ST’s Premier League Team of the Season?
These 11 players have been head and shoulders above the rest in their positions. GRAPHIC: ST SPORTS
UPDATED May 27, 2025, 11:17 AM
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After 283 days and 380 gruelling matches , the curtain has finally fallen on yet another Premier League season. It’s been filled with thrills, spills and the occasional emotional farewell, with Liverpool being crowned English top-flight champions for the 20th time , equalling Manchester United’s record.
The likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United will play in next season’s Champions League while promoted sides Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town will have to try again in the Championship . As for the Red Devils and Tottenham Hotspur, the less said about their league finishes, the better.
Amid all of that, 11 players were head and shoulders above the rest in their positions. Set up in a typical 4-3-3 formation, this is The Straits Times’ Premier League Team of the Season.
Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels was immense between the sticks this season. PHOTO: AFP
After ending 17th last season and conceding 67 goals in the process , Nottingham Forest exceeded all expectations with a seventh-placed finish . For most of this season, they flirted with a top-five finish and were at one point even considered title challengers . A lot of credit has to go to Sels, who boasts an impressive 73.9 per cent save percentage .
In his first full season with the club , he became the joint Premier League Golden Glove winner after keeping the most clean sheets (13) along with Arsenal’s David Raya. But some of Sel’s shut-outs came in statement wins against Manchester City and Liverpool at Anfield in what was the Reds’ only home loss this season.
Runners-up: David Raya (Arsenal), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Daniel Munoz celebrates after scoring against Manchester City in the FA Cup Final. The goal was later disallowed. PHOTO: REUTERS
After going winless in their first eight games of the season, Crystal Palace have flown high of late, and Daniel Munoz’s form has been testament to that. The Colombian’s electric pace and dynamism has seen him become one of the first names on the team sheet.
The buccaneering wing-back loves to get forward to great effect, contributing f our goals and six assists across 37 league appearances , as well as earning the Man of the Match award in Palace’s FA Cup final triumph.
Runners-up: Ola Aina (Forest), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Nikola Milenkovic has been Forest’s rock in defence. PHOTO: REUTERS
The signing of the season. Forest’s £12 million (S$20.9 million) purchase from Fiorentina in the summer has proved to be one of the best bargains of the modern era.
The big Serb has been at the heart of everything good about Forest, ranking among the top defenders for most clearances and most aerial duels won , as well as scoring five goals at the opposing end, the joint-most for a defender this season. He has also been named Forest’s Player of the Season following a successful debut campaign.
Runners-up: Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth), Dan Burn (Newcastle)
Virgil van Dijk celebrates with the Premier League trophy at the end of the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield. PHOTO: AFP
Calm as you like. The epitome of class. There were doubts if van Dijk would return to his best following a horrific anterior cruciate ligament injury in the 2020/21 season . Four years later, he has become the first Dutchman to captain a Premier League title-winning side .
A one-man wall at times, his commanding presence and ability to organise the backline have been a cornerstone of Liverpool’s success this season as he continues to cement his status as one of the best defenders of his generation.
Runners-up: Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Murillo (Forest)
Antonee Robinson was one of Fulham’s standout performers this season. PHOTO: AFP
Antonee Robinson has been nothing short of brilliant. Known for his blistering pace at both ends of the pitch, the United States international has gone up a level this season. He’s improved on his end product, notching 10 assists as a full-back and even having the privilege of wearing the captain’s armband at times .
At 27 , he is surely set for a big move in the summer, with Liverpool one of the clubs reportedly interested in his services.
Runners-up: Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), Josko Gvardiol (Man City)
Ryan Gravenberch has been at the centre of Liverpool’s success this season, debutising exceptionally well in holding midfield. PHOTO: REUTERS
Arguably the success story of the season. Liverpool desperately needed a holding midfielder following the end of last season. It looked like they weren’t going to get one after Martin Zubimendi opted to stay at Real Sociedad , then they realised they had one all along. Arne Slot’s masterstroke to reinvent Gravenberch into a No. 6 has worked wonders this season.
After an on-and-off first season on Merseyside, the 23-year-old Dutchman has played all but one league match in his second campaign, leading the league in interceptions (59) made by a midfielder. His intelligent positioning to break up play, as well as his ability to receive the ball on the half turn and drive forward have rightfully earned him the Young Player of the Season award.
Runners-up: Moises Caicedo (Chelsea), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle)
Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister celebrates after scoring their second goal during their win against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in April. PHOTO: AFP
Despite all that Gravenberch has done, he has probably not even been Liverpool’s best midfielder, because of the genius that is Alexis Mac Allister. The World Cup winner has been allowed to play in his natural position this season and with the licence to get further forward, he has made the £35 million fee Liverpool paid Brighton for him look like a steal.
Nicknamed a “football doctor” by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Mac Allister’s ability to control the tempo of games has made him one of the league’s most consistent players. He has also scored five goals, including a rocket in the 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur that clinched Liverpool the title.
Runners-up: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle)
Cole Palmer has been Chelsea’s best player this season. The Blues aren’t quite the same team when he’s off-form. PHOTO: AFP
The heartbeat of Chelsea. Palmer’s red-hot form in the first half of the season singlehandedly l ifted Chelsea into title race conversations at Christmas and it is fair to say that when he is not performing, Chelsea are just not the same team.
The goals may have dried up for him towards the tail end of the season, but he still ends it with 15 goals and nine assists to his name, f our of those goals coming in one half against Brighton in late September .
Runners-up: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Morgan Gibbs-White (Forest)
Mohamed Salah is now a two-time Premier League champion with Liverpool. PHOTO: REUTERS
Breaking records is Mohamed Salah’s thing. Following his latest goal against Crystal Palace, the Egyptian King equalled the Premier League record for most goal contributions in a single season (47), and the first to do so in a 38-game season. In a campaign where Liverpool were head and shoulders above the rest, Salah showed why he is quickly becoming one of the best players this league has ever seen.
Now a two-time Premier League champion, his other personal exploits include a fourth Golden Boot for his 29 goals, as well as the Playmaker award for his 18 assists . The 32-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down as after becoming the highest-scoring foreign player in Premier League history , he aims to climb further up the all-time goalscorer list, penning his future to Liverpool for two more years.
Runners-up: Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Jacob Murphy (Newcastle)
Alexander Isak will have a lot of suitors in the upcoming transfer window. PHOTO: REUTERS
In a season where strikers have thrived, it’s a real shame that only one can make it into the XI. But there is no debate. Alexander Isak is world class. A tally of 23 goals and six assists is not bad at all for a player who has lit up the league with his explosive turn of pace and clinical finishing, but what is most impressive about him is his all-round play.
He is the complete centre forward and after s ecuring Champions League qualification on the final day , Newcastle will be desperate to hold on to him as offers from Arsenal and Liverpool swirl over the Swede’s head .
Runners-up: Chris Wood (Forest), Yoane Wissa (Brentford)
Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga has been a revelation this season. PHOTO: REUTERS
The wildcard pick of this team. Elanga has been highly underrated, starring on the left side of Forest’s attack. His record of six goals and 11 assists have been pivotal in Forest’s pursuit of European football, a hat-trick of assists in the 7-0 thrashing of Brighton the standout highlight for the 23-year-old .
Elanga, a Manchester United academy product, has enjoyed a breakout season at the City Ground, proving his doubters wrong and showing that he is capable of playing at the highest level.
Runners-up: Luis Diaz (Liverpool), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
Do you agree or disagree with our picks? Let us know your Team of the Season. Send it to stsports@sph.com.sg
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