Premier League Team of the Season: Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Virgil van Dijk

The ribbons on the Premier League trophy changed from sky blue to red for the 2024-25 season, as Liverpool experienced the unparalleled feeling of lifting the trophy aloft in front of fans for the first time since the top flight's rebranding.

While Liverpool's medals were gold, Arsenal's were silver again as the Gunners finished second for the third straight season, although Manchester City ended a campaign of capitulation by sneaking onto the podium.

Newcastle United and Chelsea will also line up to the Champions League anthem next season, having pipped Europa League-bound Aston Villa and Conference League-bound Nottingham Forest to the coveted top five places on the final day.

Brighton & Hove Albion managed to fend off the threat of Brentford to finish eighth, although their latest European adventure will have to wait, while Bournemouth made the top half despite falling off the pace in the continental race.

Further down the division, both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur experienced their worst-ever Premier League campaigns - finishing 15th and 17th respectively - while Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, West Ham United and FA Cup winners Crystal Palace preserved their top-flight statuses.

However, all three promoted teams were sent straight back down to tier two, as Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town made swift returns to the Championship to be replaced by Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland.

Following the conclusion of another jam-packed campaign, Sports Mole takes on the arduous task of selecting its Premier League Team of the Season, with some honourable mentions along the way.

GOALKEEPER - DAVID RAYA

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Defending half of his Golden Glove prize from the 2023-24 campaign - splitting the award with Nottingham Forest's Matz Sels - Arsenal number one David Raya proved once again that Mikel Arteta was right to axe Aaron Ramsdale from his ranks.

The Spain international ended the campaign with a joint-high 13 clean sheets and also registered the lowest goals against per 90 minutes of any goalkeeper in the division, shipping just 0.89.

Raya's 74.2% save percentage was also the third-best in the division behind Lukasz Fabianski (74.6%) and Robert Sanchez (76.4%), and his extraordinary stop from Ollie Watkins against Aston Villa should forever be remembered as one of the best the competition has ever seen.

Honourable mentions: Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest), Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton)

RIGHT-BACK - DANIEL MUNOZ

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Deservedly coming home to an FA Cup winners' medal, Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz was equally exemplary in the Premier League, charging up and down the right flank like there was no tomorrow.

The Colombia international hit double figures for goal contributions with four of his own and six assists in 37 matches, and he won the joint-most tackles in the division with 80, level with Everton's Idrissa Gueye.

It is easy to see why Munoz's exploits reportedly attracted the attention of Manchester City, but the Selhurst Park faithful can potentially enjoy another three years of barnstorming displays following his contract extension.

Honourable mentions: Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

CENTRE-BACKS - NIKOLA MILENKOVIC, VIRGIL VAN DIJK

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It seems inexplicable that no other Premier League side made a serious play for Nikola Milenkovic last summer, as the former Fiorentina man proved to be one of the signings of the season for Nottingham Forest.

The 27-year-old came up with five goals and two assists to help propel the Tricky Trees back into Europe, and his 71.9% aerial duel win rate could only be bettered by another three players in the division.

However, one of those three was title-winning captain Virgil van Dijk, the man who touched the ball more than any other player in the 2024-25 Premier League, and at 33 he remains as imposing as ever in the heart of the Liverpool defence.

The domineering Dutchman managed three goals en route to his second Premier League crown, and no man made more passes into the final third than Van Dijk, who registered a staggering 290 to further demonstrate his timeless ability on the ball.

Honourable mentions: William Saliba (Arsenal), Murillo (Nottingham Forest), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth), Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Dan Burn (Newcastle United)

LEFT-BACK - ANTONEE ROBINSON

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From a current Liverpool defender to one formerly linked with a switch to Anfield, Fulham's Antonee Robinson channelled his inner Andy Robertson to register more assists than any other defender in the Premier League season.

The USA international set up a terrific 10 goals in the 2024-25 campaign, where he was one of just eight players to hit double figures in assists, and his diligent defending was on full display too.

Robinson ended the season with an eye-catching 62 interceptions - the second most in the league behind Aaron Wan-Bissaka's 66 - while also ranking in the top 10 for tackles and tackles won.

Honourable mentions: Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest), Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace)

RIGHT MIDFIELD - MOHAMED SALAH

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Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne's assist record may remain, but no man has directly contributed to more goals in one Premier League campaign than the majestic Mohamed Salah.

The first man to ever win the Premier League Golden Boot, Playmaker Award and Player of the Season in one year, the 32-year-old recorded an astonishing 29 goals and 18 assists, often carrying the Liverpool attack on his back.

Such a scintillating season is Ballon d'Or worthy on its own, but Liverpool's failure to achieve Champions League stardom may work against him when the ultimate prize is handed out.

Honourable mentions: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jacob Murphy (Newcastle United), Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth)

CENTRE MIDFIELD - RYAN GRAVENBERCH, BRUNO FERNANDES

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A worthy winner of the Premier League's Young Player of the Season prize, Ryan Gravenberch's renaissance this season was unexpected and unforgettable, as the 23-year-old set up four goals during the Reds' run to the title.

However, it was the Dutchman's exceptional athleticism and ability to break up play that caught the eye the most, as he registered the third-most interceptions in the league and eased the pain of Martin Zubimendi's transfer snub.

Liverpool's long-time rivals Man United may have been fighting at the opposite end of the table, but it was not for a lack of trying from Bruno Fernandes, who was so often at his brilliant best when his side were at their woeful worst.

The Portuguese playmaker ended the campaign with eight goals and 11 assists, while also creating more chances than any other player in the top flight, an unrivalled 91 - not even Salah fashioned that many for his teammates.

Honourable mentions: Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Thomas Partey (Arsenal), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Moises Caicedo (Chelsea), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United)

LEFT MIDFIELD - BRYAN MBEUMO

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One half of the deadly Brentford double act makes it into our Team of the Season; commiserations to Yoane Wissa, but congratulations to Bryan Mbeumo, whose stock rose even more thanks to another campaign where he went from strength to strength.

With a stellar 20 goals and respectable seven assists, the Cameroon international banked the third-most direct involvements in the Premier League campaign, while also ranking in the top 10 for both goal and shot-creating actions.

Thanks to Mbeumo's magic, Brentford continue to cope just fine in a post-Ivan Toney world, but whether they can cope in a post-Mbeumo world will be answered if the African star seals a marquee transfer this summer.

Honourable mentions: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Yoane Wissa (Brentford), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

CENTRE-FORWARDS - CHRIS WOOD, ALEXANDER ISAK

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A two-man strikeforce that would strike fear into the hearts of any backline, Nottingham Forest marksman Chris Wood and Newcastle United hitman Alexander Isak lead our line after amassing a wonderful 43 Premier League goals between them.

Swedish sensation Isak was Salah's closest challenger in the race for the Golden Boot, finding the back of the net on 23 occasions, and it would have been criminal for a player of his quality not to play in the 2025-26 Champions League.

In contrast, Wood must make do with the third tier of continental football next season, but the New Zealand international did everything in his power to bring Champions League football back to the City Ground.

Ageing like a fine wine in the Tricky Trees' attack, Wood hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in a Premier League campaign; who would have believed us in August if we said the 33-year-old would beat Erling Haaland to a place in the Team of the Season?

Honourable mentions: Erling Haaland (Man City), Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)

SPORTS MOLE'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE SEASON

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Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Season (4-4-2): Raya; Munoz, Milenkovic, Van Dijk, Robinson; Salah, Gravenberch, Fernandes, Mbeumo; Isak, Wood

Written by
Ben Knapton