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Tough competition for the top spot...

2024-25 Premier League Player of the Season Power Rankings: Van Dijk, Saka or Palmer at No.1?

Manchester City players have won the Premier League Player of the Season award in each of their last five title-winning seasons, with Phil Foden following the likes of Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias and Kevin De Bruyne (twice).

Prior to that, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk picked up the individual accolades in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns respectively.

But who is in the running for the award in 2024-25? We’re still less than a quarter of the way through the season, but a few outstanding individuals have caught the eye already.

10. Jhon Duran

Kicking things off with a bit of a wild card. What’s 10th place for if not a rank outsider?

We know what you’re thinking. Duran will need to actually start games if he’s ever to even enter this conversation. And that’s absolutely fair enough.

But the Colombian’s penchant for spectacular heroics – with both a goal-of-the-season contender and a famous match-winner against Bayern Munich already under his belt – mean that surely he’ll get his opportunities soon enough, especially with Unai Emery navigating an arduous, fixture-stacked campaign.

Duran averages a goal every 46 minutes for Aston Villa in the Premier League so far this season. If he can be that prolific as a starter, the sky’s the limit.

9. Ryan Gravenberch

A heavy narrative-based one here.

Liverpool’s post-Fabinho No.6 issue dominated Arne Slot’s first transfer window at Anfield, with the chase for – and ultimate failure to land – Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi having the potential to cast a shadow over the early days of the post-Klopp era.

But Gravenberch has stepped up superbly into that role, begging the question – what No.6 issue? The Dutchman looks a natural fit at the base of midfield, with his compatriot Slot getting a series of assured, dominant performances out of him. Tougher tests await for Gravenberch but so far he’s passed almost every test with flying colours.

Still, let’s face it – if Rodri didn’t win it last year, a defensive midfielder isn’t going to win it this season or probably any season.

8. Danny Welbeck

George W. Bush was still president of the United States when Welbeck made his Premier League debut for Manchester United. That’s how long ago it was.

Surprisingly enough, despite that longevity – and his fan-favourite status at both his boyhood Red Devils and Arsenal – he’s a long way off the Premier League’s 100 club.

He’s only actually scored 71 Premier League goals, having never been the most prolific striker amid his struggles with injuries over the years. Not once has he hit double figures.

Despite lots of competition, Dat Guy Welbz has the faith of new Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler. He’s started all seven of their matches to date, playing almost every minute of their campaign so far.

He’s repaid that belief with big goals against Everton, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and the match-winner in the 3-2 comeback victory over Tottenham.

This’ll be the year that Welbeck gets double figures. We believe. Whether he actually keeps this up to mount a POTY challenge might be a stretch, though.

7. Gabriel

The general consensus is that William Saliba is the more cultured centre-half, which we’re not going to disagree with.

But his partner at the heart of Arsenal’s rock-solid backline has arguably been every bit as strong so far this season, all the while offering extra set-piece threat at the other end – having scored vital headers against both Tottenham and Manchester City.

Arsenal’s defence has looked uncharacteristically sloppy over their last couple of Premier League outings but you’d expect normal business to resume with regular clean sheets soon enough.

6. Kai Havertz

You only have to go back about 12 months to see Havertz derided by rival fans as a major flop, while leaving a not-inconsiderable proportion of the Arsenal fanbase perplexed at exactly what he offered to Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Fast forward a year and his critics have been largely silenced. The Germany international has become only the second player in the Emirates era, after Robin Van Persie, to score in seven straight matches on home soil in all competitions.

Havertz looks increasingly capable of scoring proper thumping No.9 headers while proving himself increasingly indispensable at linking everything together in the final third. One of the leading lights of Arsenal’s title charge.


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5. Mohamed Salah

It would be overstating it to suggest that Salah has been “back to his best” this season. Liverpool’s Egyptian King doesn’t look quite as dynamic as he once did, but he remains a wonderfully effective player and has arguably refined his game to be that bit more efficient.

Salah is just one of a number of talented attackers in Liverpool’s squad who have kicked off the Slot era in fine fettle, but he’s probably been the pick of the bunch with four goals and four assists to date.

4. Erling Haaland

Is it controversial to only have Haaland fourth? He hit double figures for Premier League goals in 2024-25 in mid-September, having notched in each of his first five appearances of the campaign, including hat-tricks against Ipswich and West Ham.

Blanks have followed against Newcastle and Fulham, but the Norwegian remains on track to break all kinds of goalscoring records and is leading the race to win a third successive Golden Boot since arriving in the Premier League.

Either Haaland’s goals will have to fire Manchester City to a fifth straight title, which is a big ask without the midfield control given by Rodri, or he’ll have to score a Messi-esque 50 league goals… in which case he’ll surely be the only contender.

We wouldn’t put it past him on either front.

Unstoppable.

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3. Cole Palmer

Phil Foden won the Player of the Season award last year, which was hard to quibble with given the starring role he played in City’s title victory.

Having said that, there was a cohort of pundits suggesting the award should have gone to Palmer.

And when you consider how well he did at an otherwise dysfunctional Chelsea side, notching more combined goals and assists than any player in Europe’s major leagues barring Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane, they had a point.

And the argument that the Man City academy graduate is the best player in England strengthens by the week. Palmer’s hat-trick of assists against Wolves and four-goal haul against Brighton were outrageous exhibitions of nonchalant talent that very few can match.

You’d say that ability makes him a surefire starter for England, but then you’d have to leave someone similarly talented out. Foden? Bellingham? Lee Carsley is blessed with world-class options.

2. Bukayo Saka

Hale End’s finest has arguably taken his game up a whole new level so far this season. Who needs Martin Odegaard when you have Saka creating big chances so regularly?

Seven assists in seven games is an unbelievable return when you consider that Thierry Henry’s record for an entire season is 20.

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Southampton at the Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.

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1. Virgil Van Dijk

As above, Gravenberch has been exceptional so far. As has Salah.

But the man that’s shone brightest for Liverpool, who have won all but one match so far and deservedly sit atop the Premier League table, has been the leader in the heart of their defence.

Van Dijk still has that aura; hilariously unruffled through each and every match, coasting through every game as if he’s playing on easy mode.

We’ll really find out what Liverpool are made of following the October international break, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Brighton their next four fixtures in the league.

But Van Dijk looks as though he’ll be unperturbed about any challenge, having been key to Slot’s side conceding just two goals in seven games so far.