The Athletic released its latest ranking of the 50 best Premier League players following the first 50 games of the 2026-27 season on September 23, 2026.
The 2026-27 Premier League season has reached its 50-game mark, prompting a fresh top-50 player ranking from The Athletic. Manchester City striker Erling Haaland holds down the number one position in the updated list, anchoring a top ten featuring heavy representation from Arsenal and Manchester City.
The Athletic Player Rankings Top 25 Breakdown
The newly published standings outline a shifting landscape across England’s top flight after the opening weeks of action. Arsenal places multiple stars near the top of the table alongside Manchester City’s standout performers, while clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool see their key signings positioned across the middle tier of the 50-player list.
| Rank | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City |
| 2 | Gabriel | Arsenal |
| 3 | Declan Rice | Arsenal |
| 4 | Elliot Anderson | Manchester City |
| 5 | Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United |
| 6 | Bruno Guimaraes | Arsenal |
| 7 | Bukayo Saka | Arsenal |
| 8 | William Saliba | Arsenal |
| 9 | David Raya | Arsenal |
| 10 | Rayan Cherki | Manchester City |
Further down the rankings, movement among individual stars highlights changing fortunes on the pitch. Antoine Semenyo dropped 11 places from 14th down to 25th following recent fixtures, which included scoring a brace and providing an assist during Manchester City’s 5-3 victory over Sunderland. Elsewhere on the table, Morgan Rogers sits at 11th for Chelsea, Moises Caicedo occupies the 12th spot, and Cole Palmer is ranked 14th.
Everton Blast Back Over Premier League Omissions
Everton officials responded on the club’s official X account with a confused guy GIF after noticing zero players from Hill Dickinson Stadium made the top 50, despite the likes of Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski, James Garner, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish continuing to stand out at the Blues.
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The omission surprised supporters given the club’s strong start under the returning David Moyes, who has seen several players step up to bring stability to a club that had been stuck in consistent relegation battles. Everton remains unbeaten to open the 2026-27 campaign, anchored by a formidable central defensive partnership between James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite. Described as Moyes’ most important player when fit, the 24-year-old centre-back has been sensational for the Toffees in the current campaign, forming a formidable partnership with Tarkowski, who has been consistently solid for Everton no matter who plays alongside him. Michael Keane regularly played with his English compatriot at the back last season, but Branthwaite is now back to full fitness. One of the main reasons the Blues are unbeaten this season has been their defence, and fans who’ve been watching the Merseyside outfit this season know they have quality players in their ranks who could propel them to a European finish. Branthwaite is arguably Moyes’ most important player, and if he stays fit, anything is possible in L3.
Controversial Inclusions and Rising Contenders
Everton’s public reaction also pointed to questionable selections higher up the table. Critics highlighted that players such as Moises Caicedo and Bruno Guimaraes secured places despite not playing much football this season, while Florian Wirtz is 23rd and even most sane Liverpool fans would agree that he shouldn’t be on the list despite widespread debate over his inclusion. Additional notable placements include Emiliano Martinez, who hasn’t had the best start to his spell at Chelsea and has been ranked the 37th-best player in the Premier League, alongside Dominik Szoboszlai holding down No. 16 for Liverpool and Virgil van Dijk at No. 17.
Garner continues to be, pound-for-pound, one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. Jamie Carragher recently admitted Dewsbury-Hall contributes more than Wirtz. Grealish has continued at Hill Dickinson Stadium like he never left, with the winger’s qualities evident whenever he’s on the ball.
With 50 games completed in the 2026-27 season, these standings will face continuous pressure as domestic fixtures resume and European qualification races take shape across the Premier League.
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