Alex Turk’s TOTY
It’s been a Premier League season of attacking excellence, and I’d be doing that a disservice by lining up with anything other than three-at-the-back. Josko Gvardiol is perhaps my most contentious pick. But Arsenal have afforded Manchester City no room to slip up in the title run-in, and his crucial performances and goals have moved the latter to the brink of history.
Raya; Saliba, Van Dijk, Gvardiol; Palmer, Rodri, Rice, Foden; Odegaard; Watkins, Haaland
Archie Griggs’ TOTY
Kevin De Bruyne squeezes into my team ahead of Martin Odegaard, with the City maestro creating more chances per 90 minutes than any Premier League player since 2004. Destiny Udogie also gets in at left-back after impressing at Tottenham before his injury. He edges out Josko Gvardiol, who has been excellent for City as of late but endured a stuttering start to the campaign.
Martinez; White, Gabriel, Saliba, Udogie; Rodri, Rice, De Bruyne; Palmer, Foden, Haaland
Charlie Malam’s TOTY
Without a standout left-back, I’m going for a 3-5-2 (that plays like a 3-2-3-2!) Jordan Pickford has managed 13 clean sheets while facing 166 shots on target – saving 117 of those (David Raya has only faced 85 to earn his 16 clean sheets). Martin Odegaard and Ben White are musts. Virgil van Dijk has been excellent but you can’t leave either Arsenal centre-half out. Ollie Watkins’ 32 goal contributions – matched only by Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland pre-GW38 – deserve TOTY recognition. Sorry to Kevin De Bruyne whose lack of minutes just keep him out.
Pickford; White, Saliba, Gabriel; Rodri, Rice, Palmer, Odegaard, Foden; Watkins, Haaland
Disagree with our picks? Have your say in the comments
Sam Smith’s TOTY
The Premier League’s goalkeepers have been prone to the occasional error this season, but Emi Martinez deserves recognition for playing his part in Aston Villa’s Champions League qualification. The remainder of the team largely picks itself, with Saliba and Van Dijk the standout defenders. Rodri, Rice and Odegaard have excelled for the top two, while Palmer and Foden have been the league’s best performers.
Martinez; White, Saliba, Van Dijk, Ake; Rodri, Rice, Odegaard; Palmer, Haaland, Foden
Jono Spencer’s TOTY
Emi Martinez has been the stand-out keeper this season, inspiring Aston Villa to the Champions League. The defence is heavily Arsenal dominated but rightly so, boasting the best record by five goals. Up top, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden’s inclusions speak for themselves, while Ollie Watkins gets the nod over Erling Haaland. The English striker has etched his name into Aston Villa folklore this season
Martinez; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Ake; Rice, Rodri, Odegaard, Foden, Palmer, Watkins
Jack McEachen’s TOTY
Can’t imagine this one is too controversial, I’ve gone with nine players combined from Manchester City and Arsenal along with two of the stand-out performers in Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer. Arsenal’s stellar defensive record ensures that they get the majority of picks in the backline, with Phil Foden the only notable exception in midfield. Foden looks set to scoop all the major individual awards but I can’t help but feel that Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer have been more important to their respective teams. Squeezing him on the left over Gordon, who has dominated in that position, would feel incredibly harsh.
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Gvardiol; Rodri, Rice; Saka, Palmer, Gordon; Haaland
Charlie Parker-Turner’s TOTY
Jordan Pickford’s 13 clean sheets are more impressive than David Raya’s 16 given the backlines in front of them so he has to feature between the sticks – and at the Euros for England. The back-three picks itself in this formation, as does the majority of the midfield. Anthony Gordon has been sensational down the left for Newcastle and warrants a spot in the starting XI over the likes of Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka. Many will overlook Erling Haaland up top, but you simply cannot overlook the Golden Boot winner just because there are astronomically high expectations of him.
Pickford; Van Dijk, Saliba, Gabriel; Palmer, Rice, Rodri, Foden, Gordon; Watkins, Haaland
Amos Murphy’s TOTY
They might not end up as champions, but it’s Arsenal who dominate this Team of the Season pick. Gabriel, William Saliba and Ben White have made up the division’s best defence, with summer arrival Declan Rice anchoring the backline just in front. The Arsenal quartet are joined by a trio of Manchester City players, chiefly Phil Foden and Rodri, who are both solid candidates for this year’s individual accolades. Josko Gvardiol also sneaks his way into the team, with the Croatian having played a key role for City during the run-in. Elsewhere, Aston Villa duo Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins earn a deserved spot on the back of Champions League qualification. While 22-goal man Cole Palmer takes the final position in the XI.
Martinez; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Gvardiol; Rodri, Rice, Foden; Salah, Watkins, Palmer
Tom Parsons’ TOTY
With 13 clean sheets to his name while playing for a relegation-threatened side, Jordan Pickford has proved why he’s England’s No 1. He’s got Trent Alexander-Arnold and two Arsenal defenders in front of him, with the Gunners the only team to keep more shut-outs than the Toffees. Alexander-Arnold’s creativity is off the scale and it will be absolutely criminal if Gareth Southgate can’t find a place for him this summer. Anthony Gordon deserves to be in the team for the role he’s played in helping Newcastle score 81 league goals. And his team-mate Alexander Isak has habitually shown Arsenal why they should sign him this summer.
Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Gabriel, Saliba; Rodri, Rice, Palmer, Gordon; Isak, Haaland, Watkins
Express Sport readers’ TOTY
Unlike any of our team’s selection, Manchester City captain Kyle Walker made it into your XI. Overall, six Man City players made it in with only three Arsenal representatives. Cole Palmer and Virgil van Dijk were the only two players who don’t play for either of the two title challengers.
Raya; Walker, Van Dijk, Saliba, Ake; Rodri, Rice, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Palmer
Sky Sports’ TOTYs
Carragher and Neville argued on Monday Night Football earlier this week over their teams, with the Man United legend in disbelief that De Bruyne made it into Carra’s eleven. Neville said of his colleague’s unusual 3-2-4-1 formation: “He’s created a system that doesn’t exist. Oh my God.”
Jamie Carragher: Pickford; Saliba, Van Dijk, Gabriel; Rodri, Rice; Palmer, De Bruyne, Odegaard, Foden; Watkins
Gary Neville: Martinez; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Udogie; Odegaard, Rodri, Rice; Palmer, Foden; Haaland
