Copyright GIVEMESPORT
The Premier League arguably provides the best entertainment that football has to offer, with thrills, spills and spectacular goals taking up headlines the world over. It is fitting, then, that many of the sport's best players have been so desperate to secure eye-watering moves to the top-flight, eager to prove their worth once and for all in England. The likes of Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have competed to win the Golden Boot over recent years, while eye-catching names such as Bukayo Saka, Bruno Fernandes and Cole Palmer have been lighting up the league alongside them. No wonder supporters just can't seem to agree on the best overall player in the Premier League, let alone the outstanding performer for each club. Some picks are arguably much easier than others, but resident experts for each team have given it a crack regardless, choosing who they believe is the most important player for the side they support. Here is who they have selected, courtesy of BBC Sport. Arsenal Declan Rice Declan Rice has been near enough untouchable this season, bulldozing his way through the opposition and contributing at both ends of the pitch. He is a threat from set pieces, as shown in the 2-0 victory against Burnley, and has been just as immaculate defensively, timing his tackles to perfection and stopping counter-attacks at source. Simply, Rice is a major reason behind Arsenal's incredible defensive record, and his stellar performances have placed him in the same bracket as Moises Caicedo in the race to become the best midfielder in the Premier League. Laura Kirk-Francis from the Latte Firm podcast has been blown away by the England international's all-round ability. "Is there anything Declan Rice can't do? This season, Rice has been imperious, not only delivering inch-perfect set-piece deliveries but now adding goals to his output." Aston Villa Ollie Watkins Goals have been in short supply for Ollie Watkins this season, but he has surprisingly made this list. In fairness to the misfiring striker, Aston Villa as a whole have looked a little blunt in attack, and Watkins has fallen victim to this, scoring once all campaign. Alarmingly, he has mustered up just a handful of shots on target over the first 10 games, and his conversion rate has plunged from 19.1% to only 7.1%. Unai Emery doesn't appear to fully trust the frontman to deliver the goods, but Watkins remained at Villa Park despite big-name interest from Manchester United and Arsenal over the past year. He must now start finding the back of the net with regularity. David Michael of the My Old Man Said blog is hopeful the 29-year-old will improve - and soon. "Villa's squad relies on just one true out-and-out striker - and Ollie Watkins has scored just once all season. In a system that gives him the trust and the minutes, the goals have to come." Bournemouth Antoine Semenyo It is surely just a matter of time before Antoine Semenyo is snapped up by one of the Premier League's so-called 'Big Six'. Manchester United were linked with the forward during the summer, but he stayed at Bournemouth and signed a new contract. Semenyo has been on fire this season, netting six goals already, and his dazzling footwork has made him a defender's worst nightmare, as well as the Cherries' best player, according to Back of the Net's Tom Jordan. "Bournemouth's key player is unquestionably Antoine Semenyo. The explosive wide forward already has six goals and three assists to his name this season and is unsurprisingly grabbing the headlines." Brentford Mikkel Damsgaard After watching Christian Norgaard join Arsenal in the summer, Mikkel Damsgaard has stepped up to the plate for Brentford this term. He is silky in possession and has kept his side ticking along in and around the opposition's penalty area. Goals will be crucial in keeping Keith Andrews' side above the relegation zone, and Damsgaard will undoubtedly have a make-or-break impact. Ian Westbrook of the Beesotted Podcast has recognised the midfielder's crucial role. "Mikkel Damsgaard is the man who makes things tick for Brentford. His vision and ability to spot and play the killer pass is unmatched in the squad and if he plays well, results generally follow." Brighton Danny Welbeck Wayne Rooney is adamant Brighton striker Danny Welbeck should be included in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad in America next year. At 34 years old, that's quite the compliment. Veteran Welbeck is the top English scorer in the Premier League so far this season, netting six goals in 10 games, and he has been in lethal form under Fabian Hurzeler. Surely now is the perfect time, then, for him to return to the Three Lions fold, with We Are Brighton's Scott McCarthy making a personal plea to Tuchel to consider the prolific ace. "It is not just the scarcity of other options which makes Danny Welbeck a key player. When he plays well and scores goals, Brighton tend to win. Take note please, Thomas Tuchel." Burnley Martin Dubravka It's been a case of so far, so good for Scott Parker and Burnley. They are three points above the relegation zone after the first 10 games of the season and look to have clicked all over the pitch, which bodes very well indeed in their survival fight. However, they were given a bruising reality check in their defeat against Arsenal at Turf Moor, and they could easily have conceded more on the day if not for goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. The experienced stopper made no fewer than five saves and commanded his penalty area superbly, showing exactly why the Clarets were right to snap him up from Newcastle in the summer. As such, Natalie Bromley of the No Nay Never podcast has been impressed with Dubravka's form. "It's hard to see past Martin Dubravka as Burnley's key player this season. He's pulled out some incredible saves to preserve points in key relegation games." Chelsea Moises Caicedo There were more than a few eyebrows raised when Chelsea splashed out £115 million to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton, but he has proven this season that he is among the very best midfielders in the world. That hefty price tag may not look like a bargain just yet, but his all-round ability and improvement in attacking areas have made the Blues a force to be reckoned with. Chelsea News' Will Faulks lauded Caicedo's impact in the recent 1-0 victory against Tottenham. "With Cole Palmer out, Moises Caicedo has even become an important goalscorer and creator, as we saw on Saturday, where he effectively won the game single-handedly." Crystal Palace Daniel Munoz Marauding wing-back Daniel Munoz has been a revelation since arriving at Crystal Palace in January 2024, and his eye-catching performances have reportedly led to several elite clubs registering their interest. Oliver Glasner's system gets the best of the defender and affords him plenty of attacking freedom. His form has made him undroppable, and Alex Pewter of the FYP Podcast says he is vital to his side's success. "Daniel Munoz's stamina and range allows the 3-4-2-1 formation to click, as a genuine two-way threat. The team's success hinges more on his availability than on other talents." Everton Jack Grealish Freed from his Manchester City shackles, Jack Grealish has been a revelation at Everton. He has dazzled with his tricky footwork and got the beating of his man time and again this season in a number of show-stopping, headline-stealing performances. He looks like a different man to the forward whose love for the game appeared to fizzle out at the Etihad. Mike Richards of the Unholy Trinity Everton podcast didn't hesitate in choosing Grealish as his club's most important player. "It has to be Jack Grealish. He is constantly singled out for 'special treatment' by the opposition due to his quality and importance to Everton in an attacking sense. He strikes a sense of fear into opponents." Fulham Ryan Sessegnon Some say you should never go back in football, but Ryan Sessegnon is a shining example of why that isn't a one-size-fits-all theory. The full-back burst onto the scene at Craven Cottage aged just 16, and after a five-year stint at Tottenham, he returned home to Fulham in July 2024. He has not looked back since, and even scored in the recent 3-0 victory against Wolves. Fulhamish's Drew Heatley says Sessegnon has become "indispensable" to Marco Silva. Ryan Sessegnon has found himself thrust into the first XI, mostly at left-back. But he has made himself indispensable, chalking up two goals in the process. Leeds Noah Okafor Leeds pulled off something of a coup when they signed Noah Okafor from AC Milan during the summer, handing him a fresh start in the Premier League after a turbulent spell in Italy. At one stage, the forward was seventh in the top five leagues for the most take-ons completed in September, a stat which saw him rub shoulders with Kylian Mbappe. The next step is consistency, Adonis Storr of the Roaring Peacock believes. "Leeds have struggled in attacking areas this season but Noah Okafor has flair and creativity. It will be vital for Leeds' chances of survival to keep him fit and get him firing consistently." Liverpool Dominik Szoboszlai Arne Slot will be kicking himself that he didn't use Dominik Szoboszlai in an advanced No. 10 role earlier. The midfielder dovetailed beautifully with Florian Wirtz in Liverpool's 1-0 victory against Real Madrid in the Champions League, and stepped up again with a lung-busting performance bristling with quality passes and, crucially, an end product. Empire of the Kop's Jordan Chamberlain rightly waxed lyrical about the Hungarian, who has also filled in at right-back this season. "He's been the best of an inconsistent bunch this season. Physically incredible, he works tirelessly and has flair on the ball, too. Arne Slot should play him in midfield." Manchester City Erling Haaland What more can be said about Erling Haaland? He has been scoring for fun this season with a Terminator-like steely stare in front of goal and appears to have taken a step up, if that is even possible. Every time he breaks into the box, you can bet your bottom dollar that he will find the back of the net. Manchester City would be much worse off without him. Freddie Pye at City Xtra certainly agrees. "Erling Haaland. With more goals than every other City player combined across competitions, is there anything else that needs to be said about his importance right now?" Manchester United Casemiro Casemiro has enjoyed quite the renaissance at Old Trafford this season. After tumbling out of contention during the early days of Ruben Amorim's reign, he fought his way back into the team, looking leaner and sharper than ever. He is accomplished in the tackle and a threat around the penalty area, meaning Manchester United rely heavily on him. Alex Turk of Turk Talks FC even believes he is more important than talisman Bruno Fernandes. "Bruno Fernandes is the headline star and Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are the shiny new toys, but Casemiro is the soul of this team." Newcastle Sandro Tonali After delivering a masterclass performance in Newcastle's win against Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League, Sandro Tonali dropped something of a bombshell, admitting he is not sure whether his long-term future will be at St James' Park. The message is simple, then. Enjoy him while it lasts, Magpies supporters. There aren't many midfielders around who are better than him. Charlotte Robson from the True Faith: Newcastle United podcast has insisted that Tonali is one of the club's best-ever players. "I've never seen a better midfielder play for Newcastle - his technical ability coupled with his incredible work rate has saved us several times this season already." Nottingham Forest Neco Williams It's been a topsy-turvy season for Nottingham Forest, with only a handful of players acting as a calming influence. Neco Williams is undoubtedly among them. While he has been questioned at points since arriving from Liverpool in 2022, the full-back has kicked on this campaign, delivering several impressive performances. Pat Riddell at the Famous Club believes Williams has made himself undroppable. "Neco Williams has had his critics in his three seasons at the City Ground but this year he has been an absolute mainstay in the side. He's easily one of the first names on the team sheet." Sunderland Granit Xhaka Granit Xhaka has been Captain Fantastic for Sunderland and is perhaps the spark that has led the Black Cats to light up the Premier League on their long-awaited return. Snapped up for just £13 million, the Swiss midfielder has brought experience and a gritty edge to a team that needed an overhaul over the summer. He may even be the signing of the season. Gavin Henderson of Roker Report has been left in awe of Xhaka's displays. "Sunderland have taken the Premier League by storm this season, but the man leading the charge has undoubtedly been our new captain. An absolute warrior." Tottenham Cristian Romero Handed the captain's armband by Thomas Frank, Cristian Romero has excelled for Tottenham and continues to set the example for his teammates, even if he does cross the line on occasion. His passing ability is also crucial in helping Spurs play through the thirds, and they sorely missed his presence during his recent injury lay-off. Ali Speechly of Women of the Lane reckons Romero is one of the best defenders in the top-flight. "Haters will question his temperament but real ones know the Argentinian World Cup winner is in control. One half of one of the best centre-back pairings in the league." West Ham Jarrod Bowen Jarrod Bowen has become a West Ham legend since joining back in January 2020, and without him, they would perhaps already be cut adrift at the bottom of the table. He has scored three goals in the Premier League and single-handedly dragged his team-mates through some tricky situations, and it is vital that the club rebuffs any offers in January. James Jones from the We Are West Ham podcast says Bowen is by far and away the Hammers' most critical player. "Jarrod Bowen remains the main focal point for our attacking threat. Perhaps we're a bit too reliant on the captain at times but his quality and his love for the club shines through almost every week." Wolves Joao Gomes His future at Wolves remains uncertain even after Vitor Pereira's sacking, but Joao Gomes is clearly good enough to make a real impact in the Premier League. He had attracted interest from several top-flight sides in April before agreeing to sign a new long-term contract. The club's next manager would be wise to restore Gomes to the starting XI. Always Wolves' Dazzling Dave has praised the 24-year-old for standing up to be counted this season.
