No Arsenal or Man City stars in pound-for-pound Premier League team of the season
Adrian Durham overlooked Arsenal and Manchester City stars in his pound-for-pound Premier League team of the season.
The Gunners secured their first title in over 20 years on Tuesday night after City failed to beat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
The pair will finish first and second, respectively, when the season draws to a close on Sunday.
City host Aston Villa in what will be Pep Guardiola’s final game in charge.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are expected to receive a guard of honour when they make the short trip across the capital to face Crystal Palace.
The European places are still up for grabs, with Liverpool needing only a point against Brentford to secure Champions League football.
Brighton, Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland are all battling to finish seventh, which may be enough to secure a Europa League spot depending on whether Villa finish fifth or not after their European success in midweek.
At the other end of the table, both Tottenham and West Ham are battling to avoid the drop.
17th-placed Spurs, who sit two points clear of the Hammers in 18th, host Everton this weekend.
West Ham need to beat Leeds and hope the Toffees can do them a favour at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Before the action gets underway, Durham and England legend Stuart Pearce picked out their best XIs from the 2025-26 campaign on Breakfast on Friday morning.
‘Pound-for-pound’ team of the season
Our chief football anchor Durham was keen to stress that his XI differs from the traditional team of the season picks.
“Mine is a more of a pound-for-pound XI rather than your stellar superstars.”
‘Traditional’ team of the season
England legend Pearce opted for a more traditional approach but admitted there was a catch.
He outlined: “I must quantify, my selections, I’ve gone with: A) what I’ve seen with my own eyes on commentaries.
“Secondly, what they’ve done on the international scene as well, over the whole season, so there are some players I’ve not seen as much.
“I haven’t covered Bournemouth a great deal this season and they’ve done brilliantly.”
Goalkeeper
You can read the full debate between Durham and Pearce below…
“Stuart and I have picked our teams of the season,” Durham began. “Let’s go through it side by side. Who is your goalkeeper of the season?”
“My goalkeeper of the season, who just edged out [Gianluigi] Donnarumma is [David] Raya,” Pearce replied.
“I think he’s outstanding for Arsenal this year. If you haven’t got a top goalkeeper, you probably can’t win the Premier League.”
“That is a really good point,” Durham said, before picking his shotstopper.
“I’ve gone for the [Manchester] United goalkeeper, Senne Lammens.
“I think he’s been reliable. We don’t really talk about him, which is a good thing because we’re always talking about United goalkeepers dropping clangers and dropping balls.
“There was real pressure on that position, and I think he’s just come in for, what, £18million I think he cost?
“That’s a hell of a bargain, so I’m going to have him.”
Defence
Durham then continued with the XI: “Right-back – Who’s yours?”
To which Pearce replied: “I’ve gone for what they’ve done for their football club. [Michael] Kayode at Brentford.”
The choice went down well with Durham, who stated: “Good shout, that.”
“He’s like a runaway train when he gets the ball,” Pearce continued. “He drives in any direction on occasion. His long throws.
“He does so many miles going backwards and forwards and to be fair, for the importance he is for Brentford.
“Sometimes you look at his work and it’s not as clean as you would like.
“But I tell you what, he’s done a brilliant job this year for them.”
Durham then said: “I’ve gone Dominik Szoboszlai at Liverpool, which is a bit of a weird one, but I think when he’s been at right-back, he’s been sensational.”
The mention of Szoboszlai drew a groan from Pearce, who was quick to add: “I knew I’d left someone out!”
Durham then got the conversation back on track. “You’re the left back expert. Who’s your left-back?”
“It’s [Nico] O’Reilly, I think,” Pearce confirmed. “He’s come in, he’s played a hell of a lot of games for City. He’s scored important goals.
“When City were floundering slightly, he came into the side and gave them a big lift.”
Durham, who has evidently watched plenty of Bournemouth this season, plumped for a Cherries man at left-back.
“I’ve gone Adrien Truffert at Bournemouth, particularly second half of the season,” the talkSPORT host said.
“Marc Pugh was on early, the former Bournemouth player, saying he’s better than [Milos] Kerkez, which is a big thing. Kerkez was brilliant for Bournemouth.
“He could be one of the next cabs off the rank in terms of Bournemouth selling big players.”
Attention then turned to the heart of the defence. “Your two centre halves?” Durham asked.
“Gabriel [Magalhaes] at Arsenal and Marc Guehi,” Pearce responded.
“Marc Guehi once again did really well at Palace before his move and I think he’s settled in brilliantly at City. Really like him as a player.
“And on the international scene, he’s the first-choice central defender in my eyes for England.”
“Again, I’ve gone pound-for-pound,” Durham stated before making his picks.
“Dan Ballard at Sunderland. I think he’s been immense for them in certain games, such leadership, and sticking his head where it hurts.
“He’s a big reason why Sunderland have stayed up.
“Ezri Konsa as well. I don’t see Ezri Konsa having bad games these days. It used to be 50-50 sometimes.
“I think he will start for England this summer, and I think he’s worthy of that as well.”
Midfield
It was on to the midfield next, as Durham continued: “You’re going 4-2-3-1, who’s your two in midfield?”
“[Declan] Rice, a given,” Pearce said. “Magnificent for Arsenal. Whenever they rotate, they don’t rotate Dec.
“He plays every game, similar to Bernardo Silva at Manchester City. Those players play every game.
“The managers daren’t put a team out without either of those two. I’m just throwing Silva’s name there because I like him.
“But Declan Rice, magnificent again.”
And when asked who the other midfielder was, Pearce added: “I’ve got [Elliot] Anderson down here, but a month ago I said my player of the year would have been Szoboszlai and I forgot all about him and didn’t put him in my XI and you’ve told me I can’t put him in there now.
“I’ll leave him out, so Anderson.”
“I’ve gone Ethan Ampadu at Leeds,” Durham then started. “This is the season he’s proved he’s a Premier League player.
“This is a bit of personal bias here. I’m a huge fan of Alex Scott at Bournemouth, so I’ve stuck him in my midfield as well.”
Attack
“Who is your number 10?” Durham then asked of Pearce.
“I’ve gone for [Bruno] Fernandes at Man United. When United were dross early season, before they’ve had the lift of Michael Carrick and his coaching staff, he was the one person who kept them going.
“He kept the forward momentum of the football club going and at the end of the season, I look at the league table and there they are in third place.
“If it wasn’t for his goals, his assists and his performances, they’d probably be, in my opinion, somewhere between ninth and 14th.”
“Interesting. Morgan Gibbs-White, for me, is my 10. There were a few contenders, I wanted Forest in there, so he’s in there.
“Who are your wide players?” Durham asked, as both pundits confirmed the only player who makes both teams.
“Morgan Rogers on the left hand side,” Pearce said. “You could play him there, play him as the number 10, doesn’t matter.
“For England, he’s been magnificent for the last year. Just picked up a major European trophy.
“He’s been one of Villa’s top performers. Brilliant.”
“He’s pure silk on the ball, isn’t he?” Durham enthused. “I love watching Morgan Rogers. He’s my left hand side.
“Who’s your right?” Durham asked. “[Antoine] Semenyo,” Pearce answered.
“Brilliant for Bournemouth. Got his move in January.
“When Manchester City needed a lift in goals, Semenyo came through the door.
“Put it this way, they got their hands on two bits of silverware, so let’s not rule that out. They’ve had a brilliant season, again, City.
“But if they got their hands on the Premier League, and they’re only a couple of points away from it. If they did, people will be pointing at this kid and saying: ‘It was down to him coming through the door in January’.”
“I’ve got McGinn, super John McGinn, he’s on my right hand side,” Durham said of his right wing pick.
“Up front, I’ve gone for Junior Kroupi at Bournemouth. What an incredible first season in the Premier League for a teenager.
“I think that’s sensational. It would not surprise me if he leaves the club this summer.”
Pearce was in agreement on Kroupi’s flying debut campaign in England, saying: “He’s had some season, you’re right.”
Pearce then confirmed his striker pick, adding: “I’ve also gone for an individual that his value for his club when they sold all the assets last summer.
“All the goals, all the assists, and I tipped them to go down. I thought they were certs to go down.
“He’s come in the team and he’s scored in excess of 18 goals in the Premier League, [Igor] Thiago at Brentford. Brilliant.”
Manager
Durham and Pearce also picked out their respective managers of the season.
“Very, very quickly, in two words, who’s your manager of the season?” Durham asked.
Without missing a beat, Pearce replied: “Keith Andrews.”
“Keith Andrews… ee could have a big argument about that. I’ve gone Daniel Farke.”
Durham then addressed the elephant in the room: “You’ll notice I’ve got no City or Arsenal in mine. It was pound-for-pound so I left out the top two.
“Not necessarily the best, but, pound-for-pound, what they’ve done for their clubs.
“You’ll disagree, I’m sure, with his, with mine, whatever.”
Follow the action live on talkSPORT
All 20 Premier League teams will be in action on Sunday with the final 10 games of the season kicking off at 4pm.
Adrian Durham, Stuart Pearce, Scott Minto and Perry Groves will provide the fastest goal service on GameDay Live from 2pm Sunday.
Tune in to talkSPORT through the website via the live stream or find us on DAB digital radio through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
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