Halfway there: Who are the Premier League shining lights and fan frustraters so far?
DOUBT ME NOW: Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Phil Foden following the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Picture date: Saturday December 20, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
Oh, how did we ever doubt him? Such is the Norwegianās talent that critics suggested scoring āonlyā 22 goals last season, in a faltering campaign for Manchester City, was a poor return that left question marks over his genius. There were even suggestions that his all-round game was lacking (and, in fairness, Pep Guardiola hinted at it, too).
His response has been outstanding. Nineteen Premier League goals so far and four assists ā with Guardiola regularly praising the increased intensity of the forwardās pressing (and his contribution in his teamās build-up play).
When you add in goals in the Champions League and international football, Haaland already has 38 this campaign, which is sensational. Having finished behind Mo Salah and Alexander Isak in the Premier League Golden Boot last year, heās on a different trajectory this time. Expect him to finish top of the pile in 2026.
Of course, thereās a case to give this award to Mikel Arteta, whose Arsenal team sit top of the league at Christmas and remain favourites to lift the title. He will certainly win individual recognition in May if he ends the Gunnersā 23-year wait to be champions again ā and deservedly so.
But what Le Bris is doing, so far, at Sunderland is also remarkable. For a newly promoted side to sit sixth heading into the festive fixtures, especially when they were tipped to go straight back down, defies belief. The fact he is doing it with almost an entirely new team follow a frantic summer of recruitment (and not all of them big names) takes his achievement to a new level.
The Frenchman, who earned Sunderland promotion last season after arriving from Lorient in June 2024, looks the real deal.
The Aston Villa man, at just 23 years old, is reaching a new level (just witness his stunning first goal against Manchester United on the last Premier League matchday before Christmas). He now has 7 goals and 3 assists in the Premier League this season and is even keeping Jude Bellingham out of the England team (heās been ever-present for his international side and is clearly a big favourite with head coach Thomas Tuchel).
The attacking midfielderās increased confidence and consistency mark him out as a rising star.
Hats off, too, to Antoine Semenyo at Bournemouth who continues to improve with 8 goals and 3 assists so far (heās already wanted by Liverpool and Manchester United in the January window) and to striker Igor Thiago at Brentford who was injured all last season but has 12 goals already this campaign.
Now, thereās some serious competition for this award. Florian Wirtz at Liverpool comes to mind when you consider the size of his fee last summer and the expectation that came with it; especially as he has looked so lost at Anfield so far. But his excuse of getting used to a new country and new style of football is a genuine one ā and Benjamin Sesko up at Manchester United is suffering from the same realisation that playing in England is not like playing in Germany.
Weāve ignored both those transfer duds and gone for Paqueta. If you listen to West Ham fans youād think the 28-year-old was an all- time genius; but his numbers donāt add up.
This season weāve seen 3 goals, 1 red card and 0 assists in the Premier League as West Ham battle relegation. Last season's stats were 4 goals and 0 assists ā meaning the last time Paqueta set up a Premier League goal was in a 4-3 defeat at Newcastle in March 2024.
Ok, being charged with betting irregularities by the FA and then being found innocent must have been tough and is strong mitigation. But even so his reputation exceeds the evidence.
For some reason the winger, who is only 23 years old, has a tarnished reputation and not just because he dared to leave Chelsea for Arsenal (which not every Gunners fan was excited about).
Thereās a sense that heās seen as an uncontrolled whirlwind who is lacking in technique and final product; someone who is far from the finished article.
But that myth is overblown. In fact, Madueke has been excellent when deputising for Bukayo Saka this season - and when pulling on an England shirt. He has a genuine ability to beat players and create havoc down the right wing, and his end ball is better than people seem to think.
Yes, he should score more goals - he grabbed an eye-catching Champions League brace in Bruges, in fairness - but his play is consistently brave and he is perpetually dangerous. Of course, Madueke may not get too many opportunities to prove it if Saka remains fit, but this is a player with real potential ā and the best years of his career ahead of him.
The former Arsenal man was a surprise steal by Sunderland, who signed him for just 20m Euros on a three-year deal from Bayer Leverkusen, and there were question marks over whether, at 33, it was a perfect match.
Those doubts have been completely negated, with Xhaka among the candidates for player of the season so far given his influence on the Black Cats in their first year back in the Premier League. He has played all 17 games, scoring once and assisting four times. But it is the way he has raised standards, helped brought a new team together and dominated midfield that impress most.
Special mention, too, to Liverpoolās Hugo Ekitike, who looks a steal even at ā¬80m (especially in comparison to what they paid for Isak and Wirtz).
The forgotten man of the Premier League is officially still a Chelsea player but, having returned from a disappointing loan spell at Arsenal last season, he is pretty much in limbo. The former Liverpool and Manchester winger was not included in the Blues squad and was told to train separately from his teammates at the start of the season.
Rumours that Leeds could be interested in taking him to Elland Road will come as a ray of hope ā and not before time. Sterling may have seen his career dip dramatically since leaving City but heās only 31 years old and nowhere near retirement; surely thereās still a way back for a player who won four Premier League titles at the Etihad?
There was a time when Arsenal fans werenāt sure about Raya, especially as he came from a smaller club in Brentford and replaced one of their favourites, Aaron Ramsdale. But there are no doubters now.
He won the golden glove last year and is on target to do so again with nine clean sheets so far and only 10 goals conceded.
It isnāt only his saves, however, that make him special. Raya was bought for the quality of his delivery, too, and was recently described by Mikel as āthe most attacking goalkeeper in the league.ā Thatās what places him above his nearest contenders, including Gianluigi Donnarumma at Manchester City and Jordan Pickford at Everton.
Not every glorious goal is a last-minute howitzer or a three-point clincher; sometimes they come in an away defeat that would otherwise have been quickly forgotten.
For that reason, maybe Tyler Adamsā goal at the Stadum of Light wonāt win goal of the season ā but it deserves to be remembered despite coming in a 3-2 defeat.
The American midfielder pounced on a loose ball deep inside his own half and strode elegantly forward with a straight-line run that somehow went unopposed. By the time he had crossed the half-way line, Adams had already looked up to see Sunderlandās Robin Roefs off his line ā and then launched a remarkable arching effort from just inside the centre circle that dipped over the goalkeeperās head and into the net. Pure perfection. Good enough to win Novemberās goal of the month and good enough to watch over and over again.
Morgan Rogersā spectacular first half goal against Manchester United in December ran it close, but Adams deserves his moment in the limelight.
It feels very strange, almost surreal, to type it but holders Liverpool have had a spectacular fall from grace despite spending big in the transfer window and despite walking into the season with the strut of champions.
How a team that was so imperious last season could slump so quickly is mind boggling, especially because their summer transfer business looked good, clinching top-level deals for Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. Not to mention a new contract for Mo Salah.
But Salah has been woeful, Isak permanently injured and Wirtz and Kerkez bewildered in an incredibly poor first half to the season.
Home defeats at previous fortress Anfield have arrived in all competitions, including Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in the league, Crystal Palace in the League Cup and PSV Eindhoven in Europe.
There have been away disasters, too, at the likes of Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City. Itās getting better, of course, and you suspect Liverpool will rise again but even so, Biggest Underachievers s is an unwanted, but well deserved, award given their journey so far.
Itās a slightly boring answer but Nevilleās standards never seem to drop and his opinion is the one that journalists hang on, knowing it will always be thoughtful and quotable. His comments on Manchester Unitedās continuing plight have been the most insightful and heās obviously well placed to pass judgement ā and not afraid to hit back when criticised.
āIf pundits are getting into your heads then you shouldnāt be playing for the club,ā was his response to allegations that his criticism was impacting player performance at United.
The former full-back is being pushed this season in terms of audience reach by another United legend - Wayne Rooney, who regularly surprises with stories that have never been told before (although he appears to save the best lines for his personal podcast).
High level interviews are hard to find in live coverage when managers are tense and emotional - and reporters often too obsequious (especially in those painful half-time conversations when nobody really wants to talk).
The best journalism comes during off-field interviews when players are more relaxed and the questions more searching.
The BBCās Kelly Somers stands out with her āThe Football Interviewā series which seeks to humanise footballers and dig further into what drives them.
Interviews with Bukayo Saka, Reece James, Bruno Fernandes and Jordan Pickford were all insightful but her discussion with former Chelsea manager, and now USA coach, Emma Hayes was on a different level.
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