Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher offered contrasting answers to the question of who was the best player in the Premier League during the 2025/26 season, with Neville selecting Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Carragher opting for Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.
The Sky Sports pundits made their choices during the final Monday Night Football of the campaign, after both had named their respective teams of the season.
Neville’s decision was influenced by Fernandes’ creative output and his role in Manchester United’s recovery. The Portuguese midfielder equalled the Premier League record for assists in a season, finishing with 20 alongside Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, while also scoring eight goals.
Fernandes was a central figure as United secured Champions League football, having helped the club recover from a difficult first half of the campaign. Neville also pointed to the midfielder’s performances in major fixtures, including victories over Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Carragher acknowledged Fernandes’ quality but favoured Rice, arguing that the Arsenal player had delivered consistently in matches carrying greater significance, including the Champions League knockout stages.
“I’m a huge fan of Bruno Fernandes, but you’re picking a player whose games haven’t had any real jeopardy,” Carragher said. “I’d go with Declan Rice.”
Rice was described as a driving force for Arsenal, who remained involved in the Premier League title race and went deep into Europe and the domestic cup competitions.
Both pundits agreed on several other major awards. They selected Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly as Young Player of the Season, while Mikel Arteta was their shared choice for Manager of the Year.
The official Premier League award ultimately went to Fernandes, who became the first Manchester United player since Nemanja Matic in 2010/11 to receive the honour. He had already been named Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year.
