Neville and Carragher name Premier League team and player of the season
Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have revealed their Premier League awards for the 2025-26 campaign, agreeing on nine players in their combined team but splitting their votes for the top individual prize.
The former defenders made their selections during the final Monday Night Football broadcast of the season.
Both analysts largely concurred on the standout performers across the English top flight.
Their respective XIs featured nine identical selections, with the line-ups heavily dominated by Arsenal and Manchester City players.
Fernandes and Rice vie for top prize
Despite their broad agreement on the best XI, the pair diverged on who deserved the ultimate individual accolade.
Neville opted for Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, praising the playmaker’s resilience during a turbulent campaign at Old Trafford.
The ex-United full-back highlighted the Portuguese international’s elite creativity.
“Bruno getting level with Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry puts him in the very best company in terms of what the Premier League has to offer.”
Neville noted that the midfielder excelled even when the Red Devils faced a desperate situation before Christmas.
He commended the 31-year-old for persisting in a struggling side before helping them secure crucial victories against traditional rivals.
Carragher backs Arsenal midfield dynamo
Conversely, Carragher selected Declan Rice as his standout performer of the year.
The former Liverpool centre-back argued that the England international operated under greater pressure in high-stakes fixtures.
“I’m a huge fan of Bruno Fernandes, but you’re picking a player whose games haven’t had any real jeopardy.”
Carragher emphasised the midfielder’s role as a driving force for Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing side.
He specifically praised the former West Ham captain’s outstanding display in the Champions League semi-finals against Atletico Madrid.
Defensive disagreements in the best XI
The only variations in their respective teams of the season occurred in the wide defensive areas.
Neville insisted on including Jurrien Timber at right-back, declaring the Dutchman the best in the division by a considerable margin.
Carragher instead chose Matheus Nunes, praising the natural midfielder’s seamless adaptation to a makeshift defensive role for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Both pundits selected Arsenal pair William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back, alongside Gunners goalkeeper David Raya.