Premier League 2018-19 Team of the Season: Top players

This last season of the Premier League was marked by exceptional play from a number of players. Now that the 2023–24 season is finished, let’s take a look back at the top performers from the previous year. Using our own player rating methodology, 24hscore has been selecting the best 11 performers each weekend to appear in our Team of the Week features all season long.

Now, we’re using average ratings from the entire season to select our Premier League Team of the Season.

A small note before we begin: players must have played at least 2,500 minutes to qualify for this team, which is about two-thirds of the campaign. Additionally, we’ll mention a couple of honourable mentions (HM) for each position—those who were close behind in the ratings, considering their performance contextually with less restriction on minutes played.

Premier League Team of the Season

GK – Alphonse Areola, 7.1 (West Ham)

Alphonse Areola might seem like a surprising choice, but the Frenchman has the highest average rating of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this season who has played more than 1000 minutes.

He boasts a solid 74.5 save percentage and made the third-most saves in the league with 138, only 11 behind league leader Andre Onana. Areola delivered numerous eye-catching saves throughout the season and was the highest-rated player on the pitch in five matches. A highlight was his penalty save early in the season that helped the Hammers secure a 3-1 win against Chelsea.

Real-time Football scores and highlights.

HM: Alisson (7.0), Andre Onana (7.0)

DEF – Pedro Porro, 7.3 (Tottenham Hotspur)

Spurs defender Pedro Porro was a consistent performer throughout the year, aiding Ange Postecoglou’s revamped team to a fifth-placed finish.

The defender contributed three goals and seven assists from full-back and was often one of the few consistent components of a backline plagued by injuries. Porro averaged a 7.3 rating across the season, narrowly beating Trent Alexander-Arnold as the best-performing right-back due to playing significantly more minutes.

HM: Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.4), Kieran Trippier (7.3)

DEF – Virgil van Dijk, 7.3 (Liverpool)

Virgil van Dijk had another stellar season for Liverpool, dominating on the ball and in the air for a Reds side that finished third in Jurgen Klopp’s final year.

The captain excelled throughout, especially during the first half of the season, and despite a dip in form in the final matches, he earned a spot in our Team of the Season. Van Dijk played a key role in nine of Liverpool’s 10 clean sheets and won nearly four aerial duels per game (3.9).

HM: Ben White (7.1), Gabriel Magalhaes (7.1)

DEF – James Tarkowski, 7.2 (Everton)

Everton’s James Tarkowski is one of three outfield players to play every minute in the Premier League this season (alongside William Saliba and Max Kilman), making his 7.2 average rating particularly impressive.

The Englishman anchored an Everton defense that kept 13 clean sheets—the second-highest in the league. Tarkowski was pivotal for the Toffees, contributing to a 15th-place finish, which would have been 12th without an eight-point deduction by the Premier League.

HM: Josko Gvardiol (7.2), Andrew Robertson (7.5)

MID – Cole Palmer, 7.6 (Chelsea)

One of the highlights of Chelsea’s season was the breakout performance of Cole Palmer, who had a superb year after arriving in London.

Palmer was second in both goals and assists, scoring 22 and providing 11, making him the top goal contributor in the entire league. Back-to-back hat-tricks at Stamford Bridge against Manchester United and Everton were standout moments in a season where Palmer took the league by storm.

HM: Michael Olise (7.8), James Maddison (7.5)

MID – Rodri, 7.7 (Manchester City)

Rodri earns a spot in our side as the highest-rated central midfielder in the league. He was crucial in Manchester City winning a record-breaking fourth consecutive title and hasn’t lost a Premier League game in over a year, underscoring his importance to one of the greatest teams in English football history.

Going 50 games without defeat is an impressive feat, but Rodri’s dominance has been so consistent that it’s no surprise he makes the Team of the Season. He also contributed with goals and assists, having a hand in 17 over the campaign.

HM: Declan Rice (7.4), Pascal Gross (7.4)

MID – Martin Odegaard, 7.5 (Arsenal)

Martin Odegaard had another stellar year for Arsenal, leading the Gunners to a second-place finish and coming close to winning the Premier League title. His performances in midfield were outstanding, contributing eight goals and 10 assists.

Odegaard couldn’t quite propel Arsenal to their first title in 20 years, but he certainly impressed individually, earning a 7.5 average rating.

HM: Eberechi Eze (7.6), Bruno Guimaraes (7.4)

MID – Bruno Fernandes, 7.6 (Manchester United)

Despite a challenging year for Manchester United, finishing a record-low eighth, Bruno Fernandes stood out as a top performer.

With 10 goals and eight assists, Fernandes was involved in nearly a third of United’s total goals (31.58%). Considering how out of form United’s other attackers were, it was a commendable individual season for Fernandes.

HM: Lucas Paqueta (7.5), Bernardo Silva (7.4)

FWD – Bukayo Saka, 7.7 (Arsenal)

Bukayo Saka was one of the best players in the league, excelling on the right side for Arsenal. Saka scored a career-best 16 league goals and was crucial in Arsenal’s title challenge, adding more creativity to his game.

Saka enters the summer’s European Championships in excellent form after his best individual season to date, earning a 7.7 average rating.

HM: Mohamed Salah (7.5), Mohammed Kudus (7.2)

FWD – Erling Haaland, 7.3 (Manchester City)

Erling Haaland finished as the Premier League’s top scorer for the second consecutive year, netting 27 goals in 32 appearances, along with five assists. His goal-scoring prowess helped City secure another title.

A highlight was his four-goal performance against Wolves, earning a perfect rating of 10—a feat achieved by only five other players this season.

HM: Ollie Watkins (7.3), Heung-min Son (7.3)

FWD – Phil Foden, 7.7 (Manchester City)

Phil Foden had a standout season for Manchester City, earning the official Premier League Player of the Season award. Foden contributed 19 goals and eight assists, playing a more central role and starring as City won their sixth title in seven years.

HM: Jeremy Doku (7.4), Anthony Gordon (7.3)