As the calendar hits December, we’re into the busiest part of the 2025-26 Premier League season. But it also presents a nice opportunity to look back.
Arsenal sit five points clear at the top of the table, looking in a good position to finally end their drought — having been constant bridesmaids in recent years. Manchester City sit second but they head off an tight group with just five points separating them and ninth.
Defending champions Liverpool are included in that group, but they sit down in eighth after a tough run of results. Chelsea and Aston Villa currently complete the top four, while Sunderland are the surprise of the season so far in sixth.
But what about players? There have been some remarkable improvements among players in the Premier League from last season, whether that’s a general upturn in performances or someone going from a fringe player to a must-starter.
We’ve taken a look and made a most-improved XI below, among those with at least 585 minutes played this season.
GK: Bart Verbruggen
- Club: Brighton
- Squawka Score change: +24%
Bart Verbruggen had a torrid time in 2024-25. He was one of the worst-rated goalkeepers in the Premier League. The Brighton and Hove Albion man sat in the 20th percentile and below among goalkeepers for save percentage, stopping just 62.33% of the shots on target he faced. He also had a negative goals prevented per 90 minutes of -0.15. This season, though, Verbruggen is among the best. His save percentage still isn’t great but it is an improvement to 68.89%. And he has prevented 0.23 goals per 90 — a swing of 0.38.
RB: Jurrien Timber
- Club: Arsenal
- Squawka Score change: +15%
Jurrien Timber doesn’t make this team because he was bad last season. The Arsenal man had a respectable 2024-25. He won 56.06% of his ground duels, while averaging 3.98 passes into the final third completed per 90, 2.6 touches in the opposition box and just 0.33 challenges lost. But the Dutchman has been so much better this season. In fact, he’s the best right-back per the Squawka Score. Timber has been part of a defence to face just 0.27 non-penalty Expected Goals per 90, while completing 4.4 passes into the final third and winning 1.78 tackles.
CB: Jean-Clair Todibo
- Club: West Ham
- Squawka Score change: +16%
This may come as a bit of a surprise given West Ham United’s struggles this season. But Jean-Clair Todibo had a low bar to improve on. The Frenchman was one of the worst centre-backs in the Premier League last season with his Squawka Score of 43%. That included him being in the 20-40th percentile for aerial duel success and a lot of passing stats. His other defensive metrics weren’t great either. This season he hasn’t been overly great either, but the improvement has been remarkable. Todibo has won 66.67% of his ground duels, sitting in the 80-95th percentile. He also ranks in the 95th percentile and above for clearances at 6.92 per 90.
CB: Ruben Dias
- Club: Man City
- Squawka Score change: +15%
Ruben Dias had a couple of injury issues last season, but was by and large part of Man City’s team. He wasn’t at his usual best, though. The Portuguese centre-back only won 52.11% of his aerial duels in the Premier League last season, placing him in the 20-40th percentile. He was also underwhelming with 57.45% success rate in his ground duels. But, of course, Dias did score well for his passing. This season, Dias has been the best centre-back so far. His aerial duel success rate has improved, and he is being beaten less on the floor with just 0.08 challenges lost per 90.
LB: Marc Cucurella
- Club: Chelsea
- Squawka Score change: +10%
Marc Cucurella is another to have built on a good season in 2024-25. The Chelsea full-back was important to his side last season, with 2.29 touches in the opposition box per 90 alongside 1.35 tackles won and 57.37% success rate in his ground duels. But this season, the Spaniard seems integral. Potentially the most important player in Chelsea’s system. And the best left-back in the league right now. He has average 3.01 clearances per 90, 0.67 successful passes into the penalty area and been dispossessed just 0.17 times in his own half per 90.
CM: Ryan Gravenberch
- Club: Liverpool
- Squawka Score change: +10%
Ryan Gravenberch started 2024-25 brightly but tailed off, ending with an average Squawka Score. The Liverpool man still averaged 1.7 interceptions retaining possession per 90, but he won 59.42% of his ground duels. And only won possession 1.59 times in the defensive third per 90. Gravenberch’s importance to this season’s Liverpool team has shown, even when he hasn’t been on the pitch. The Dutchman has averaged 6.17 passes into the final third completed per 90 and only lost 0.47 challenges per 90.
CM: Declan Rice
- Club: Arsenal
- Squawka Score change: +10%
Declan Rice’s Squawka Score suffered a bit last season, as Mikel Arteta frequently changed the Englishman’s role in his midfield. He still performed well, averaging 1.05 successful passes into the penalty area per 90, with 74.45% forward passing accuracy and 0.51 big chances created. But this season he has got even better. Rice now averages 1.42 successful passes into the penalty area per 90, with 8.95 final third entries. The Englishman also sits in the 95th percentile and above for penalty area entries at 8.36 per 90.
RW: Mohammed Kudus
- Club: Tottenham
- Squawka Score change: +12%
Mohammed Kudus has been one of Tottenham Hotspur’s better players this season. And it’s a marked improvement from his final campaign as a West Ham United player. The Ghanaian averaged just 0.17 goals per 90 and 0.03 intentional assists, struggling as part of West Ham’s attack. He also created just 0.14 big chances per 90 with 0.14 Expected Assists per 90. This season, Kudus’ goal rate has remained the same but he has provided 0.17 intentional assist per 90. The Tottenham man has also seen his xA jump to 0.22 per 90, with 1.81 crosses completed.
No.10: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
- Club: Everton
- Squawka Score change: +17%
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall looks like a new person at Everton this season. He struggled to break into Chelsea’s team last season, and when he did in the Premier League he couldn’t make too much impact. Even with 0.35 intentional assists per 90. The Englishman ranked in the lowest percentile group for other metrics including take-ons completed, shots on target (with none), touches in the opposition box and shots. But it’s the complete opposite in 2025-26. Dewsbury-Hall has already scored for Everton this season and has averaged 0.32 xA per 90, alongside 6.67 penalty area entries per 90. The Englishman has also won possession 0.93 times in the attacking third per 90, forming part of Everton’s high press.
LW: Iliman Ndiaye
- Club: Everton
- Squawka Score change: +7%
Jack Grealish has been Everton’s left winger this season, with Iliman Ndiaye on the right. But Ndiaye has had some minutes on the left this season, so we’re moving him over for the purpose of this team. Ndiaye averaged 0.33 goals per 90 but with no intentional assists last season. He also ranked poorly for big chances created and xA. This season, Ndiaye has seen an improvement in both his big chances created and xA, as well as intentional assists. There’s still room for improvement too.
ST: Dominic Calvert-Lewin
- Club: Leeds
- Squawka Score change: +14%
Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a sad end to life at Everton. The Englishman was one of the lower-ranked strikers in the Premier League last season, averaging just 0.17 goals per 90 from 0.29 non-penalty post-shot xG per 90. He couldn’t buy a goal, but he wasn’t really taking opportunities, with 1.56 non-penalty shots per 90. Calvert-Lewin only hit the target with 40% of his efforts too. Now at Leeds United, Calvert-Lewin has found his feet. His goalscoring still isn’t great, but it is an improvement at 0.27 goals per 90 from 0.38 non-penalty post-shot xG. Calvert-Lewin has also hit the target with 45% of his shots, and he’s also won a penalty.