Bukayo Saka absent as Man City and Arsenal stars dominate best 25/26 Premier League XI

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Arsenal are the 2025/26 Premier League champions, and their players have unsurprisingly dominated CIES Football Observatory’s best 2025/26 XI.

The Gunners were crowned champions on Tuesday night after Manchester City drew with Bournemouth in what could be one of Pep Guardiola’s final matches in charge of the Sky Blues before Enzo Maresca takes over.

Despite losing out on the league title to Arsenal, Man City still have three players in CIES’s XI, with Rayan Cherki getting in over Bukayo Saka on the right wing.

Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Bournemouth players named in best Premier League XI

The latest weekly post from CIES saw them release the best data-led elevens from 34 different leagues around the world.

Rather than being based on personal preference and opinion, the teams were selected by: “Taking into account players’ performances (eight game areas for outfield players and the difference between goals expected goals and conceded for goalkeepers; Impect data), the results of matches in which players’ participated, and playing time.”

David Raya, who has kept the most clean sheets in the English top flight this season (19), was named in goal.

In front of the Spaniard, Arsenal dominated the backline with Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Gabriel featuring alongside Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert.

Manchester United’s only two inclusions, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, make up two-thirds of the midfield along with Declan Rice.

Further forward, despite winning the league title, Arsenal do not have a single attacker in the eleven, with Cherki, Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku all getting the nod instead.

Bukayo Saka vs Rayan Cherki’s Premier League stats

Cherki arrived at the Etihad Stadium over the summer of 2025 after previous interest from Liverpool.

The former Lyon forward has hit the ground running in England, scoring four and assisting 12 in 32 Premier League matches.

Only Fernandes (20) has provided more assists than the Frenchman as we head towards the final gameweek.

As for Saka, his numbers have declined slightly compared to 2024/25 when he scored six and assisted 11 in 25.

With six more appearances already under his belt this term, the England international has found the back of the net seven times and provided seven assists.