Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has unveiled his Premier League Team of the Season at the campaign's halfway point, delivering a notable snub to both Chelsea and his former club. The selection, made in late December 2025, features players from seven different clubs, but none from the struggling Blues or reigning champions Liverpool.
Carragher's Controversial XI: A Snub for the Big Clubs
Carragher's chosen eleven is a fascinating mix of established stars and standout performers from across the league. In goal, he selected Sunderland's Robin Roefs. His defence consists of Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz at right-back, with Palace captain Marc Guehi partnering Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes in the centre. Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori completes the back line at left-back.
The midfield trio sees Sunderland's influential Granit Xhaka joined by Arsenal's Declan Rice and Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes. Up front, Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo occupies the right wing, Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers the left, with Manchester City's prolific striker Erling Haaland leading the line.
Apology to Chelsea Fans as Key Men Miss Out
Carragher specifically addressed the absence of Chelsea players, issuing a direct apology to the club's supporters. He revealed that Reece James and Moises Caicedo were strongly considered but ultimately omitted.
"I would say the right-back position was most difficult," Carragher explained. "I was really close to putting Jurrien Timber in... Also Reece James I think has been outstanding, but he’s played a lot of his football in central midfield."
On the tough call in midfield, he added: "The other one to put in was Caicedo and that was a really tough one... I’ve said I think Declan Rice just has the edge on Caicedo." Carragher justified Xhaka's inclusion by highlighting the Swiss international's transformative impact on Sunderland. "So I apologise to Chelsea fans, which I seem to do a lot, but I couldn’t find room for Caicedo," he concluded.
Player of the Year Race and Golden Boot Battle
When pushed to name a Player of the Year so far, Carragher pinpointed two leading contenders. "Haaland, Declan Rice, they’d be certainly the two that would stand out right away," he stated, suggesting Villa's Morgan Rogers was close behind.
He elaborated: "If you’re talking about Player of the Year so far at the halfway point it would be a toss up between Declan and Erling Haaland." Haaland's case is strengthened by a remarkable goalscoring record of 19 goals in just 17 Premier League games. His closest challenger for the Golden Boot is Brentford's Igor Thiago with 11, followed by Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo on eight.
The selection underscores a challenging season for some of the division's traditional giants, while celebrating the exceptional form of individuals driving their clubs' successes, with Arsenal providing three players to the team.
