Arsenal's Title Push Ranked: Who Truly Deserves a Winners' Medal?

Arsenal are going to win the Premier League title, aren't they? Of course they're not. This is Arsenal we're talking about—the club that specialises in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, handing Manchester City a lifeline just when it seems all is lost.

Let's not pretend it's done. City have a game in hand and still face the Gunners head-to-head. On paper, Arsenal control their own destiny, but Mikel Arteta's outfit aren't quite coronation material just yet.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: Arsenal haven't actually been that good this season. Yes, everyone else has been equally dreadful, and yes, the Gunners have spent most of the campaign at the summit. But they've done so whilst playing football that's hardly set pulses racing. Aston Villa had their moment and catastrophically bottled it—so badly they're now in a scrap for top five. Manchester City are a shadow of their former selves, yet if Arsenal squander this opportunity, it would be a cosmic embarrassment. If City can't capitalise on such universal mediocrity, well, that's just as damning.

The numbers tell the story. In the latest Power Rankings, only Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes crack the top 13 for Arsenal. Between 14th and 30th, you'll find Bukayo Saka, Martin Zubimendi, and David Raya. City, meanwhile, have six players scattered through the elite rankings. That disparity speaks volumes about the quality gap.

With that context, here's how every Arsenal player stacks up in terms of merit for a Premier League medal:

24) Ethan Nwaneri

Shipped out on loan to Marseille in January, he's barely featured in the league this term.

23) Max Dowman

Plenty of silverware awaits this youngster down the road.

22) Myles Lewis-Skelly

A regular last season, he's now struggling for minutes under Arteta's watch.

21) Christian Norgaard

Only recently has the manager cottoned on to Norgaard's utility as a finisher. Might prove useful in a couple of closing victories.

20) Kai Havertz

Injuries have ravaged his campaign throughout 2025/26, leaving him languishing. Come May, expect this ranking to climb considerably.

19) Ben White

Five starts yielded one Player of the Match award—a tally bettering Saliba, Calafiori, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Havertz, Martinelli, Jesus, Nwaneri, and Mosquera combined.

18) Gabriel Jesus

Largely anonymous, though he did make an impact in that unconvincing home victory over Wolves.

17) Noni Madueke

Two goals and an assist for a £50m outlay is frankly embarrassing. The draw he scored in was at least significant.

16) Cristhian Mosquera

Flashes of brilliance punctuate a raw talent still finding his feet. The promise is undeniable, and he's contributed when opportunities arose.

15) Gabriel Martinelli

A solitary league goal all season—hardly inspiring. But it came against City in the dying moments to snatch a draw. That could prove absolutely seismic.

14) Martin Odegaard

Not his finest year, injuries notwithstanding. The captain has managed two assists and one goal across three one-goal victories this term.

13) Riccardo Calafiori

Serviceable without being spectacular. Neither inspiring nor dreadful.

12) Piero Hincapie

Left-back duties have been shared with Calafiori, and neither has truly impressed. Hincapie's featured more recently.

11) Eberechi Eze

His Tottenham display alone made him an instant favourite, rendering his broader inconsistency almost irrelevant. He also provided the crucial assist for Martinelli's City goal.

That he ranks 11th illustrates how underwhelming Arsenal's campaign has genuinely been.

10) Leandro Trossard

A maddening operator, yet undeniably clutch when it counts. He's bagged winners at Fulham and a stunning effort in the Sunderland draw. Five goals and five assists represents decent business.

9) Viktor Gyokeres

Only one of his goal contributions has actually won Arsenal points—a penalty. He's looked laboured and technically wayward, and his 10 goals in 28 appearances don't compensate. Yet he's offered something different up front, his physical presence occupying defenders in ways Arsenal strikers haven't managed in years.

The big Swede deserves sympathy. Opposition defenders swarm him all match whilst referees seemingly ignore the rough treatment, yet defenders bounce off his frame and somehow he's the guilty party. Remarkable.

8) Mikel Merino

He might not see a minute from late January through to next season, but his contributions have been absolutely vital. An equaliser in the 2-1 Newcastle win, another at Chelsea, a goal and assist in the 2-0 Brentford home victory, and an assist in the 2-2 Sunderland draw. That's six points. That matters.

7) Bukayo Saka

His right-wing performances haven't matched Premier League title-winning standards. Yet if anyone at this club deserves to collect the biggest honours, it's him.

6) Jurrien Timber

Consistency personified. Arsenal's most dependable defender. Genuinely excellent this season. He's the first player here you can unequivocally praise.

5) Martin Zubimendi

Everyone assumed Gyokeres would be the missing puzzle piece. They were wrong. Zubimendi's injection of serenity and control has transformed the midfield and elevated Declan Rice's performances to another dimension entirely.

4) William Saliba

Arsenal's defensive fortress is their true foundation. Saliba probably makes fewer mistakes than Gabriel Magalhaes, though his overall impact falls marginally short.

3) David Raya

Every elite goalkeeper has a gaffe in his locker. What's extraordinary is how crucial his command of the air has been for Arsenal—it's immeasurable how much pressure that relieves when the opposition presses. He's a sound shot-stopper too. A genuinely top-class operator.

2) Gabriel Magalhaes

Beyond his set-piece threat, his defending has been absolutely monumental—not just this season, but since 2022/23. World-class operator who's delivered precisely that level throughout.

1) Declan Rice

Odds-on for the PFA Player of the Year award. Top of the Power Rankings. Consistently sensational. Arsenal's standout performer by an absolute mile. The only player all season you can confidently say has looked genuinely fantastic from start to finish.