5 Premier League players carrying their teams this season

Last Updated on 21 November 2025

Every year, a handful of stars become the difference between crisis and competitiveness, turning individual brilliance into precious points.

This season has not been very different. In fact, some of the heroes are also the usual suspects, but there are some major surprises in there, too.

Here are five Premier League players single-handedly carrying their teams this season.

5 – Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa)

Aston Villa scored their first goal in the Premier League after more than seven hours of football. Since then, however, Unai Emery has truly turned it around for the Villains, with his side winning five of their last six Premier League games.

The biggest change? Emiliano Buendia.

Buendia kickstarted Aston Villa’s campaign with a goal and assist against Fulham in their first win of the Premier League season.

He played less than 90 minutes in the next three games for the club. But boy did he contribute! He scored the winner against Tottenham and assisted Matty Cash’s winner against Manchester City.

In fact, their only loss in that run came at Anfield and it was a game Buendia missed through foot injury. And as soon as he returned from injury, he scored the opener in Villa’s 4-0 rout of Bournemouth.

And it’s not just the output, Buendia’s been truly unplayable in the last few weeks.

4 – Igor Thiago (Brentford)

Who would’ve thought that Igor Thiago would be leading the Premier League scoring charts after Erling Haaland?

Brentford. That’s precisely why they paid such a massive fee to secure his signature a year ago. And it is already paying dividends.

Thiago has been responsible for more than 47% of all goals his side has scored and that includes some priceless contributions. He got a brace against Manchester United in Brentford’s famous 3-1 win and got another against Newcastle in another big win.

He also scored against the champions, Liverpool as Brentford won rather comfortably at home, and got another one away to West Ham, in another win.

3 – Iliman Ndiaye (Everton)

Iliman Ndiaye might not have contributed as many goals as Igor Thiago but his impact has been crucial for the Toffees, this season.

The 25-year-old has picked up where he left off in the 2024/25 campaign, already racking up four goals in the league and an assist.

All of his goals were game-changing, to say the least. He scored in back-to-back games against Brighton and Wolves to give Everton their first wins of the season.

Then, he opened the scoring for Everton against an unbeaten Crystal Palace side at Selhurst Park and played a major part in Jack Grealish’s winner, too. Most recently, Ndiaye got a goal at the Stadium of Light to get Everton an important point in what has been a tough place to go to.

2 – Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth)

You thought scoring 47% of all goals scored by your team was impressive? Semenyo says hold my beer!

As per Transfermarkt, he’s been directly involved in nine of the 17 goals Bournemouth have scored in the 2025/26 season so far. That comes to well over 52% direct goal involvements and it sure feels like that, too!

Semenyo got two goals at Anfield in Bournemouth’s 4-2 loss. Then, he assisted the only goal scored at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers, before orchestrating a 2-1 win over Brighton.

He was unplayable against Leeds and Fulham coming up with three goals and an assist in those two games. And, it should be no surprise that Bournemouth have one win in their last four after Semenyo’s contributions have dried up.

Talk about a one-man job. No wonder he’s attracting so much interest ahead of the January window.

1 – Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Yet, Erling Haaland is number one. And for good reason, too.

After all, the Norwegian has 14 goals and an assist to his name in 11 Premier League matches. He’s the reason why City have the most goals in the league and Haaland has scored more than 60% of all goals scored by the Citizens.

By many accounts, he’s singlehandedly leading Manchester City’s title charge as they look to go head-to-head with Arsenal.

Can he replicate what Mohamed Salah did over the 2024/25 campaign and lead Pep Guardiola to another Premier League title?