Formation: 4-2-3-1

Matz Sels: The goalkeeper with the most Premier League clean sheets this season, along with David Raya, Sels is one of the reasons why Forest had such a spectacular season, having come close to relegation last year. The 33-year-old, who also had a brief spell with Newcastle when they were in the Championship almost a decade ago, was a bargain in the transfer market — the club signed him from Strasbourg for around €6 million just before the January transfer window closed last year.

Daniel Muñoz: The Colombian international was key to Crystal Palace enjoying a better-than-expected campaign, chipping in with four goals and five assists from 37 appearances and also registering the assist in their shock FA Cup final victory over Man City. He is still a relative newcomer to the Premier League, having only joined Palace last season, after making over 100 appearances for Belgian club Genk.

Virgil van Dijk: If you were to compile a list of the best centre-backs in the world over the last decade, Van Dijk is one of the first names that would spring to mind. The Dutch international has had another superb season. The 33-year-old club captain has featured in 37 of Liverpool’s matches this season, helping the Reds finish the campaign with a defensive record that was bettered only by Arsenal’s.

Nikola Milenković: A strong candidate for signing of the season, Milenković — bought for just €14 million from Fiorentina last summer — has been a big reason why Nottingham Forest have consistently overperformed and been so solid at the back.

Antonee Robinson: One of the most underrated players in the Premier League, the 27-year-old USA international full-back played 36 games for Fulham, contributing 10 assists in that period.

Ryan Gravenberch: It is hard to think of a Liverpool player whom Arne Slot seems to have had a more transformative effect on. Under Klopp last year, he started just 12 Premier League games. After the Dutchman’s arrival, he has played 37 top-flight games from the outset. The midfielder, who joined for €40 million from Bayern Munich in 2023, has benefited from playing in a more deep-lying role under Slot. A final-day red card against Palace could not spoil a remarkable season.

Alexis Mac Allister: Another player who has been crucial to Liverpool’s success, the 26-year-old has formed a formidable midfield partnership with Gravenberch. Highlights of the Argentine World Cup winner’s season include a man-of-the-match display in the 2-0 win over Real Madrid last November and claiming the Premier League Player of the Month award for April. In 35 appearances, he chipped in with five goals and five assists.

Dominik Szoboszlai: Signed for an eye-watering €71 million sum from RB Leipzig in 2023, Szoboszlai this year became the first-ever Hungarian to win the Premier League. After an injury-interrupted first campaign, the 24-year-old has more than justified his price tag this season with six goals and six assists from 36 matches. During big moments in particular, he has tended to come to the fore, for instance, registering a goal and assist in the 2-0 win over Man City at the Etihad last February.

Morgan Gibbs-White: One of many astute signings Nottingham Forest have made in recent seasons. Gibbs-White has gone from being a bit-part player at Wolves to one of Nuno Espírito Santo’s main men. This year in particular, the 25-year-old has shone as a key part of Forest’s attack, contributing eight goals and seven assists from 34 appearances. It’s no surprise to see him being linked with Man City after an outstanding year.

Mo Salah: At 32, many footballing superstars’ best days are behind them. Yet Salah has managed to deliver a season that ranks up there with anything he has done previously, all with the uncertainty about his contract looming in the background for much of the campaign. Goals-wise, it is his second-best-ever season. The 34 in all competitions this year is surpassed only by the 44 he hit in the 2017-18 campaign. He also matched a Premier League goal involvements record set by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, both of whom had the benefit of playing in a 42-game season.

Alexander Isak: It’s hard to think of many superior out-and-out strikers in the world right now than Isak. The Swedish international registered 23 goals and six assists from 34 appearances to significantly bolster Newcastle’s ultimately successful bid for Champions League football — only Salah was more prolific.

Subs: David Raya, William Saliba, Milos Kerkez, Sandro Tonali, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Chris Wood.

Manager: Arne Slot.