As the Premier League gameweeks tick over into the 30s, things are really starting to heat up.
Arsenal remain in control in the title race thanks to the last-gasp heroics of Viktor Gyökeres and record-breaker Max Dowman, while Manchester United took a massive step towards Champions League qualification in a weekend in which Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa all wobbled.
Further down the standings, Tottenham Hotspur finally showed signs of life in a relegation battle which seems destined to go down to the wire as a resurgent West Ham United continue their desperate escape attempt, all while Nottingham Forest continue to plead for the end of the season to arrive just a little faster.
With the dust settled, here are the best performing players from gameweek 30 of the 2025–26 Premier League season according to FotMob’s match ratings.
8. Alex Scott (Bournemouth)
Rating: 8.3
Bournemouth’s 0–0 draw away at Burnley may not have been one for the neutrals to enjoy, but there was plenty of technical ability on show, not least from Cherries midfielder Alex Scott.
Scott ended his 90 minutes with a whopping 18 defensive contributions, including 12 ground duels won and eight recoveries—leading the game in all three attributes. Burnley simply couldn’t get round him.
7. Yankuba Minteh (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Rating: 8.3
Brighton & Hove Albion had Yankuba Minteh to thank for a 1–0 win over Sunderland that actually carried his side above the Black Cats in the Premier League standings.
The tricky winger had to work hard on the other side of the ball here, putting in a great shift to keep Sunderland’s right side quiet. His reward for that effort? Possibly the strangest goal of the season as his sliced cross inexplicably found its way into the back of the net. They all count the same.
6. William Saliba (Arsenal)
Rating: 8.3
Arsenal’s 2–0 win over Everton brought us the very best of William Saliba. The center back was typically dominant at the back, clearing everything that came his way whether the ball was in the air or on the ground, but that was just the start of it.
His total of 127 touches of the ball was comfortably top of the charts, at least 34 more than any other player as Saliba even managed to create two chances for his teammates. The Frenchman played 13 passes into the final third, just one of which was a long ball, as he sought to make the difference for his title-chasing team.
5. Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
Rating: 8.3
One of the complaints about this season’s Premier League is things have become too complicated. Everyone is always trying to do too much. That, however, cannot be said about Anthony Gordon’s goal in Newcastle United’s 1–0 win over Chelsea.
Gordon could hardly believe his luck as one simple pass sent him through into acres of space in front of Robert Sánchez, and he held his composure to slot home what proved to be the winning goal. It really can be a simple game sometimes.
4. Konstantinos Mavropanos (West Ham United)
Rating: 8.3
A goal, a point and a viral photo of you taking an Erling Haaland shot right to the face. What more could you want from a Saturday evening?
West Ham United center back Konstantinos Mavropanos may have been left dazed by his 91st-minute heroics against Manchester City, but the standing ovation he received from a Hammers fanbase rediscovering its love for the game may well have been worth it.
3. Dango Ouattara (Brentford)
Rating: 8.3
Rounding out the 8.3 ratings is Brentford winger Dango Ouattara, who looked to have secured a big win for his side against Wolverhampton Wanderers with a glorious display of skill to control Caoimhín Kelleher’s long ball and put it on a plate for the prolific Igor Thiago.
Things went south after the break as Wolves roared back to a 2–2 draw, but Ouattara deserves to be able to remember this game fondly after an excellent creative showing.
2. Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United)
Rating: 8.6
Chelsea had 67% possession and a total of 22 shots against Newcastle, meaning Magpies goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale had to be switched on for the entirety of the 90 minutes to preserve his clean sheet.
With some smart saves and several displays of bravery to claim Chelsea’s crosses into the box, Ramsdale proved good value for his 8.6 rating.
1. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Rating: 8.8
“He doesn’t play football, he thinks it,” Thierry Henry claimed in a glowing assessment of Bruno Fernandes’s dazzling midfield display in Manchester United’s 3–1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Two of the six chances he created ended in goals as Fernandes took his assist tally for the season up to 16. United’s captain is now just four away from the single-season record of 20, jointly held by both Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. With eight games to go and this sort of form behind him, it would be tough to bet against Fernandes.
