Sports
Haaland, Rice, Semenyo: Who is your Premier League Player of the Year?
We’re fast approaching the business end of the 2025-26 Premier League season, and heading into March, everything is still very much to play for. The title race has coalesced into a two-team battle between leaders Arsenal and chasers Manchester City, while the push for Champions League soccer next season is neatly poised between several clubs — defending champions Liverpool are on the outside looking in, needing to close the gap to Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea.
At the bottom end of the table, Wolves‘ fate appears certain (they are 17 points adrift from safety with just 10 games left) and, to a lesser extent, Burnley‘s too (eight points back with 11 to play), but the third and final relegation spot could go to any one of Nottingham Forest, Tottenham or Leeds United from here.
Equally hard to call is the race for the Premier League’s Player of the Year, with no clear-cut, stand-out candidate yet and plenty of stars making a clear case for the prize. So, with 10 matchdays left, we asked our regular Premier League reporters to make their picks for the top award, and why they are worthy.
Tom Hamilton: Sometimes it makes sense to go for the obvious option. If Manchester City win the league, then you could argue their standout player was one of Bernardo Silva (for his guile), Nico O’Reilly (for his adaptability and temperament) or new arrivals Gianluigi Donnarumma and Antoine Semenyo. But if you want the clear and obvious choice, then it’s Haaland, the man at the top of the scoring charts.
The Norway forward is in the middle of a relatively quiet spell for his club, but his 22 league goals have helped City to where they are. The big change for Haaland this year? He’s becoming more of an all-around contributor and his work rate is through the roof, to the extent that he has also notched seven assists, second only to Bruno Fernandes and one behind his best total of eight back in the 2022-23 campaign. That’s 29 goal contributions. Not bad.
Take City’s recent 2-1 win over Newcastle: Haaland had more touches of the ball than ever before (43), he made the third-most clearances for the team (after Rodri and Marc Guéhi) and won 12 duels, the most he has managed in a top-flight game. “He’s an incredible, generous player, so today is a performance, and I’ll never forget what Erling has done for us,” manager Pep Guardiola said afterward.
So be afraid, Premier League: Haaland is evolving into a more all-around player, and his goals and assists should see him deservedly crowned player of the season.
James Olley: With everything in the league still to play for, from title to top four to relegation, it’s too early to be conclusive about this, but Arsenal are top of the table at present, and Declan Rice has been the heartbeat of a team competing impressively on four fronts.
Only Martín Zubimendi (2,360) has played more outfield Premier League minutes for the Gunners than Rice’s 2,329, and Rice ranks second in the division for chances created (defined by Opta as key passes and assists) behind Bruno Fernandes. But he is about much more than stats. Rice drives the Arsenal team forward as he has developed into a complete midfielder, affecting the game in his box-to-box role while also proving an extremely efficient set piece taker.
If Arsenal are to keep the pace, it will largely be a result of Rice maintaining the level of form and influence he has shown so far.
Sam Tighe: When there’s no “obvious” pick like during this season, it can trick you into thinking there haven’t been any outstanding candidates. But as the group outlines, we’re hardly short of incredible individual campaigns, are we?
I’ll throw my support in for James’ pick of Rice. In a Premier League landscape where physicality, mobility and tenacity reign supreme, the 27-year-old is the division’s leading light. To put it into context, among Arsenal players, only Zubimendi (293.57 km) has covered more ground than Rice (285.48 km) this term, while among all Premier League central midfielders, only Sandro Tonali (33.37 km/h) has clocked a higher max speed than Rice (33.17 km/h).
Rice is fast and relentless; if the Gunners win the title, his frenzied, all-action style will symbolize their approach to doing so. Yet he also backs up those athletic traits with finesse where required. There are very few better corner takers in the sport right now, and there’s no doubt he’s steadily getting better at picking a pass through the lines.
Beth Lindop: It might seem preposterous to nominate a Liverpool player considering how abject they have been at times this season, but in terms of pure individual excellence, Szoboszlai would be my pick.
In the summer, there was a suggestion in some quarters that the Hungary international could lose his place in the team following the arrival of the £116 million playmaker, Florian Wirtz, from Bayer Leverkusen. However, Szoboszlai has this season established himself as the first name on Arne Slot’s team sheet, with his relentless running, tactical flexibility and, of course, his eye for a spectacular strike having kept the Reds’ campaign from descending into total disaster.
With 10 goals to his name already this season, Szoboszlai is well on course to surpass his career-best goal tally. He has also deputized admirably at right back amid Liverpool’s ongoing injury crisis, while his noticeable willingness to speak more frequently to the media is reflective of a player keen to assume more responsibility within the team and position himself as a future club captain.
Liverpool’s disappointing collective form means Szoboszlai will most likely miss out on individual accolades, but he should definitely be in the conversation.
Antoine Semenyo, FW, Manchester City (formerly at Bournemouth)
Mark Ogden: This is a tough one because there really hasn’t been an outstanding candidate so far this season, but my pick right now would be Semenyo. He was outstanding for Bournemouth during the first half of the season — his 10 Premier League goals kept Andoni Iraola on the tails of the top six for a while — but his performances meant it was inevitable he would move on in January, and he had a queue of heavyweight clubs wanting to sign him before he chose Manchester City.
Even though a deal was done and his release clause was triggered, Semenyo agreed to stay at Bournemouth for two extra games in January before making his move. No fuss, no drama: just a professional attitude and the perfect sign-off with a stoppage time winner against Spurs in his final game.
His form at City has been just as impressive, and he kept them in the title race during their midseason wobble with three goals in his first five games. So for performing at his top level for two clubs and showing professionalism throughout, I’m going for Semenyo.
Rob Dawson: There were genuine concerns about whether Brentford would be able to avoid relegation this season after losing manager Thomas Frank — as well as key players Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, Christian Nørgaard and Mark Flekken — in one summer. Goals were expected to be a particular problem after both Mbeumo and Wissa — who combined for 39 in the Premier League last season — moved on.
Frank’s replacement, Keith Andrews, deserves a lot of credit for turning this season into a push for Europe instead of a battle against the drop. But so too does Igor Thiago. His 17 league goals have cushioned the blow of losing Mbeumo and Wissa. It’s a fantastic return for a 24-year-old striker in his first full campaign in England after last season was ruined by injury.
Scoring goals in the toughest league in the world is a big ask, and Thiago has done it regularly. Unfortunately for Brentford, he has done so well that the inevitable question will be: How long can they keep him before he follows Mbeumo and Wissa out of the door?
Gab Marcotti: To me, it’s pretty simple. Aston Villa might be on the slide, but they’re still third, well ahead of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea. And this is after a summer when they didn’t really add anybody of note and lost their sporting director, Monchi, as well. A lot of that is down to Rogers: He has started every game and has usually been a difference-maker each time.
Rogers doesn’t have the greatest supporting cast — certainly not compared to the other suggestions who are sure to crop up — and I think it’s fair to say that, without him, Villa would be midtable at best. Only four players have more open play goal involvements (non-penalty goals and assists) than he does this season, and all of them play for bigger and better-resourced sides: Haaland, Fernandes, Semenyo and João Pedro.
Throw in the fact that he invented Cole Palmer‘s goal celebration — they were teammates at City, and Palmer “borrowed” it from him — and to me he’s the obvious choice.
Martín Zubimendi, MF, Arsenal
Julien Laurens: When Arsenal spent €60 million last summer to activate his release clause and recruit him from Real Sociedad, there were a lot of skeptics about his adaptation to the Premier League, his potential and even his talent, but there was also concern about his ability to take the Gunners to the next level. And yet, I think he has already proved all the doubters wrong.
It has not always been perfect, obviously — remember his mistake against Manchester United — but overall, he has been impressive. His ability to dictate the tempo of a game, his intelligence and his reading of the play have been outstanding. He has also scored five Premier League goals already, which is more than Szoboszlai, more than Rice and only three less than Rogers, who is a more advanced player, by the way. Some of his goals have also been key, such as the openers against Forest, Leeds and Sunderland, in keeping Arsenal on course for a potential first league title in over 20 years.
Zubimendi makes Rice and Jurriën Timber better, and there is still so much room for improvement from him as well. He has had such a great impact on the team that it’s worth celebrating.
For years, Stephen A. Smith’s many football blunders have been easy enough to explain away.
He’s not an NFL guy (remember when he said the three key players for a game were three guys who weren’t playing in the game?)
Stephen A. Smith falsely claimed the Warriors haven’t made the playoffs since 2022, but Golden State reached the second round in both 2023 and 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
He’s definitely not a college football guy (remember when he called Jalen Milroe Jalen “Milroy” multiple times and then read the wrong stat line after a College Football Playoff game?).
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ESPN forces him into those conversations because First Take has to talk football, and Smith knows that football is the most popular sport in the country and he needs to be seen as an authority (even though he isn’t).
But Monday’s latest mistake is a lot tougher to excuse, because this time Smith wasn’t talking about the NFL or college football. He was talking about the Golden State Warriors, one of the defining NBA dynasties of the last decade.
In other words, he was talking about the sport and the league that’s supposed to be his bread and butter.
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While discussing whether Steve Kerr has coached his last game with Golden State, Smith confidently stated the Warriors “haven’t been back to the playoffs since that championship in 2022.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr looks on during a game against the Sacramento Kings. (Robert Edwards/Imagn Images)
That’s not even close to true. Not only did Golden State make the playoffs last season, but they also reached the postseason in 2023. Last year, the Warriors made the playoffs, beat the Rockets in seven games and advanced to the second round before losing to the Timberwolves. In 2023, they beat the Sacramento Kings in the first round and before losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.
So, Smith wouldn’t even have been right if he said they haven’t won a playoff series since 2022. But he didn’t say that. He said they didn’t make the playoffs in any of the past four years, except they did it twice.
Yikes.
This is not an obscure piece of NBA trivia that Smith could be easily forgiven for not knowing. Perhaps he was too busy playing solitaire on his phone and just missed two of the past three NBA postseasons. That’s a tough look for the guy who fancies himself as the No. 1 NBA analyst in the country.
And it’s a terrible look for ESPN, as they keep selling Smith as one of the faces of their NBA coverage.
Stephen A. Smith made a brutal gaffe while talking Warriors playoff history
If Smith made this kind of mistake while talking about the NFL, nobody would be shocked. At this point, sports fans practically expect him to butcher football analysis. It’s almost endearing that a guy with the ego of Smith can be so consistently wrong while also delivering every “fact” with the utmost confidence. It’s part of the Stephen A. experience.
But this one hits differently because the NBA is where he’s supposed to at least know the basics. This is where Smith prides himself as being an authority figure.
Stephen A. Smith incorrectly stated the Golden State Warriors haven’t made the playoffs since their 2022 championship, despite the team reaching the postseason twice since then. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
And yet he couldn’t keep the recent playoff history of the Warriors straight. The team whose head coach is in the news every other week. The team that has won four championships since 2014. Arguably one of the most important franchises in the NBA over the past 15 years.
Yes, Golden State missed the playoffs in 2024 after getting bounced in the Play-In Tournament (although they won 46 games that season). And yes, it fell short again this season. But that’s a lot different from acting like Steve Kerr has spent four years wandering the basketball wilderness since winning that 2022 title.
He hasn’t. In fact, the team is 175-153 in the past four regular seasons.
The Warriors made the second round in 2023. They made the second round again in 2025.
Before burying Steve Kerr on national television, maybe Stephen A. Smith could take 10 seconds to confirm whether the Warriors were actually, you know, in the playoffs.
Sports
Greg Olsen on Travis Kelce returning to Chiefs for 14th season: ‘League is better off with him playing’
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Travis Kelce will enter year 14 in the NFL when he steps foot on the gridiron with his beloved Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, which a close friend and fellow tight end said is a good thing for the league.
After recent seasons, the question of whether Kelce, a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, still wants to play football has come up. Each time, including this offseason, the 11-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro has answered the bell with a resounding yes.
Greg Olsen, whom Kelce works alongside with their Tight End University summit each offseason, spoke to the Chiefs star recently. He told Fox News Digital that he still sees that fire inside Kelce when he talked about strapping the pads on for 2026 – a season in which he will turn 37.
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Travis Kelce (87) of the Kansas City looks on during an NFL Football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Oct. 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
“I think just getting to know Travis and just how much he loves playing the game and how much he loves to compete and obviously the career that he’s had as far as first-ballot Hall of Famers – he’s as close to a lock as you’ll find – especially considering the tight end position takes some guys a little bit longer even though they’re super deserving. I think the league is great to have him,” Olsen said. “I think the Chiefs are smart to want him back.
“I got to spend some time with him a couple weeks ago, and he’s super excited for a fresh season, for the team, for himself.”
The Chiefs reached an acceptable deal with Kelce, whose contract was up after this past season. Now that he’s in place for 2026, as well as a reunion with Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, the Chiefs are focused on the health of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who needed ACL surgery after injuring it during a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
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“It’s one of the best tight end-quarterback combinations of all time,” Olsen added, acknowledging one of the league’s best duos in recent memory. “So, I’m happy for [Kelce] just as a friend, as a fan of football.”
While it may be a nuisance for Kelce to continuously hear about retirement, Olsen also understands that Kelce has had the opportunity not many can say they do during a grueling football career – walking away on your own terms.
Olsen wants that for his friend in the end, whenever that may be.
“I’d love to see him go out when he wants to be done,” Olsen explained. “Very few guys are able to earn that right throughout their NFL career to say, ‘You know what? I’m done when I say I’m done.’ That’s not typically how it goes. Very few guys have that swan song, perfect ending, walking off under the confetti and the Super Bowl. That’s a dream scenario everyone hopes will be them.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) greets fans as he arrives prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University on July 28, 2023 in St. Joseph, Missouri. (Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports)
“But if there is a guy who deserves his career to end the right way because of everything he’s stood for, everything he’s done, how hard he’s worked, the success he’s had, individually and collectively, Trav’s at the top of that list.”
Olsen, who serves as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports, is excited for the prospect of covering more games featuring Kelce and the Chiefs, as he wants to enjoy the remainder of his career.
And that’s a career defined by three Super Bowl titles, and more than enough accolades to end up with a bronze bust in Canton one day.
“I never thought I’d see a day where people started saying, ‘Is anyone better than Tony Gonzalez?’ Then, Gronk comes along and that conversation. When it’s all said and done, Travis might be at the top of that list, which 10 years ago sounded crazy that anyone would surpass some of those guys. His career is second to none, and the league is better off with him playing,” Olsen ended.
Broadcaster Greg Olsen looks on before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Sept. 7, 2025. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
INSIDE THE FRONT OFFICE MIND
While Olsen enjoyed 14 years in the NFL, his next chapter of the game is providing keen analysis for FOX Sports broadcasts during the year.
To help him do that in the offseason while looking at the NFL Draft and free agency pickups by each franchise, Olsen has been using NFL IQ, the new interactive hub created by the league and Amazon Web Services powered by Amazon Quick.
Ahead of the draft, NFL IQ transformed raw data from the NFL Combine and team needs, free agency moves made and more for this hub that provides fans access to key insights and puts them in the shoes of front office decision makers. Whether it’s the casual fan or a top analyst like Olsen, NFL IQ is an easy-to-use way to deepen football knowledge, especially at a crucial roster-building time like the draft is.
“This is the most educated fan base in NFL history, and I think that’s a good thing,” Olsen said.
General shot of NFL IQ, the new interactive hub from the league and Amazon Web Services, powered by Amazon Quick. (NFL IQ)
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“Fans actually have a way to access the exact same data, the exact same information that the teams and everyone are using for their own interest, whether it’s something casual or for people who really want to dive into the nitty gritty.
“I think it’s a really fun set of tools for the wide array of people who touch the NFL space. I know firsthand as a fan, and now a professional in the industry, it’s a huge part of my interaction of the game.”
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Big East commissioner Val Ackerman will retire from her position this summer, the league announced on Monday.
Ackerman, 66, has been in charge of the league for the past 13 years, watching on as men’s and women’s basketball won a combined eight national championships during her tenure. She also oversaw the Big East’s transition during realignment.
“It’s been an extraordinary honor for me to serve as the Commissioner of one of the most prestigious and storied organizations in college sports,” Ackerman said. “I want to thank our Presidents for entrusting me with this one-of-a-kind leadership opportunity and for supporting the investments needed to maintain the Big East’s stature and meet our schools’ high competitive and academic standards.
“With our long-term business deals securely in place and knowing we have strong, focused leadership on our campuses, I am confident that the future of the conference, and Big East basketball in particular, is very bright, and I believe the time is right for me to hand off the baton.”
Ackerman, who was previously the founding president of the WNBA, the president of USA Basketball and the U.S. representative for men’s and women’s basketball on the central board of FIBA, took over as the Big East’s commissioner in the summer 2013. At the time, the league was in the midst of losing several of its marquee programs to other conferences at the height of realignment. Syracuse, Pitt, Notre Dame and Louisville left for the ACC; Rutgers went to the Big Ten; West Virginia left for the Big 12; and UConn, Cincinnati and South Florida opted for the AAC.
The remaining seven members — DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Villanova — formed the new Big East, with Butler, Creighton and Xavier joining to make it a 10-team league in March 2013. Ackerman then spearheaded negotiations to bring back UConn in the summer of 2020. The Huskies have won a combined three national championships between men’s and women’s basketball since returning to the Big East.
“Speaking on behalf of all the Big East Presidents, we announce Commissioner Val Ackerman’s retirement with a tinge of sadness and deep gratitude,” said St. John’s President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, chair of the Big East board of directors. “When we re-founded the Big East in 2013 as a basketball-centric conference, our first task was to find a commissioner who could provide the strategic vision needed to position us as a basketball peer with the power football conferences and compete with the country’s best. We found that visionary leader in Val Ackerman. Val has leveraged our partnerships with FOX Sports and Madison Square Garden to create a platform that has produced five basketball national champions (four men’s and one’s women’s) in the past decade, and she has built a strong foundation for future success. She leaves big shoes to fill.”
Ackerman received the John Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.
A national search for Ackerman’s successor will begin immediately, the league said.
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