Arsenal's Title Dream: Brilliant or Bottlers? We Rank Every Gunner by Championship Worthiness

Ever get that nagging feeling at the pub that Arsenal are about to do what they do best – snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? They're top of the Premier League, sure, but with Manchester City lurking with a game in hand and a tasty clash still to come, it's far from over. This lot have been leading the pack most of the season, but let's be honest, they've not set the world alight. Everyone else has been ropey too, mind.

Aston Villa had a golden chance to shake things up but fluffed it spectacularly, now scrambling for top five. City aren't the unstoppable force of old either – no epic run of wins on the cards. Yet if the Gunners bottle this, it'll be a right laugh for the neutrals. Drawing from insights by Hayters TV on OneFootball and Planet Football, we've ranked every Arsenal player who's featured in the league this term on how much they deserve a winners' medal. From the periphery lads to the big guns.

The Bottom Feeders: Loan Lads and Bit-Part Heroes

Starting at the sharp end (or rather, the dull one), Ethan Nwaneri clocks in at 24th. Shipped off to Marseille in January, the kid hasn't sniffed a Premier League start. Plenty of time for trophies elsewhere, eh?

Max Dowman (23rd) is next – a promising youngster with medals in his future, just not this time around. Myles Lewis-Skelly (22nd) shone last season but can't buy a minute now.

Christian Norgaard (21st) has only just caught Mikel Arteta's eye as a finisher. Could nick a couple of late wins, but that's his lot. Kai Havertz (20th) has spent 2025/26 in the physio's room – revisit in May, and who knows?

Ben White (19th) edges it with a Player of the Match in just five starts – outperforming a slew of teammates. Gabriel Jesus (18th) scraped a vital contribution in that dodgy Wolves win. Noni Madueke (17th), £50m man, musters two goals and an assist – shoddy, but one was a drawer.

Cristhian Mosquera (16th) flashes class but screams raw talent. Gabriel Martinelli (15th) has one league strike – utter tosh, but against City in a last-gasp draw? Massive if it counts.

Mid-Table Maestros: Clutch but Not Classy

Martin Odegaard (14th), the skipper, hasn't dazzled amid injuries, but chips in with goals and assists in tight 1-0s. Riccardo Calafiori (13th) is solid – no fireworks, no flops.

Left-back rotation sees Piero Hincapie (12th) pipping recent minutes over Calafiori. Eberechi Eze (11th) – yes, him – became a Spurs-slaying hero with a mega assist vs City. Eleventh spot? Says it all about this campaign.

Leandro Trossard (10th) frustrates but delivers: winner at Fulham, cracker at Sunderland, five goals, five assists. Viktor Gyokeres (9th) bags 10 in 28, but only a pen wins points. The big Swede bullies defences, yet refs ignore his shouts – poor sod.

Mikel Merino (8th) might vanish post-January, but his goals and assists have hauled six points from Newcastle, Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland. Proper impact.

Top Dogs: The Real Medal Contenders?

Bukayo Saka (7th) hasn't bossed the right flank like a champ should, but the lad bleeds Arsenal – he warrants silverware. Jurrien Timber (6th) is Mr Consistent at the back, rarely puts a foot wrong.

In power rankings, only Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes crack the top 13 for Arsenal. Saka, David Raya and others trail. City? Loaded with top-30 stars.

Arsenal aren't world-beaters; they've just outlasted the dross. Arteta's mob could still lift the trophy, but deserve it? Our list says select few. City smell blood – don't say we didn't warn ya.

(Inspired by Football365 analysis and reports from Evening Standard on OneFootball)