Season synopsis
Premier League final position: Second
Uefa Champions League: Semi-finals
FA Cup: Third round
League Cup: Semi-finals
Time and time again the runner-up, Arsenal yet again missed out on securing the Premier League championship.
For three consecutive seasons, the Gunners secured the second spot in the rankings, this time trailing Liverpool, following two terms where Manchester City claimed the title ahead of them.
Failing to secure a clear-cut center forward once more proved detrimental as the reigning champions, Liverpool, scored 17 goals more than the team from North London.
Mohamed Salah led Liverpool as their top league scorer with 29 goals, while not a single player managed to reach double digits. Arsenal – Kai Havartz was out front with nine.
The UEFA Champions League saw an impressive run from Arsenal as they accumulated 19 points out of a possible 24 in the recently enlarged group stage, ultimately ending up in third place.
In the last-16, PSV Eindhoven were smashed 9-3 on aggregate, before reigning champions Real Madrid were thrashed 5-1 across two semi-final legs. PSG had their campaign halted at this stage.
Most outstanding performance of the season
Arsenal 3 - Real Madrid 0 : A number of impressive performances stand out. Within the Premier League, they secured remarkable victories with scores of 5-1 both at their home ground against Manchester City and as visitors at Crystal Palace. On the European front, they triumphed over Paris Saint-Germain with a score of 2-0 and achieved an even more dominant win of 5-1 against Sporting in the group stages. 7-1 last-16 first-leg smashing of PSV Eindhoven were hugely impressive, but the Declan Rice-inspired semi-final first-leg win over Real was sensational.
Worst performance of the season
Arsenal 0 - West Ham 1: The defeats against Bournemouth both at home and away in the league were disappointing, while they lost 2-0. by Newcastle in both semifinal matches of the League Cup It was frustrating. However, the defeat at home in February against a West Ham team that had secured only one point from their last four games dealt a significant blow to Arsenal's aspirations for the title.
Thriller of the season
Arsenal 2 Liverpool 2 : During their league season, Arsenal had four thrilling 2-2 ties—against Manchester City (away), Liverpool (home), Aston Villa (home), and Crystal Palace (away)—that they won’t soon forget. Despite being ahead in these matches, Arteta’s team couldn't secure full victory. In October's dramatic encounter with championship contenders Liverpool at the Emirates, they squandered their lead not once, but twice.
Player of the season
David Raya: Bukayo Saka would have been a shoo-in until his season was curtailed by a serious hamstring injury, while Declan Rice was a consistent driving force in midfield. But goalkeeper David Raya takes the honours after finishing with 13 clean sheets and sharing the Premier League Golden Glove award with Nottingham Forest's Matz Sels.
Goal of the season
Declan Rice's second set-piece against Real Madrid: You can't help but recall that remarkable evening at the Emirates when Rice transformed into a maestro of free kicks, managing to send two stunning shots past Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal – with the second effort clinching the prize.
Ratings
All scores are out of 10.
Manager
Mikel Arteta – 8
Despite a campaign filled with significant victories both domestically and internationally, the Spanish manager has secured only one major title – the FA Cup – throughout his five-and-a-half-year tenure.
Goalkeeper
David Raya – 9
Impressive performance from the Spanish goalkeeper who featured in every single one of the 38 Premier League matches and played 13 out of 14 possible Champions League fixtures. His remarkable saves against Atalanta and Manchester United stood out as key highlights amidst numerous impressive displays.
Defenders
William Saliba – 8.5
French centre-half firmly established as one of Europe's finest, although he does look slightly less reliable without defensive partner in Gabriel alongside him.
Gabriel Magalhaes – 9
The collaboration between the Brazilian player and Saliba is crucial for Arsenal, a team known for having the tightest defense in the Premier League. He missed out on the last game of the season due to undergoing hamstring surgery.
Ben White – 7
Due to injuries, the right-back managed only 17 appearances in the Premier League; however, they concluded the season with a series of consistent matches.
Jurrien Timber – 8
The Netherlands-born defender participated in 48 matches throughout various competitions after missing the majority of the previous season due to a severe knee injury. Manager Arteta referred to his performance this season as “extraordinary.”
Jakub Kiwior – 7
The Versatile Pole fitted seamlessly into Arsenal’s lineup during Gabriel’s injury absence, delivering what could be considered his strongest displays since joining the club in 2023. He has been linked with a potential transfer this summer as he looks to increase his playing time.
Oleksandr Zinchenko – 5
Falling out of favor at the Arsenal and facing a potentially exiting move this summer, the Ukrainian player’s campaign has been extremely disappointing. He played only 789 minutes of soccer as opposed to over 2,000 during the previous season like in 2023/24.
Takehiro Tomiyasu – N/A
It was a difficult season for the Japanese defender, who only made one appearance following two knee operations, describing this phase as "the most challenging time of his career."
Riccardo Calafiori – 7
Injuries have turned the Italian's first season with the club into a challenging one, as he managed only 29 appearances altogether. Nonetheless, moments of brilliance persisted, such as an outstanding goal scored against Manchester City during their match away at Etihad Stadium.
Myles Lewis-Skelly – 9
The young left-back has been among the standout performers this season, with the 18-year-old featuring in 39 matches. He was praised as "fearless" by both clubmate and international teammate Declan Rice following his impressive debut for England where he scored.
Kieran Tierney – 6
Mainly used as a replacement player, the Scottish defender is returning to Celtic this summer. However, he managed to score a goal against Southampton on the last day of the season, thus concluding his time at Arsenal.
Midfielders
Thomas Partey – 8
One of the core members of Arsenal’s midfield, where manager Arteta has praised the consistency of the Ghanaian player's performance ever since he signed with the team half a decade ago.
Martin Odegaard – 7
The captain continues to be essential for Arsenal’s achievements but experienced a decline in performance during a critical period of the season following his return from an ankle injury.
Declan Rice – 9
Rice's performance has been outstanding to the point where his £105 million price tag is hardly discussed anymore. This consistent campaign has witnessed him netting nine goals and delivering ten assists over 52 matches.
Ethan Nwaneri – 8
Similar to his peer Lewis-Skelley, this season has marked a significant achievement for Nwaneri, who netted nine goals across 37 matches, with 21 of these appearances coming as a substitute.
Mikel Merino – 8
The Spanish player has become a vital component of the Arsenal team. Known for being diligent and fierce when reclaiming possession on the ground, he also excels at winning aerial duels. Additionally, he has shown his effectiveness as a capable replacement up front.
Jorginho – 6
This season, the Italian had only minor roles, appearing in merely nine Premier League matches, and at 33 years old, he will depart once his contract expires this summer.
Bukayo Saka – 8.5
Suffering a severe hamstring injury that sidelined him for three months dealt a significant setback to Arsenal’s campaign with the loss of their English winger. Despite this, Saka managed to amass an impressive tally of 12 goals and 14 assists throughout the season.
Forwards
Gabriel Martinelli – 7.5
The Brazilian striker contributed 10 goals and six assists over 51 matches. At just 23 years old, he continues to be an essential player for Arteta.
Leandro Trossard – 7.5
Similar to Martinelli, Belgian international Trossard’s impact was significant as he notched 10 goals and provided an additional 10 assists. His adaptability in offense has also played a crucial role.
Gabriel Jesus – 5
The sole true forward for Arsenal has had a dismal season, with his campaign cut short in January due to an ACL injury after he managed to score just three goals in 17 Premier League matches.
Raheem Sterling – 4
Sterling's prospects at Chelsea remain unclear following his unsatisfactory loan stint, during which he scored only one goal in 1,143 minutes of playtime.
Kai Havertz – 8
The German player had an excellent season going until he suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him from February through May. Before getting injured, he notched 15 goals and added another five assists across various competitions, making his absence a significant blow during a crucial part of the season.
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