Best Premier League defenders - 2024/25 power rankings
- Focus on players who score goals and contribute assists but just as much value in defence
- Virgil van Dijk back to his very best for early frontrunners Liverpool
- 2024/25 season power rankings fluctuate based on form over the campaign
The scrutiny that comes with being a Premier League defender is often too much to bare.
It's a division laden with attacking superstars who are paid to make those tasked with stopping them look ever so silly. It's only the very best who swim and prosper in the English top flight. So many sink.
The array of tactical ideas currently present means Premier League defenders come in all different shapes and sizes. From physical brutes to dynamic full-backs, elite recovery defenders to inverters, no defender is the same.
90min ranks the Premier League's best defenders based on their 2024/25 performances.
5. Antonee Robinson (Fulham) - New entry
The eyes will focus on North America at the 2026 World Cup, with Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT aiming to enjoy a successful home tournament. Christian Pulisic has long been touted as the figurehead of American 'soccer', but Antonee Robinson is primed to emerge as his national team's star on the big stage given his current trajectory.
The Fulham left-back is taking on greater responsibility in west London this season, often donning the captain's armband. His electric surges forward are complemented by sound one-on-one defending, with Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah both having their issues up against Robinson in recent outings.
4. Gabriel (Arsenal) ↔️
Both of Arsenal's central defenders are among the best in their position worldwide, with Gabriel proving to be more than merely William Saliba's partner over the past 12 months.
Dominant in physical battles and boasting plenty of composure in possession, the Brazilian often catches the eye for his exceptional goalscoring returns. He has already netted four in all competitions this term, with few of his counterparts able to prevent him from powering home with his head from a corner.
After a brief injury absence, Gabriel is back in the side, aiding Arsenal's clean sheet pursuits.
3. Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest) ↔️
Quietly going about his business in the east Midlands is Nottingham Forest's giant centre-back Nikola Milenkovic.
The Serbian international has proved to be the perfect partner for the emerging Murillo, transforming Forest's fortunes as they look to build on some impressive work by head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
No player has been more crucial to their rise than Milenkovic, who is a dominant presence in their backline. After netting his first goal for the club against Manchester United, the Serbian international scored his second the following week to kick-start a dramatic comeback victory over Aston Villa.
2. William Saliba (Arsenal) ↔️
Arsenal's overall standards have slipped slightly during the 2024/25 campaign, with that downturn evident in the number of points they have dropped.
But one player who can't be questioned is William Saliba, who continues to go from strength to strength in the heart of central defence. The Frenchman is calm in possession, a monster in physical duels and reads the game remarkably well.
Few can match the consistency and imperiousness of Arsenal's superstar centre-back, who has also been among the goals for the Gunners in recent matches as they become a set-piece juggernaut.
1. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) ↔️
The Virgil van Dijk fall-off, which many projected amid a disappointing 2022/23, has not yet come to pass.
Indeed, the Liverpool captain is playing some of his very best football at Anfield, with Van Dijk rarely flummoxed by those who attempt to breach the Reds' backline.
The game often passes him by in the best possible way which is a reflection of just how good he is.
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