By OkayGoal 
The Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ tend to dominate the end-of-season accolades and media headlines, a repetitive gripe for fans of the other top-flight teams.
Well, worry no more. We’ve expelled the ‘Big Six’ from our alternative end-of-season awards.
Player of the Season – Igor Thiago (Brentford)
A quite remarkable campaign from Igor Thiago, who announced himself as a Premier League star and international calibre forward. Coming back from an ACL is no easy feat, particularly when that injury has robbed you of a transitional debut season in England.
Thiago took no time at all to get going once back to full fitness, plundering 22 league goals to finish behind only Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot. A Brazil debut arrived in March, and the World Cup awaits this summer. Brentford should be braced for summer interest.
Igor Thiago has scored more league goals in 2025/26 than any other Brentford player has in a single Premier League campaign (21).
New record unlocked. 🔓 pic.twitter.com/zsO3Ch1zea
— Squawka (@Squawka) April 11, 2026
Honourable mentions: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
Young Player of the Season – Eli Kroupi Junior (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth have arguably the best talent ID in the Premier League right now and have unearthed another gem in Eli Kroupi Junior. Plucked from Ligue 2, the Frenchman scored 13 league goals to set a new record for the highest number of goals scored by any teenager in a debut season in Premier League history, eclipsing Robbie Fowler and Robbie Keane.
Such has been his impact, Portugal made overtures ahead of the World Cup. Kroupi Junior snubbed that, amid a desire to represent France. He looks a safe bet to break into Les Bleus’ set-up.
Honourable mentions: Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham)
Manager of the Season – Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth)
Andoni Iraola takes home perhaps the most competitive award, with a number of coaches having exceeded expectations this season.
Iraola, however, led Bournemouth to a top-six finish in a season that saw his side ripped apart. Four of last season’s back five left in the summer, and Antoine Semenyo then jumped ship for Manchester City in January. Despite those setbacks, Bournemouth ended the campaign unbeaten in 18 games to seal European football for the very first time.
Honourable mentions: Unai Emery (Aston Villa), Regis Le Bris (Sunderland), Keith Andrews (Brentford)
Goal of the Season – Harrison Reed vs Liverpool (Fulham)
A result-altering 97th-minute screamer that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar from an unlikely source. It doesn’t get better than this from Harrison Reed.
“That is EXTRAORDINARY!”
Harrison Reed equalises for Fulham deep into stoppage-time with an unbelievable strike! 🫨 pic.twitter.com/KvCHlEXcRo
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 4, 2026
Honourable mentions: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) vs Sunderland, William Osula (Newcastle) vs Manchester United
Save of the Season – Jordan Pickford vs Newcastle (Everton)
There’s no doubt in our mind that Sandro Tonali thought he’d scored the moment he made connection with the ball, here.
Still on repeat. 🔁 pic.twitter.com/73ow3XcBfE
— Everton (@Everton) March 1, 2026
Jordan Pickford, however, had other ideas.
Honourable mention: Alphonse Areola (West Ham) vs Wolves
Game of the Season – Crystal Palace 3-3 Bournemouth
A quite bonkers game and great advert for the league, as two ambitious sides threw caution to the wind in an end-to-end epic.
Jean-Philippe Mateta ended the game with a hat-trick to rescue a result for Palace, but still ended up disappointed after missing a sitter to make it four in stoppage time. Mateta’s 3.67 xG accrued against Bournemouth is a Premier League record, in a game where chances were not in short supply.
Signing of the Season – Robin Roefs (Sunderland)
Sunderland spent big in a bid for consolidation and were rewarded with a campaign that has exceeded all expectations. In their first season back in the big time, the Black Cats finished seventh to secure European football for the first time in 52 years.
The club’s recruitment team did some outstanding business last summer, including Brian Brobbey, Omar Alderete, Noah Sadiki and Granit Xhaka. Xhaka has taken most of the headlines, but the Swiss midfielder was a known quantity.
The gamble on an unproven young goalkeeper with a single season of top-tier experience was rewarded, as Robin Roefs shone at the Stadium of Light.
Honourable mentions: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eli Kroup Junior (Bournemouth), Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)
Read – Six records Arsenal set during the 2025/26 Premier League season
See more – Our Premier League Team of the Season for 2025/26