After a three-week international pause, the Premier League resumed with a sixth round that produced a strong spread of individual displays. Using FotMob’s player ratings, here is a rewritten look at the weekend’s top 10 performers.

Declan Rice earned an 8.3 in Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds United. The midfielder was central to the result, posting a match-high 89 touches, adding 10 defensive contributions and producing the kind of subtle quality that made Bruno Guimarães’s winning goal possible.

Chelsea also featured heavily. Morgan Rogers, rated 8.3, scored the Blues’ second in their 5-1 win over Bournemouth and continued to settle quickly at Stamford Bridge. His dribbling stood out, while a cross-cum-shot helped take him to four Premier League goals in six games. He also recorded a match-high 13 defensive contributions.

Crystal Palace’s 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest included strong showings from Yéremy Pino and Adam Wharton, both on 8.3. Pino got on the scoresheet and created the most chances in the match with three, while Wharton supplied an assist from a corner and combined control with discipline, winning 75% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial battles without conceding a foul.

Jérémy Doku changed Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Liverpool from the bench, yet still led the match in dribbles with five and chances created with three before finishing with a superb strike. Elliot Anderson, rated 8.5, provided relentless energy and creativity, capped by the assist for Doku’s goal.

Rayan Cherki was the top-rated City player against Liverpool at 8.6, ending the scoring with a goal that summed up his flair and confidence. João Pedro led the weekend with an 8.8 after two goals for Chelsea against Bournemouth, doing his job in the physical contest and still making a decisive attacking impact from 25 touches.

Tuttosport has finalised its 2026 Golden Boy shortlist, with 25 of Europe’s most promising young players in contention for the award that will be presented in November. Lamine Yamal, who won the prize in 2024, is age-eligible again but cannot win it twice, while last year’s winner Désiré Doué is also excluded from the list.

That leaves a wide-open race, and the shortlist includes talent spread across several of the continent’s biggest clubs. Sports Illustrated’s ordering of the 25 nominees places Joane Gadou at 25, Jon Martín at 24, Charalampos Kostoulas at 23, Franco Mastantuono at 22 and Kerim Alajbegović at 21. Rodrigo Mora follows at 20, Konstantinos Karetsas at 19, Saïd El Mala at 18, Gianluca Prestianni at 17, Finn Jeltsch at 16, Endrick at 15, Xavi Espart at 14, Estêvão at 13, Marc Bernal at 12 and Jorrel Hato at 11.

Transfermarkt has worked with the award’s organiser to produce a top 20, with five further wild cards added by an unnamed panel. None of those additions are viewed as genuine favourites, but several have cases worth noting. Xavi Espart’s progress at Barcelona this season has drawn attention, while Franco Mastantuono has had a difficult start before showing signs of recovery in Florence. Joane Gadou is still only 19 and could be better placed for future editions.

Elsewhere, Rodrigo Mora’s move to Roma has given him a platform to build on, and Charalampos Kostoulas now has time to develop at Brighton. Marc Bernal continues to look comfortable at the highest level for Barcelona, while Finn Jeltsch has already made 57 appearances for Sebastian Hoeneß’s side and is attracting interest from the La Liga leaders.

There are also strong individual cases further down the list. Lennart Karl’s 2025-26 season, which included double-digit goal contributions in just over 1,200 Bundesliga minutes and four Champions League goals, should have made him a serious top-10 candidate. Eli Junior Kroupi’s breakthrough with Bournemouth was equally striking, while Rayan’s performances for both club and country have strengthened his case. Myles Lewis-Skelly, Victor Froholdt, Luka Vušković, Warren Zaïre-Emery and Yan Diomande round out a shortlist with a wide spread of profiles and plenty of long-term potential.

The Premier League has long been a stage for elite wide talent, and the right flank has produced some of the division’s most influential attackers since 1992-93.

Some right wingers thrived as scorers, others excelled as creators, and a few simply made life unbearable for defenders every week. What unites them is a lasting imprint on England’s top flight.

In ranking the best of them, three ideas matter most: peak and longevity, ability, and legacy. That means judging how high a player reached, how long he sustained that level, and how much he shaped the league through titles, awards, and memorable moments.

Juan Mata’s failure to win a Premier League title remains striking given his quality, but his impact was never in doubt. Chelsea moved quickly after noticing his growing influence at Valencia, and he settled into the league immediately. Fernando Torres helped convince his compatriot that the Premier League was the right fit, and Mata responded by winning Chelsea’s Player of the Year award in each of his first two seasons. He also finished the 2012-13 campaign with the most assists in the division. A later move to Manchester United arrived as the club entered a difficult post-Sir Alex Ferguson period, yet Mata still produced moments of quality, including his beautifully taken goal at Liverpool in March 2015.

Bukayo Saka is still early in his career, but his rise at Arsenal has already made him a central figure in their revival under Mikel Arteta. A Premier League champion, he has passed 100 combined goals and assists in the competition and is one of the division’s most reliable attacking threats. His pattern is well known, receiving on the right, cutting inside onto his left foot and looking for goal, but it remains extremely hard to stop.

Steve McManaman was elegant, energetic and dangerous from wide areas, with the kind of two-footed skill that allowed him to beat defenders either way. His Liverpool performances earned him a move to Real Madrid in 1999, where he won two Champions League titles. He finished his Premier League career with 41 goals and 59 assists.

Freddie Ljungberg combined movement, timing and a sharp instinct for arriving in the box. Signed from Halmstads for just £3 million ($4 million), he became one of Arsenal’s best-value signings, scoring 72 goals and adding 40 assists in all competitions. He won two Premier League titles, formed part of the Invincibles and was named Player of the Season in 2001-02.

Raheem Sterling first emerged at Liverpool, then reached his peak after moving to Manchester City. Under Pep Guardiola, he became a regular scorer and a constant problem for defenders, using pace, direct running and intelligent link-up play with Sergio Agüero, Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sané. He was named FWA Footballer of the Year in 2018-19.

Gareth Bale produced a stretch where he was not only the best right winger in the league, but arguably its best player overall. His Tottenham Hotspur form brought two PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards and three straight PFA Team of the Year selections. The 2012-13 season stood out most, with his pace, power and finishing driving him to 21 goals.

Riyad Mahrez brought improvisation, skill and a remarkable first touch, showcased by his famous assist for Jamie Vardy against Manchester City in 2016-17. A Premier League champion with Leicester City, then a four-time winner with Manchester City, he repeatedly turned difficult moments into something exceptional.

David Beckham was more wide midfielder than classic winger, but his place in any right-sided ranking is unquestionable. His right foot delivered crosses, free kicks and even goals from inside his own half, helping Manchester United win six Premier League titles. His technique and vision compensated for any lack of pace.