Premier League power rankings: Is it Kevin De Bruyne or Mo Salah who tops the 2021-22 season?

Another Premier League season has come and gone and with that it is also time to wave goodbye to our Power Rankings for another season.

After 38 matchdays of twists and turns, Manchester City pipped Liverpool to the Premier League title in dramatic fashion, while London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham made the other two Champions League places.

Arsenal and Man United will play in the Europa League next season while West Ham will compete in the Europa Conference League. At the other end of the table, Burnley, Watford and Norwich were all relegated.

No fewer than 90 players featured in our weekly Power Rankings over the course of the 2021-22 season due to their excellent performances on any given weekend during the campaign.

Sportsmail has tallied up the points gained by players over the 380 games to deliver our top 10 for the season….

Manchester City pipped Liverpool to the Premier League title in dramatic fashion

9. Mason Mount (Chelsea) – 53 points

Voted the club’s player of the season for the second year running, Mason Mount has enjoyed another campaign to remember, spending eight consecutive weeks in our Power Rankings list.

He became the youngest Blues player to record at least 10 goals and as many assists in a single top-flight season to help fire the club to third in the table.

No team-mate can better his tally for Premier League goals (11) or assists (10) this term either, underlining just how crucial he is to Thomas Tuchel’s forward line.

The Blues must now secure his long-term future once Todd Boehly’s takeover is complete if they are to challenge Liverpool and Man City for the title next season. 

Mason Mount became the youngest Chelsea player to record at least 10 goals and as many assists in a single top-flight season

9. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – 53 points

The Dutchman told BT Sport this week he has felt ‘unbeatable’ at times this season and looking at his performances this season it is easy to see why.

After returning from a horrific ACL injury at the start of the season, the Dutchman has slotted back into Jurgen Klopp’s backline with ease, playing a crucial role in Liverpool keeping 21 league clean sheets.

He came into our rankings for the first time at the beginning of March and came first in a weekly Power Rankings once this season. 

He has yet to be on the losing side in a league game at Anfield since joining from Southampton for £75million in January 2018, and has won all four major trophies at Anfield.

The 30-year-old looks destined not only to be a leader in the defence for the next few years, but also to go down as one of the best defenders ever, regardless of whether you agree with Michael Owen’s opinion that he is the best ever.

Virgil van Dijk has bounced back from his horror ACL injury with another stellar campaign

8. Harry Kane (Tottenham) – 58 points

The England captain had another slow start to the season amid talk of a move to Man City and a Euros hangover, but recovered in a way few can to finish as the fourth-highest Premier League scorer this season.

He entered our Power Rankings for the first time in February but only came outside of the top three when included once, and finished top of the pile twice. 

He has produced some big moments too, delivering a simply all-round world-class performance in the win at Man City, and playing a huge role in securing the dramatic victory at Leicester.

Then at the end of the season he scored five goals in as many games to ensure Spurs qualified for the Champions League ahead of north London rivals Arsenal. 

The 28-year-old now has 183 Premier League goals, with Alan Shearer’s record of 260 drawing ever closer. But he will want to register something in that trophy cabinet soon.

Harry Kane recovered from a slow start to the season to fire Spurs into the Champions League

7. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) – 70 points

The West Ham forward has arguably enjoyed the best breakout season of any player in the league this season and finished top once in our weekly 2021-22 Power Rankings.

The 25-year-old has scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists for the Hammers, combining smart movement with deadly finishing.

A key player in David Moyes’ men’s run to the semi-finals of the Europa League and their seventh-place league finish, he has now been rewarded with a maiden England call-up for the Nations League games against Hungary, Germany and Italy.

Sportsmail revealed earlier this month the east London outfit want to tie him down to fresh terms and double his £60,000-per-week wages, but it would be no surprise if Champions League clubs were sniffing around.

Jarrod Bowen enjoyed a breakout season with West Ham and has now earned an England call-up

6. Son Heung-min (Tottenham) – 79 points

The South Korean has had to share the Golden Boot with another man in this list after scoring twice in Tottenham’s 5-0 win at Norwich on the final day of the season.

Scoring 23 non-penalty goals in a league campaign is an astounding return for a player who seems to have gone to another level under Antonio Conte.

He also came up trumps for the Italian when he needed him most, scoring six goals in the final five league games – including against Liverpool and Arsenal – to secure a place in the top four and top in our rankings twice during the season.

The 29-year-old signed a four-year extension just last year and Spurs will hope their stable front three of Kane and Dejan Kulusevski can help end the club’s trophy drought dating back to 2008. 

Son Heung-min has had to share the Golden Boot despite 23 non-penalty goals this term

5. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – 89 points

No doubt part of a side that massively underachieved this season, but Cristiano Ronaldo did not let this season pass by without making some sort of impact.

The Portuguese netted 18 Premier League goals for Man United in 30 appearances- which helped him come top of our rankings on three occasions – and is some going for a 37-year-old, even with his ridiculous ability in front of goal.

United fans have been debating all season the positive and supposed negative effect he has had on the team but in truth none of his team-mates performed anywhere near his level for the majority of the season.

A hat-trick against Tottenham and last-gasp strikes against Villarreal and Atalanta were among his crucial interventions, and Erik ten Hag will know the short-term fix at the club next season is to get the most out of Ronaldo as he can.

Cristiano Ronaldo managed 18 Premier League goals in an underachieving Man United side

4. Joao Cancelo (Manchester City) – 90 points

The standout full-back yet again at Manchester City this term, Cancelo spent 14 straight weeks in up and down our Power Rankings having looking comfortable again at the back, whether on the left or the right of the defence.

None of his team-mates can match the 52 appearances made this term, but it is his development with his vision and quality in front of goal that has really come on leaps and bounds.

No City player managed more successful dribbles (56), successful tackles (83) or interceptions (58) this season, if his importance needed further highlighting.

Add that to the great feet and amazing passing range he already demonstrated to great effect last term, it is no wonder he is a key member of Pep Guardiola’s side. 

Man City star Joao Cancelo spent 14 consecutive weeks in our Power Rankings this season

3. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) – 102 points

The man who stepped up to the plate when Kevin De Bruyne had to overcome early-season hurdles of an ankle injury and coronavirus, the Portuguese has almost irreplaceable status in Guardiola’s side.

There were some outstanding moments that kept him at the top of our Power Rankings for six straight weeks, most notably the wonderful cushioned volley winner at Aston Villa as one of his eight league goals.

His work-rate off the ball is equally as important in a Guardiola side and has made him virtually undroppable throughout the campaign.

The energy he has given this season means a drop-off towards the end of the term was inevitable, but a player who seemed to be heading for Barcelona 12 months ago now appears all set to play a leading role at the Etihad Stadium next term. 

Bernardo Silva spent six straight weeks as No 1 in our Power Rankings after stepping up in the first half of the season

2. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – 155 points

Injuries and Covid meant the Belgian only came into this season’s Power Rankings for the first time in mid-December, but he has not dropped out of them since.

The 30-year-old was No 1 for three consecutive weeks and on four occasions altogether over the course of the season.

It was therefore no surprise to see him voted Premier League Player of the Season, scoring 15 goals to go with eight league assists for the champions. No City player recorded more goals or assists than the ex-Chelsea star.

Amid City’s title celebrations, De Bruyne committed his future to the club for at least the next three years, so expect to see plenty more midfield magic from him come August. 

Kevin De Bruyne was voted Premier League Player of the Season, scoring 15 goals this term

1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 192 points

The winner of our season Power Rankings, and few can begrudge the Egyptian of claiming top spot in this list.

A late strike against Wolves did not bring the title to Anfield as he had hoped but did ensure he joined Son on 23 league goals for the campaign, consequently sharing the Golden Boot with the Spurs forward.

The 29-year-old – who also managed 14 top-flight assists – was among our Power Rankings list for 21 consecutive weeks. He was No 1 on nine occasions this term, including for five straight weeks between late September and early November.

He will now enter the final year of his Anfield contract and the Reds must surely now divert full focus on signing him to an extension once the Champions League final is out of the way. 

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was among our Power Rankings list for 21 consecutive weeks