Soccer
Calvin Bassey of Fulham and Alex Iwobi (photo credit: Imago)
The 2025/26 English Premier League season drew to a close today, with all 20 teams playing their final fixtures of the campaign, Soccernet.ng reports.
Champions Arsenal took their title celebrations to Selhurst Park, defeating Crystal Palace 2-1 to further cement their status as the dominant force in England.
Lower down the table, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers had already seen their relegation confirmed weeks ago, rendering their clash at Turf Moor a mere battle for pride. After an entertaining 90 minutes, the spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw.
In the race for continental football, Sunderland defeated Chelsea 2-1 at the Stadium of Light to secure a Europa League spot. They will be joined by Bournemouth, while Brighton & Hove Albion settled for a place in the UEFA Conference League next season.
Amidst the final-day drama, several Nigerian players were in action. In this article, Soccernet.ng reviews how the Super Eagles stars in the Premier League rounded off their campaign.
Soccer Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare came off the bench in the second half for Wolverhampton Wanderers in their 1-1 draw at Burnley.
The result ensured Wolves finished rock-bottom of the Premier League in 20th place. It was a torrid debut campaign in England for the former Genk forward, who could be on the move this summer after managing just three goals in 33 Premier League appearances.
Soccer Ola Aina & Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest)
, Copyright: ImagoxChrisxFoxwellx
Nottingham Forest ended their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, securing a 16th-place finish in the standings.
It was a challenging campaign for Forest’s Nigerian duo. Taiwo Awoniyi contributed four goals and one assist in 17 appearances, while Ola Aina featured in just 18 games all season. Despite battling relegation under Nuno Espírito Santo, the appointment of Vítor Pereira proved to be the turning point for the Tricky Trees, who ultimately finished five points clear of the drop zone.
Soccer Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace)
Christantus Uche’s Crystal Palace fell 2-1 to champions Arsenal at Selhurst Park, finishing the campaign in 15th place.
Uche, who spent the season on loan from Getafe, struggled to make a significant impact after failing to convince manager Oliver Glasner of a regular starting spot. The midfielder featured in just 14 games—all of which were brief cameo appearances—and is now set to return to his parent club in Spain.
Soccer Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey & Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham)
Fulham boasts the highest contingent of Nigerian talent in the top flight, with Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze all playing key roles in the Cottagers’ impressive 11th-place finish.
Iwobi registered four goals and three assists in 29 appearances, while Chukwueze recorded three goals and four assists in 23 games. At the back, Bassey was an absolute rock in defense. While Marco Silva’s men were firmly in the running for a European spot late into the season, a poor run of form in the final weeks ultimately derailed their continental ambitions.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
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