It took me long enough, but I have finally compiled my list of the top 100 Premier League players this season. Angry fans, please note that this is for only this season and takes both individual and team success into account.
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100) Ethan Pinnock – Leads the Premier League in headed clearances.
99) Rayan Aït Nouri – Bundles of energy and has made the left flank his own at Wolves.
98) James Tarkowski – Leads the Premier League in blocks with forty, eleven higher than any other player.
97) Aaron Cresswell – Consistent as always for the Hammers. Can whip in dangerous crosses.
96) Armando Broja – Six goals. The Albanian youngster has been lethal on loan for Southampton.
95) Dan Burn – Improved Newcastle’s defense dramatically.
94) Neal Maupay – Scored crucial late goals for Brighton and is great at pressing in the final third.
Southampton’s set-piece specialist.[/caption]
23) Aymeric Laporte – The Spaniard has been favored over John Stones this season after a brilliant Euro tournament in the Summer and has made no mistake in the side. He leads the Premier League with 83.9 passes per match, which relays his composure and comfort on the ball.
22) Sadio Mané – Many people thought that Mané no longer had his killer instinct going into this season, but he has returned to his goal-scoring ways in some fashion. He has scored twelve goals in the Premier League, the joint-second highest among all other players, and is a big reason why Liverpool are in second.
21) Jose Sa- Wolves have conceded the fourth least amount of goals in the Premier League this season and Sá is a massive reason why. He has contributed to nine clean sheets, through winning four man-of-the-match awards this season.
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20) Joel Matip – Virgil Van Dijk is so impressive in defense that some people often overlook Matip. The 6’5 Cameroonian international is calm on the ball and when paired with Van Dijk, they truly form a brick wall.
19) Edouard Mendy – When Chelsea are struggling offensively in a game they can count on Mendy to keep them in it. He has kept nine clean sheets in twenty-one Premier League games and is such an important player for Tuchel.
18) N’Golo Kanté – The Frenchman’s work rate does not drop with age, and he is always on the team sheet when healthy. Kante averages 2.78 tackles and 2.26 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, stats that will be needed for the rest of the season.
17) Harry Kane – Started the Premier League season in uncharacteristically poor form, but has found his feet since and been back to his unstoppable self. Kane single-handedly defeated City to blow the title race open and has been a dream striker for Antonio Conte.
16) Diogo Jota – His twelve goals in the Premier League this season have solidified his starting position in the Liverpool team this season, and he has proven to be an amazing signing for the Reds. He can score with his left foot, right foot, and head, which is so important for how Liverpool plays. Jota is excellent when attacking the box, and his tactical versatility is a dream for Liverpool’s style of play.
15) Riyad Mahrez – The silky nature of Mahrez’s game just makes him a joy to watch. While he isn’t able to play every game as Pep likes to rotate his squad, he has eight goals in the Premier League and is second in minutes per goal.
14) Son Heung-min – It seems like every season Son has to carry Spurs on his shoulders along with his partner in crime, Harry Kane. Son and Kane broke the all-time Premier League record for most goal combinations between two players this season, with 37. Son has scored ten while assisting five himself this year and is trying his best to keep Tottenham’s top-four hopes alive.
13) Kevin De Bruyne – KDB doesn’t have the same caliber of stats that we usually see from him this season, however, that doesn’t mean he isn’t giving Premier League defenses nightmares. He is fifth in chances created in the league this season and has scored seven himself. You cannot deny that Manchester City are at their best when De Bruyne plays, as we have seen so often throughout his time in Blue.
12) Declan Rice – The young English central defensive midfielder gets better every year, which also means that his price tag will get higher and higher. Rice is a player that can completely control an entire midfield, thanks to his unbelievable physique, pace, and technical ability. Rice has made 139 tackles and interceptions this season and continues to elevate West Ham’s position in the Premier League table.
Rice is ready to take the next step in his career.
11) Ruben Dias – Been solid as usual in defense for Manchester City, however, has slightly regressed from last season. I have three center backs ahead of him in this list, but Dias is still a big part of City’s Premier League best defense, as they have only conceded seventeen goals this season as a team.
Top 10
10) Antonio Rudiger – The German has revived his career under Thomas Tuchel and has become a top center back in the world. He has pressured opposition 200 times this season, and he is able to do this so well because of Chelsea’s back three. He can be the aggressive player he likes to be and do it in style.
9) Andrew Robertson – Liverpool’s left-back is integral to how they play, and it’s clear that Andy Robertson succeeds at filling that role. He is great defensively, never stops running, and has whipped in nine assists as well.
8) Thiago Silva – It’s unbelievable to say, but a 37-year-old Thiago Silva is having one of the best seasons of his career. He has made countless last-ditch tackles and blocks for the Blues and has scored three goals as well.
7) Mateo Kovačić– Chelsea’s best player on a consistent basis in my opinion, as he truly never puts a foot wrong and is impossible to dispossess. He has completed 1.8 dribbles per game at a 79.5% dribble success rate this season, which is unbelievable. His tidiness and dribbling ability rank among the best players in the world.
6) Joao Cancelo – Helps Pep Guardiola orchestrate his team the way he wants. Cancelo truly is a number 10 disguised as a full-back and has five assists this season along with a rocket of a goal. He’s a danger anywhere on the pitch with the ball of his feet and has reinvented the left-back position.
Where does Cancelo rank among Premier League full-backs?
5) Virgil van Dijk – When it comes to aerial and one-on-one duels, there is no one better than Liverpool’s brick wall. While Van Dijk has dealt with injuries these past few seasons, he is slowly getting back to his best and looks so comfortable with Joel Matip in the back. Without Van Dijk, Liverpool’s full-backs would not be able to be as productive as they are, and the Reds would lose their identity.
4) Bernardo Silva – The Portuguese swiss army knife never stops running. Silva has been so versatile for Pep, being able to play primarily as a central midfielder or false center forward. His mesmerizing ball control and chance creation have elevated his status in the Premier League, and his seven goals for City have been crucial to their title charge.
3) Trent Alexander-Arnold – When the English full-back whips a cross into the box, it creates problems for opposition 90% of the time. Alexander-Arnold leads the Premier League with eleven assists, 2.9 key passes per match, and fourteen big chances created. En route to breaking his single-season assist record.
2) Rodri – At the center of City’s team lies Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, whose dirty work makes way for others to shine. Rodri has completed 92.6% of his passes this season for City and is a big reason why City consistently dominates possession. Wins his duels with ease and will have City fans forgetting about Fernandinho in no time.
1) Mohamed Salah – The Egyptian King has made this league his own and can truly do whatever he wishes to on the pitch. With nineteen goals and ten assists in twenty-four matches for Liverpool this season, Salah is a tier above all other attackers. These goals and assists have also come when it’s mattered most, and Salah’s magic might just give Liverpool’s title charge the push it so desperately needs.
It’s Mo Salah’s world, and we’re merely living it in.
