Marcus Richards
The exciting Premier League season has now come to a close as Manchester City proudly walk away with some well-deserved silverware. Manchester United redeemed themselves this season as compared to the last and finished second behind arch-rivals Manchester City. They performed brilliantly under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and we expect to see the same excitement and drive in the Red Devils next season as well, if not more. Although Liverpool had a rocky start, they managed to get it together mid-season and turned it around for themselves.
The Reds ended up in third place and qualified for the Champions League, something that seemed unlikely given the state of a few of their performances. Chelsea sits in fourth place while Leicester City did not qualify for the Champions League as they lost their last match vs Tottenham.
After such a tumultuous season with covid-19 restrictions and incidents at hand, we have witnessed several players step their games up and performed for their team. Here is our selection of the top ten best players for this year’s campaign, and you might recognise a few. Among commonly-known stars like Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Kevin de Bruyne, many other unexpected players have made it to the top ten list this season.
10. Son Heung-Min – Tottenham Hotspur
An underrated player, Son Heung-Min arrived at Tottenham and quickly took his place as Mauricio Pochettino’s most reliable performers. Although Harry Kane is well-known as Tottenham Hotspur’s lucky charm, Son Heung-Min is certainly a wonderful addition to the team. The South Korean is one of the Premier League’s most explosive attacker, and he finished with 17 goals and 10 assists in 37 appearances.
9. N’golo Kante – Chelsea
Unfortunately, Kante was unable to join Chelsea’s 2-1 loss vs Aston Villa on Sunday due to a hamstring issue, and his absence was deeply felt in the team. Not only is the French footballer an excellent all-rounder, but he is also incredibly humble as a person and very hard to dislike. Very agile and athletic, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel couldn’t help but admire the midfielder.
“If you play with N’Golo, you always play with a minimum half a man more; this is unique,” said the German.
“It is a pleasure to be his coach. He is a big gift for me, a guy so, so humble, and who is such a big helper on the pitch.”
8. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City
Also known as the best-attacking midfielder worldwide, Kevin De Bruyne is a likely contender for the Ballon d’Or in December. The Belgian star also won the first Etihad Player of the Month award for the 2020/21 season and last season’s PFA Player of the Year award, and we aren’t surprised. De Bruyne played a central role in Manchester City’s success this season, and his consistent performances raked up six goals and 12 assists in 25 Premier League appearances.
7. Luke Shaw – Manchester United
The Red Devils have officially announced Luke Shaw as the winner of the clubs’ players’ Player of the Year. A well-deserved award, Shaw has shown excellent form over the 2020/21 season, although he was a close second to Bruno Fernandes. Remaining consistent throughout his performances and his transformation under the Norwegian manager is what earned him the votes. The 25-year-old is also set to be called for the European Championships later this month.
6. Mason Mount – Chelsea
Mount is on our list for top ten players this season, and the 22-year-old was also recently announced as Chelsea’s Player of the Year 2020/21 campaign by fans. This is certainly a great end to his season and Chelsea’s who have qualified for the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel’s miracle management. The young footballer has officially created more chances (87) than any other English player in the EPL this season. Mason Mount also has up to 100 senior appearances for the club in only two seasons – a whopping achievement for an academy graduate.
5. Ilkay Gundogan – Manchester City
Belonging to the winning team, Gundogan has finally received his dues and made a name for himself this season. The German stepped in to replace Aguero, Manchester City’s reliable star striker and did the job surprisingly well. He has gathered a total of 13 goals and 2 assists in 28 Premier League appearances and was definitely a major asset in the Blues’ road to victory this EPL campaign. Gundogan also became the first City player to receive the Player of the Month award in consecutive months.
4. Mohamed Salah – Liverpool
Part of the star striker trio, including Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah has been in Liverpool’s spotlight for some time now. He played a huge role in ensuring Liverpool’s success last season and was their best attacker this campaign as well. Although the Reds did not display their full potential this season due to various injury concerns and absences, Mohamed Salah finished the season with a whopping 22 goals and five assists. He is one of the most consistent attackers in the Premier League and will definitely go down as one of Liverpool’s greatest players if he keeps the performances up.
3. Ruben Dias – Manchester City
Many of Manchester City’s players make up this list and for good reason. Ruben Dias was hailed as this Premier League season’s best defender by Jamie Carragher, who rates him even higher than Virgil van Dijk. Although his signing garnered criticism due to the hefty €68 million price tag, the 22-year-old quickly erased all doubts regarding his potential. Dias was Pep Guardiola’s star signing, and he has all the best qualities to look for in a defender.
2. Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United
Fernandes’ efforts have been crucial in helping Manchester United secure second place in the Premier League table. The Portuguese midfielder is one of the most reliable penalty takers in the world of football and has an uncanny ability to create chances in unlikely situations. Fernandes has featured 37 times in the Premier League for Manchester United and gathered up to 18 goals and 12 assists.
1. Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur
The final footballer on our list of top ten players is Harry Kane, who also won the prestigious Premier League Golden Boot award. It was a close race between Kane, Mohamed Salah and Bruno Fernandes but the 27-year-old Tottenham Hotspur star stole the show by one extra goal, beating Mohamed Salah. Harry Kane won with 23 goals and 14 assists and is known as one of the most feared strikers in the world of football. He also features in Sportingbet’s list of the Premier League’s Greatest 11 players showcasing his all-rounder ability.
