Premier League Team of the Season So Far - Center Midfielders
In the latest look at contenders for the Premier League team of the season, we focus on the men in the middle who have been crucial to their side’s fortunes.
In the latest look at contenders for the Premier League team of the season, we focus on the men in the middle who have been crucial to their side’s fortunes.
Jack Grealish – Aston Villa
If Aston Villa is to stand any chance of surviving relegation, their efforts will be largely down to one man.
Much like any other talismanic midfielder long before him, Jack Grealish has been the cornerstone to any success his side have enjoyed throughout their first Premier League campaign in four years. Whether it’s crucial strikes that rescue a point or even win games, to being the creative output for others to thrive on, the Villa captain has stood out in an otherwise desperate season that has failed to ignite and has left them in the bottom three.
With seven goals and six assists in 26 Premier League appearances, Grealish is Villa’s biggest goal provider and his strikes have included spectacular efforts against Manchester United and Southampton that have showcased the raw potential from the 24-year-old. His most impressive of all, however, was a thrilling thunderbolt against Brighton in January that rescued a crucial point for Dean Smith’s side:
Such impressive has Grealish’s form been, there was continued speculation that an England call-up was not far away until the season was suspended. Should his form continue to excel when football returns, Gareth Southgate will have little reason for leaving the Brummie out of his squad even if minor transgressions off the field in March blighted an otherwise stellar season.
Joao Moutinho – Wolves
In a Wolves side that is dominated by the goal-scoring heroics of Raul Jimenez, and the lightning-paced muscle behemoth that is Adama Traore, Joao Moutinho is the man who dominates at the heart of its midfield.
Moutinho may not get all the plaudits he deserves at times, but the former Porto and Monaco man has added experience and class in abundance to an outfit that have took the Premier League by storm in the last two seasons. His ability to control and dictate the tempo of a game has been pivotal to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, and even at the relatively old age off 33, has showed his powers are far from waning.
Despite the added rigours of Europa League football in 2019-20, Moutinho’s presence is a constant one having featured in all 29 of Wolves’ Premier League games, starting in all but two of them. The Euro 2016 winner has also continued to be a key source of goals, with his six assists this season highlighting his brilliance from set-pieces as well as pinpoint crosses from open play.
Based on such evidence, few arguments can be held against including Moutinho on our team of the year shortlist.
Georginio Wijnaldum – Liverpool
Another Liverpool player. Typical.
But before you level any accusations of bias, please hear us out.
Much of Liverpool’s success this may be attributed, and rightly so, to the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, Jordan Henderson and Mohamed Salah. But the largely unheralded form of Georginio Wijnaldum has played a huge role in the Reds dominating the Premier League this season, and left them only two wins away from being crowned champions.
Whether deployed in the deep-lying role or pushed further forward in central midfield, Wijnaldum’s versatility is his greatest strength and has been a key asset for Jurgen Klopp ever since signing from Newcastle United in 2016. The Dutch international’s contribution in front of goal may have only brought three goals, but his winner in September’s narrow 1-0 win over Sheffield United maintained Liverpool’s 100% record even if it owed to a huge slice of luck.
Perhaps the biggest compliment that could be paid to Wijnaldum is that in a midfield that is regularly rotated by Klopp, he has featured in all but one of Liverpool’s 29 league games this season and has excelled alongside Henderson. With his contract due to expire in 2021, talks will continue apace over the coming months as Anfield officials bid to tie down a vital cog in the relentless Red machine.