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After nearly nine incredible months of football action, the 2020-21 Premier League campaign finally came to an end last weekend. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City stunned the land by becoming the first team to have won the title after being as low as 8th in the table at Christmas.
The Cityzens went on an incredible run which saw them lose just four times since early December, with one of them coming after they were crowned champions. Despite injuries to key players such as Kevin De Bruyne, they were simply unstoppable and ended the campaign with a brilliant eight-point lead.
Clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United led the table at different points, but nobody could replicate the Cityzens' consistency. They won their third Premier League title in four years under Guardiola, dethroning Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.
Manchester City's midfield the key to their Premier League glory
One of the major reasons for their dominance this season was the strength of their midfield. Pep Guardiola had the luxury of calling upon a host of stellar names to dig them out of trouble, something that not many coaches were able to do.
In fact, on many occasions throughout the second half of the campaign, the Catalan fielded sides without a recognised striker. During situations such as these, he could still deploy the likes of Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, and De Bruyne to take up the mantle of the forwards.
When they needed more control against bigger opposition, he relied upon his trustworthy captain Fernandinho, along with Spanish star Rodri in the middle. This mix of different profiles and the generally high standards of midfielders available to him played a huge role in their title win.
On that note, here, we take a look at the best midfielders to have featured in the 2020-21 edition of the Premier League.
Honourable Mention: Yves Bissouma | Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion star Yves Bissouma has been one of the breakout stars of the 2020-21 Premier League campaign. While the Malian has been with the Seagulls for three seasons, he had only started a combined 32 games in his first two years. However, this season, he's been one of Graham Potter's core players and has done a phenomenal job in the middle for Brighton in the Premier League.
A tough-tackling midfielder who is comfortable on the ball, Bissouma has been at the heart of an excellent Seagulls side whose performances have been superb.
Only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has attempted and won more tackles than Bissouma's 114 and 74, respectively, while only three midfielders have made more interceptions than his 60. The 24-year-old has had a mighty impressive season.
#10 Youri Tielemans | Leicester City
Youri Tielemans has long been one of the most coveted young midfield talents in Europe, but the 2020-21 campaign has been one of his finest seasons yet. The Belgian showed a great sense of maturity as he was tasked with different roles throughout the campaign due to injuries to Wilfred Ndidi and other key players. Tielemans shone through and became one of Brendan Rodgers' go-to players.
The multi-faceted central midfielder has a superb passing range and the ability to go past players and carry the ball higher up (completed 40 take-ons).
Only three midfielders have bettered his tallies for progressive passes (206) and final third passes (212). He's also registered 2925 touches, only bettered by four midfielders. Leicester City's FA Cup hero has had a truly superb 2020-21 campaign.
#9 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg | Tottenham Hotspur
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg appeared to be the perfect on-field general for Jose Mourinho during his time at the club. Gritty, unrelenting in the tackle and a leader on the pitch, the Dane had the ingredients for all the archetype Mourinho midfield general. Although the Portuguese is no longer at the club, Hojbjerg remains an excellent addition to what was a rather frail Spurs midfield unit.
Hojbjerg's influence on the current Tottenham Hotspur side is hard to look past. The Danish midfielder has attempted and won more tackles (118 and 81 respectively) and had more successful pressures (807) than any player in the Premier League.
Hojbjerg's 3050 touches are the highest of any midfielder, and he didn't miss a minute of league action for Spurs. However, his influence on the side did notably begin to wane towards the end of the campaign.
#8 Tomas Soucek | West Ham United
Amidst the galore of massive big-money signings made by Premier League clubs, Tomas Soucek arrived at West Ham United as part of a low-profile deal. However, based on the impact he had, there is a very good case for this move being one of the smartest Premier League signings over the last couple of years. Soucek has been a transformative figure for the Hammers, adding a new dimension to their midfield.
The towering Czech Republic star has been a menace in the air and on the pitch, scoring goals, destroying attacks, and covering every blade of grass.
No player has won more aerial duels than his 228 (!) this season, while only two midfielders have bettered his tally of ten goals. With his incredible presence, energy and aerial dominance, Soucek was a colossal figure for West Ham in 2020-21.
#7 N'Golo Kante | Chelsea
Chelsea's diminutive midfield star N'Golo Kante has enjoyed a great run of form and has had a superb campaign for the Blues. Kante endured a fair few injury concerns last season but appeared to have put them behind him to deliver consistently for Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea. He's formed a great partnership with Jorginho in the middle, disrupting attacks and carrying the ball forward regularly.
While he began the campaign deeper in midfield, Kante was pushed higher up by Tuchel and has benefitted massively. The 30-year-old's tally of 62 interceptions is only bettered by Declan Rice, and Kante has also completed 76.3% of his dribbles, bettered only by four midfielders.
He has played fewer minutes than everyone else on this list bar Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan with 2146 (23.8 90s). However, he's been pivotal for Chelsea's upturn in form under Tuchel.
#6 Declan Rice | West Ham United
The other half of West Ham United's brilliant midfield duo, Declan Rice was already one of the most impressive players in the league. The Englishman's displays have steadily improved over the last couple of years. However, this season, the 22-year-old has truly taken things to the next level and has grown into a leader for the Hammers.
Taking over the captaincy mantle from Mark Noble, Rice has been phenomenal in the middle, playing as either a destroyer or a carrier based on the circumstances. He is one of the catalysts for West Ham's push for European football.
No midfielder has bettered his tally of 68 interceptions this season, while he also boasts of the highest dribble completion percentage in the league with 89.1. Rice, much like West Ham, has had a remarkable Premier League campaign.
#5 Rodrigo Hernandez | Manchester City
Manchester City's metronome in midfield, Rodri, is comfortably one of the best passers in the Premier League. The Spanish international is one of the key reasons for City's creative unit being able to venture further forward as he excels in mopping up for them deeper in midfield and screening his backline. Rodri was one of the most pivotal players during their resurgence midway through the season.
He might not have the most impressive defensive stats, but Rodri is, more often than not, in the right place at the right time. His athletic frame enables him to nudge people off the ball and recycle possession, turning defence into attack.
No midfielder in the league has won a higher percentage of aerial duels than Rodri's 76.5 this season, while he's also won 60 tackles, bettered by only four midfielders.
Also read: Ranking the 5 most likely destinations for Tottenham Hotspur superstar Harry Kane
#4 Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City
In 2019-20, Kevin De Bruyne became only the second player in Premier League history to hit 20 assists in a single campaign. While the reigning PFA Player of the Year didn't hit the heights he had in the previous campaign, he's still had a commendable 2020-21 season. When fully fit, there aren't many better players in the league than the Belgian, let alone better midfielders.
No player in the league has registered more through balls (21), shot-creating actions per 90 (6.40) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.86) than the 29-year-old. Among midfielders, only two players have more carries into the final third than his 82, and only Bruno Fernandes has more passes into the penalty area than his 79.
The Belgian ended the campaign with 12 assists, the joint-second highest, and only two behind Harry Kane, who topped the charts with 14. The fact that he has registered such numbers despite playing fewer minutes (1997) than any player on this list is absolutely phenomenal.
#3 Mason Mount | Chelsea
Mason Mount followed up an eye-catching debut campaign at Chelsea under Frank Lampard with an absolutely incredible 2020-21 season. He delivered for them regardless of whether it was Lampard or Thomas Tuchel in charge, and irrespective of where he played. The Englishman was deployed in a variety of roles this season, including central midfield, attacking midfield and out wide.
Only Bruno Fernandes registered more key passes and shot-creating actions than Mount's 90 and 163 respectively in the Premier League. The 22-year-old also racked up the highest number of carries into the final third (100), while also ranking fourth overall for pressures (687) and fifth for progressive carries (265).
Mount was deservedly crowned Chelsea's Player of the Year as he's had a terrific season at Stamford Bridge. At just 22 years of age, he's already proving to be one of their most important players and could go on to get even better in the future.
#2 Ilkay Gundogan | Manchester City
Ilkay Gundogan has had an astonishing 2020-21 season for Manchester City. The German is generally synonymous with keeping things ticking in the middle and controlling the tempo of the game. But this season, he's shown that there's so much more to his game as he stepped up in De Bruyne's absence to lead his side by example.
Gundogan has been one of the Cityzens' primary goal threats this season as he has 13 league strikes to his name. He's ventured higher up the pitch and scored goals aplenty, including one against Chelsea and braces against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. In fact, no midfielder in the league has scored more non-penalty goals than Gundogan's 12.
The German has been one of the key factors behind City's upturn in form after a slow start and he's proven his worth to Pep Guardiola. He has been an incredibly influential figure on the UEFA Champions League front as well. Gundogan has driven their midfield and has enjoyed arguably his best season in England so far.
#1 Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United
When Bruno Fernandes arrived at Manchester United in early 2020, he took the league by storm with a string of incredible displays. He scored goals, created chances, and made the Red Devils look like a different team altogether. While he was expected to get better in his first full season, he's shattered those expectations with a glorious campaign.
The Portuguese superstar was simply unplayable in 2020-21 and quickly became one of the most influential players in the league. No player in the Premier League had more key passes (94) or shot-creating actions (168) than Fernandes, and he also topped the charts for goals and assists among midfielders. In fact, he is the only midfielder to have finished in the top three for goals and assists in 2020-21.
No midfielder in the league racked up more passes into the penalty area (96) or progressive passes (227) than him, while only Kevin De Bruyne completed more through balls than his 20. Fernandes has also been a leader of men on the pitch for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. He's arguably been the best midfielder in the Premier League since his arrival from Sporting Lisbon.
Also read: Top 5 Premier League clubs whose academy players have played most minutes this season
