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The game of football has evolved a lot in the last few years and this has seen different tactics and formations impact the style of play. One of the biggest impacts of the change has been on the left flank.
A new breed of left-wingers has emerged off late. No longer are they adept only on the left foot, instead, they have the ability to turn on the right and cut inside. This, in turn, has opened up a new dimension to the sport.
As of now, the football world is seeing a rapid emergence of many wonderfully gifted left-wingers and in this piece, we look at five of the best from this season.
#5 Felipe Anderson (Brazil, West Ham United)
The Brazilian has been nothing short of a revelation this season. Felipe Anderson joined West Ham at the start of this season from Lazio and took to the Premier League like fish to water. The 25-year-old has been a regular feature for his club in the Premier League and is one of their stand out performers this season.
In the Premier League, Anderson has 8 goals and 4 assists from 31 appearances. He has registered 72 accurate long balls and 15 through balls and has sent in 105 crosses so far. The Brazilian is the creative heart of his team and is the one who keeps things ticking in the final third.
Anderson adds a wonderful trickery to the left-hand side and his finishing abilities gives an attacking edge to his team. In the Premier League, he has scored 5 goals with his right foot and 3 with his left. The West Ham forward is one of the signings of the season and arguably one of the best players in his position.
#4 Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy, AS Roma)
Stephan El Shaarawy is arguably at the peak of his career at the moment. The Italian has been fantastic this season, even though he has been affected by injuries. He has missed around 6 games due to a combination of a Biceps femoris muscle injury and flu, but when fit, there are few players in the world as good as him on current form.
El Shaarawy is a left-winger with a strong right foot. He likes to cut inside from the sides and shoot at goal but is equally adept at creating chances for his teammates. He is a speedy forward who has tremendous technical abilities.
This season, the Italian has found the back of the net 9 times from 20 games in Serie A and has also picked up two assists. El Shaarawy also has one assist both the Champions League and the Coppa Italia for A.S Roma
#3 Leroy Sane (Germany, Manchester City)
Leroy Sane is an integral part of Pep Guardiola's system at Manchester City, where his speed and trickery is put to great use by the Spanish Manager. The German winger has been in sensational form this season and has already amassed eight goals and nine assists from 25 appearances in the Premier League.
Sane has appeared in the left wing position for almost all games this season and it is from here that the German winger has terrorized the opposition defenses. In addition to his Premier League heroics, Sane has also been sensational in the UEFA Champions League too. He has four goals and four assists in the tournament. In the round of 16 tie at home vs former side Schalke, he was his scintillating best as he scored one goal and set up three.
As of now, the German has 14 goals and 16 assists from 38 games in all competitions this season and shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
#2 Sadio Mane (Senegal, Liverpool)
In a season when Mohamed Salah has been a tad inconsistent and nowhere near how good he was last year, Liverpool has found a new savior within their ranks. Sadio Mane has taken up the mantle at Anfield and charged his team's fortunes. He has ensured that Liverpool are still in the title race
The Senegalese has been on fire of late in the Premier League, where he has scored nine goals in his last nine games. Over the course of the season, Mane has 17 goals and 1 assist in 29 appearances in the league. The left-winger has been the top performer in the famous front three of Liverpool as the club aim to lift the Premier League trophy for the first time.
Mane has 20 goals and 1 assist from 38 games in all competitions and is certainly one of the best in his position.
#1 Eden Hazard (Belgium, Chelsea)
He is the player that Real Madrid is desperate to bring to the Santiago Bernebau and are visibly missing this season. in truth, Eden Hazard could walk into the first eleven of any team in the world right now, such has been his form this season.
Hazard has already scored 13 goals and picked up 11 assists from 29 games in the Premier League so far. While he has not been able to hold on to his blistering start to the season, the Belgian has still been extremely effective for Sarri down the left and has traumatized defenders with his speed, technical abilities, and precision.
The Belgian is averaging 3.2 dribbles and 2.6 key passes per game in the Premier League. In the Europa League, he has completed 4.7 dribbles and 3 key passes per game. As of now, Hazard has 16 goals and 11 assists from 39 games in all competitions this season and on current form, is definitely the best left-winger in the world at the moment.
