'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Midfielders are the heart of any football team. They're the ones who pull strings from the centre of the field and dictate the tempo of the game and keep the attackers on their toes.
The Premier League has some of the best midfielders in the world. The high-octane manner of the English top-flight can be hard to adjust to. There are as many cagey affairs as there are end-to-end thrillers. In most of these games, it is the midfielders who end up being the difference between two sides.
We have been blessed with some incredible performances from midfield already this season. On that note, let's take a look at the best midfielders in the Premier League this season.
#5 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
PFA Player of the Year 2020, Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne invoked the wrath of Fantasy Premier League players by coming up short on the productivity front at the start of the season.
However, the Belgian was still doing well in the centre of the park for Pep Guardiola and co. But now it looks like he's truly coming to his own. De Bruyne has been dominant in the past few games for the Cityzens.
After going without a goal or an assist for about a month, De Bruyne racked up six assists from four games across the Premier League and Champions League. The Belgian made the difference in the game against Sheffield United by setting up Kyle Walker for City's lone goal of the game.
He also turned up against Liverpool and assisted Gabriel Jesus for City's equalizer. De Bruyne has not been at his best up until now but it looks like he's definitely getting back there.
#4 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur)
Signed from Southampton in the summer, Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been one of the surprise packages of the season. His quality was never in question even during his days at St. Mary's but even a manager as experienced as Jose Mourinho would be pleased with how Hojbjerg has stepped it up since coming to North London.
Hojbjerg has been a destructive presence in the Spurs midfield and has, so far, looked exactly like the signing that Mourinho needed. Playing in a double pivot with Tanguy Ndombele, Hojbjerg's holding abilities has gone a long way towards Tottenham's early season form.
He has added an extra layer of protection to the intermittently shaky Spurs backline and added more spine to their midfield. If he can keep this up, Hojbjerg might just prove to be one of the most intelligent signings of the season.
#3 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Manchester United are world-beaters on one day and annoyingly ordinary in the next. But they would have just continued to be a bang-average team had Bruno Fernandes not been roped in January.
Fernandes has kicked on with his prolific streak and has been Manchester United's best player of the season without a doubt.
He is not one to clock neat pass completion percentages because the Portuguese loves to take risks and his vision is so good at times that even if he squanders possession every once in a while, he will pull off a killer pass or score a goal that can change the complexion of the game.
Bruno Fernandes is one of the best attacking midfielders in the game right now and has scored a whopping five goals and racked up three assists from seven appearances so far.
#2 James Rodriguez (Everton)
James Rodriguez has been a galvanizing presence at Goodison Park. To be fair, Rodriguez wasn't give much of a chance by the critics when he joined Everton in the summer. After serving a difficult season at Real Madrid, it looked like a decent call too.
However, Rodriguez hit the ground running and his technique and bag of skills and tricks seem to be working wonders for Everton. The Toffees have hit a rough patch of late and it has coincided with Rodriguez' slight dip in form.
The Colombian international has scored three goals and three assists from seven appearances so far. After his reassuring performances in the Merseyside derby and the resounding win against Brighton and Hove Albion, there is no doubt that Rodriguez will kick on in the same vein.
After all, Ancelotti has proven time and again that he knows how to use Rodriguez better than any other manager he has played for.
#1 Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa just about held on to Jack Grealish by staying up in the Premier League and surviving the relegation battle by the finest of margins. Grealish was linked with a move to Manchester United and a player of his quality should be playing for one of the giant clubs anywhere in Europe.
Grealish has been excellent for Aston Villa and has been one of the best players in the Premier League so far this season. He rarely has an off day and has turned in sensational performances against the likes of Liverpool, Leicester, Southampton and Fulham.
Grealish has scored four goals and provided five assists from seven appearances in the Premier League so far. Aston Villa are currently sixth on the Premier League table with five wins in seven games. They also have a game in hand and so far, Grealish has been their guiding light. No surprises there.
