'%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)
The Premier League season is well underway and aside from Liverpool, who are setting the pace at the top, the rest of the big hitters have been disappointing in their own right, as they look to scramble for a spot in the top four in the business end of the season.
While Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have changed managers at some point in the season, Manchester City's title defence has not gone as planned, Chelsea have blown hot and cold and Manchester United have struggled to make an impression.
A huge contributing factor towards their poor form is down to the fact that a lot of their big hitters have underperformed drastically, which has been the fundamental cause of their underwhelming league seasons. Here we take a look at 5 players from the top six sides who have not been up to the mark this season:
#5 Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva's inclusion could be termed as harsh, but the Portuguese international has been in and out of the team this season and has failed to produce consistent displays for Manchester City.
After playing a key role in the treble-winning side last season and capping off a fine summer by winning the UEFA Nations League with Portugal, where he was also voted Player of the Tournament, Silva's season has been lukewarm at best this time around and his drop in form has coincided with the Cityzens' blip this season.
His tally of 5 goals and 4 assists is misguiding, to say the least, as he scored a hat-trick in City's 7-0 demotion of Watford in October and registered a pair of assists against Burnley in a 4-1 victory in December - indicating that he has performed in patches.
After the arrival of Rodri from Atletico Madrid this summer, who is an automatic starter in the centre of the park alongside Kevin De Bruyne, one of Ilkay Gundogan or David Silva have been preferred to the Portuguese, due to which he has played most games as a right-winger.
Silva has been disappointing by his lofty standards and has failed to recapture his magic from last season, as Pep Guardiola's side find themselves 22 points behind Liverpool in the title race.
#4 John Stones (Manchester City)
Another Manchester City player on the list, John Stones has been completely cast aside by Pep Guardiola in recent weeks and looks a shadow of his former self, as he was tipped for big things when he made the big-money switch to the Etihad Stadium.
Vincent Kompany's departure in the summer and Aymeric Laporte's long term injury opened the door for Stones, who was expected to lead the line defensively but the England international has failed spectacularly, costing his side on multiple occasions this season.
Despite City's problems at the back, the 25-year-old has featured just 17 times in all competitions and his 3rd choice behind Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho as things stand, with the latter deputizing as a centre half at the age of 34.
Stones' lack of concentration on the ball and his tendency to get outmuscled by Premier League attackers has seen him struggle this season and it wouldn't be going too far if he said that he has not been worth the money spent on him.
Guardiola is sure to sign a defender in the summer and a stable centre half will definitely be on the top of his shopping list, with him increasingly losing patience with the former Everton man.
#3 Alexandre Lacazette(Arsenal)
Since swapping Ligue 1 for the Premier League in the summer of 2017, it's safe to say that Alexandre Lacazette had divided opinion among the Arsenal faithful. In the current season, however, the Frenchman has been lacklustre, to say the least and has failed to find his shooting boots, with just 5 Premier League goals to his name.
Arsenal have struggled this season and none of their attackers have been able to complement talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has been a lone warrior upfront for the gunners. With the arrival of Nicolas Pepe and the emergence of teenage sensation Gabriel Martinelli, Lacazette is giving Arsenal more questions than answers at the moment, as Aubayemang's natural position is often compromised to accommodate him.
The Gabon international is often shifted out wide, with Lacazette starting centrally but for all their efforts, the Frenchman has not been able to produce the goods consistently to make himself a viable starting option.
Lacazette has simply not been good enough this season and his situation is sure to be reevaluated in the summer, with the Gunners reportedly looking to cut their losses and let go of him at the end of the season.
#2 David De Gea (Manchester United)
David De Gea looks a shadow of his former self and the Spaniard has started the season in underwhelming fashion once again. Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, De Gea's decline has been gradual since the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has cost United points a handful of times this season.
The Spaniard has often been slated for his lack of ability on the ball, but his tendency to get beaten on his near post has come back to haunt him once again this season, with Burnley's second goal at Old Trafford in their 2-0 victory a classic example of this fact. The 29-year-old is not what he used to be a couple of years ago and being one of the senior players of this relatively inexperienced Manchester United squad, he should be performing a lot better than he has lately.
The Premier League-winning goalkeeper was rewarded with a bumper new contract last year and if his form continues, the red devils will like they made a massive mistake in doing so. Dean Henderson, who is on loan at Sheffield United, has been one of the best goalkeepers in the league this season and United could turn to him if De Gea's fortunes don't turn around quickly.
#1 Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)
Kepa Arrizabalaga has been the most high profile flop of the Premier League season so far and the Spanish goalkeeper has cost Chelsea several points this season. Of all the goalkeepers in the league to play over 1000 minutes, the world's most expensive goalkeeper ranks worst for save percentage, save percentage from shots inside the box and expected goals - a torrid record considering the amount of money the Blues paid to sign him.
Frank Lampard is reportedly looking to offload Arrizabalaga at the end of the season, a move that is set to go down as a statement considering the circumstances and the Spaniard only has himself to blame. Chelsea's defence is questionable, to say the least, and Arrizabalaga's problems have added to their woes at the back, as the young goalkeeper has single-handedly cost his side points.
When the season began, Arrizabalaga was tipped to have a big season and make a name for himself as one of the best players in his position and was even earmarked to displace David De Gea for Spain, but both have them have struggled for form and consistency this time around.
Arrizabalaga is running out of time to turn his fortunes around at Stamford Bridge and he needs to do so quickly or risk getting shipped off in the summer.
