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We all expect star players to really outshine in fixtures that matter. If a club pays top dollars for a player, they expect him to be worth the price. But it is seen sometimes that players of the topmost quality end up having disastrous seasons, because of reasons varying from inability to adapt to manager's tactics, personal issues or simply a bad spell.
On the other hand, there are players, who no one knows much about, no one seems to expect much from, but they are the ones really making a difference on the pitch. One thing that all such players have in common is they are not usually the big money signings. They don't have much fanfare, but what they posses is talent and what they show is consistency and determination for the team.
Luckily for us, the Premier League 2018/19 season has quite a few such underrated performers. So, without further ado, let's take a look at 5 of the most underrated players in the Premier League this season:
5. Alex McCarthy
The 28-year-old keeper has been called up for the third time to the England national squad, after being uncapped on the previous two occasions. But, given his consistent performances, which made him replace Fraser Forster back in December, as the Saint's new No.1, third time might be the charm for him.
Having played for non-league teams like Team Bath and Aldershot Town, on loan spells, very early in his career and now to have a very real chance of representing England at international levels, is nothing short of a miracle for him.
As far as this season is concerned, the Saints have only managed to garner 4 points from as many fixtures and sit at 12th in the league. But that does not really show us the brilliant performances put in by McCarthy.
He is third in terms of total saves made, with 20 to his name so far. It can be said that his performances at the back, with two clean sheets in four games, have really saved his side, which could've had a much worse start to their season.
When we talk about goalkeepers of Premier League, we talk about De Gea, Pickford, Lloris, Ederson and others, but it is the 2017-18 Southampton Player of the season McCarthy who played a huge role in securing his team's Premier League status last season. He is someone who deserves to make it to our list.
4. James Milner
A player brought into their squad on a free transfer back in 2015, James Milner has been a revelation over the years at Liverpool, especially if we look at the last season and the way he has started this season. Known for his versatility, but much less known for the key role he plays for the team on the pitch, he is the unsung hero of Liverpool, providing key assists and creating chances on the go.
In a team full of proven star performers like, Salah, Van Dijk, Firminho, in-form Mané and the recent signing Allison, it is quite easy to overlook Milner's contribution. This season not only has he assisted two goals and scored one himself, but he has also covered more distance on the pitch than any other Reds player.
No wonder Liverpool have won four games in four, with a player like Milner, who offers versatility, creativity to the squad, all at the age of 32. And it couldn't be stressed enough that he is the most underrated player of the Liverpool team, if not the entire Premier League.
3. Roberto Pereyra
The 27-year-old Argentine is surely a talented player and having played for clubs like River Plate, Juventus, Udinese, bigger things were expected from him. But it seems the wait had been a long one. Having joined Watford in August 2016, it was one of the low-profile signings for the club.
But come this season, no one could argue against how immense his contributions have been in making sure they secured maximum points from all of their 4 fixtures so far.
As of now, he has scored 3 goals in four matches, including beautiful strikes against Brighton and Crystal Palace. He is the leading goalscorers for The Hornets so far and has started every match for them.
Well, he is no cult hero like the captain Troy Deeney is with the fans, but surely if he keeps up his performance, he might turn out to be the star player of the season. But for now, he is one of the underrated players in the league, who is playing extremely well.
Watch Pereyra score a beautiful curler against Crystal Palace:
2. Aleksandar Mitrovic
The Serbian, who was warming the Newcastle bench same time last year, is bringing the heat this season, with four goals in as many matches. He has settled into the rejuvenated Fulham team wonderfully. Having scored one goal at the World Cup, he must have felt confident about himself and that confidence can be seen in the way he scores goals.
The 23-year-old forward was signed by Newcastle from Anderlecht in 2015 after having scored 36 goals in 69 matches for the club as a 19-year-old. His future looked bright back then.
But after 3 disappointing spells with The Magpies, he was all but forgotten. But his strong performance last season and a great start to this season, not only make him crucial for Newcastle but also make him a strong contender for the Golden Boot too.
He is not counted among the prolific strikers of the league, but his consistent efforts on the pitch indicate that as things stand, he is one of the underrated strikers of the PL.
1. José Holebas
With Watford still undefeated in the league, it is no wonder that two players from The Hornets feature in our list. It just shows that it has been a strong team performance by them so far. And no player has been more outstanding than José Holebas. The left back, who also takes set-pieces for Watford, has four assists already to his name.
Having featured in all of the fixtures for Watford, he has also managed to score one goal, that too from his weaker foot. And not to forget, he is doing all this at the age of 34. He is a real gem, and known for his ability to drive in and deliver precise crosses into the box. No wonder he has 4 assists already.
He is not the quickest left-back, not the strongest, also not the strongest in the air, but has all the right stats. With 2.3 key passes per match and 83% tackle success rate, he is a real contributor to the high flying start of The Hornets in the league and is also the most underrated player of the league so far.
