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The Premier League has thrilled fans across the globe in yet another riveting season. Manchester City have been champions-elect for most of the season after a blistering start to the campaign where they went on a 19-game winning streak and they've wrapped up the title with 5 games to spare.
Elsewhere, teams are fiercely jostling for positions as spots in Europe are up for grabs. Avoiding relegation is the main motive for the teams at the lower end of the table.
Manchester City has dominated the season from start to finish and their players have performed at a ridiculously high-level week after week. This has resulted in quite a few of their players being named in the PFA Team of the Year. Here in this article, we take a look at an alternative Team of the season that doesn't include any of the players who have been crowned champions on the blue side of Manchester.
Goalkeeper: David de Gea (Manchester United)
Matches: 34, Clean Sheets: 17, Goals Conceded: 26, Saves: 108
With Manuel Neuer injured and missing for most of the season, David de Gea has cemented his place as the best goalkeeper in the world. His heroics between the sticks have put the Red Devils on course for a runners-up finish.
He has been head and shoulders above the rest of the keepers in the Premier League and tops the list for the most clean-sheets this season with 17 shutouts to his name.
His incredible displays have seen him named as one of the six nominees for the PFA Player of the Year and also in the PFA Team of the Year. The Spaniard will also have his eyes set on claiming the elusive Golden Glove award for the first time in seven seasons in the league.
He is likely to win the club's Player of the Year award for a record fourth time and United fans all over the world will be praying that Real Madrid don't come hunting for their prized asset again in the summer.
Unlucky to miss out: Nick Pope (Burnley)
Full-backs
Right-back: Luis Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)
Matches: 29, Clean Sheets:14, Goals Conceded: 21, Goals: 3, Assists: 1, Recoveries: 179, Interceptions: 43, Clearances: 59, Tackles: 52
For a man who began his career as a speedy winger down the right flank, Valencia has adapted to the role of right-back extremely well. The Ecuadorian who was handed the number.7 shirt as a successor to Ronaldo had a terrible season which led to his stocks fall. The departure of right-back, Rafael, saw manager Louis van Gaal try Valencia at the right-back role, a role which Valencia initially struggled in.
With time Valencia has learned the trade and under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho, he has improved by leaps and bounds. His positional sense has gotten better, and he's still excellent going forward, more so for a full-back. Now as the skipper of Manchester United, he's one of the most experienced and longest-serving players on the pitch.
He has evolved to become one of the best right-backs in the league. His physical strength and mental toughness, combined with the pace to track back make him hard to beat. He's also contributed to 3 goals this season, with his blast from outside the box against Everton being the pick of the lot.
Unlucky to miss out: Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur)
Left-back: Marcos Alonso (Chelsea)
Matches: 31, Clean Sheets: 11, Goals Conceded: 29, Goals: 6, Assists: 2, Recoveries: 178, Interceptions: 42, Clearances: 56, Tackles: 47
Though defending champions Chelsea have flattered to deceive this season with their defending, in particular, being culpable for their disappointing position in the league table, Alonso has had a stellar season playing as the left wing-back in a 5-man defense.
He has made the best use of the freedom afforded to him while going forward. His attacking prowess has also managed to hide his defensive deficiencies, one that has been exposed in certain games which Chelsea have lost.
The Spaniard is always lurking around the box to get on the end of a pass or is the one delivering the passes from the left flank. His best performance came against London rivals Tottenham at the start of the season when he scored both goals in a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge.
He's also one of Chelsea's assigned free-kick takers and has contributed six goals this season.
His consistent performances seen him named in the PFA Team of the Year and it has also caught the eye of his national coach as he just received his maiden national team cap.
Unlucky to miss out: Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Centre-backs
James Tarkowski (Burnley)
Matches: 27, Clean-sheets: 10, Goals Conceded: 20, Recoveries: 100, Interceptions: 43, Clearances: 195, Tackles: 42
When Burnley sold their best defender Michael Keane to Everton at the start of the season along with forward Andre Gray, Burnley fans were fearing the worst. However, Burnley has defied all expectations with a sensational campaign on the back of a rock-solid defense led by the English pairing of James Tarkowski and Ben Mee.
Tarkowski has caught the eye of some of the Premier League's big boys with his heroic performances this season. He's someone who's not afraid to put his body in front of shots as he has made numerous last-ditch tackles and blocks to deny goal scoring opportunities. This has enabled Burnley to punch above their weight this season.
Tarkowski was rewarded with his first cap for England and will be a contender to board the plane to Russia for the World Cup. He surprisingly missed out on a spot in the PFA Team of the Year, with Otamendi favored above him.
Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Matches: 33, Clean Sheets: 13, Goals Conceded: 31, Recoveries: 230, Interceptions: 58, Clearances: 148, Tackles: 63
Toby Alderweireld was widely seen as Tottenham’s best centre-back at the start of this season, but many Tottenham fans will now feel they can cope without the former Atletico Madrid man should he seek a transfer away from north-London this season.
That’s partly because of the potential of Davison Sanchez, but it has got more to do with Vertonghen's colossal performances this season.
The Belgian reads the game expertly and despite not being the swiftest defender, he is difficult to beat in one-on-one situations. His physical presence ensures that he can't be bullied easily by the stronger forward in the league.
Being one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the Premier League, he can pick out passes to the midfielder runners from deep. Vertonghen also possesses the ability to fill in at left-back when needed, a position that he often plays for his national team Belgium.
His fantastic performances have also seen him named in the PFA Team of the Year.
Unlucky to miss out: Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Ben Mee (Burnley), Harry Maguire (Leicester City), Davinson Sanchez (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfield
Centre Midfield: N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Matches: 30, Assists: 1, Goals: 1, Recoveries: 265, Interceptions: 64, Clearances: 24, Tackles: 102, Passes per match: 64.43
In a largely forgettable campaign, N'Golo Kante has been one of the rare bright spots for Chelsea. Kante has done his job to perfection for most of the season and it's on his off-days or due to poor performances from the defenders that Chelsea have underperformed.
The outgoing PFA Player of the Year has been his usual self as he has rushed into crunching tackles and made countless interceptions and recoveries. The Frenchman has had to deal with the loss of Nemanja Matic, who moved to Manchester United at the start of the season and with the dismal performances of Bakayoko. Other players like Fabregas and Drinkwater have also struggled for fitness and form, leaving Kante the responsibility of shouldering an incapable midfield.
He is quite deservedly considered as one of the best holding midfielders in world football and Chelsea would be languishing much closer to Arsenal and Burnley without the presence or efforts of this man.
Centre Midfield: Nemanja Matic (Manchester United)
Matches: 34, Assists: 1, Goals: 1, Recoveries: 297, Interceptions: 60, Clearances: 54, Tackles: 66, Passes per match: 70.65
Nemanja Matic, who was signed in the summer from rivals Chelsea, has been their top outfield player in a disappointing campaign. Matic has been the glue that has held the United midfield together, especially in skipper Michael Carrick's absence. With Carrick retiring at the end of this season, United will look to build their midfield around the Serbian.
The 29-year-old has been the ever-present in a midfield that has been constantly rotated by Jose Mourinho. He is a master at blocking passing channels and breaking up dangerous counter-attacks. He acts as the reinforcer for this United midfield.
However, where Matic scores above the other holding midfielders is in his ball distribution. He initiates attacks by spraying the ball to the wings.
Matic is the complete all-round midfield player, which is what made Mourinho target him in the first place. He has played every single game in this Premier League season and he's displayed remarkable fitness to make it through a lengthy campaign.
Unlucky to miss out: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Abdoulaye Doucoure (Watford), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur)
Attacking Midfield: Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Matches: 33, Recoveries: 208, Assists: 9, Goals: 10, Passes per match: 60.79, Big chances created: 14
It's shocking how none of Europe's biggest sides have looked to sign up this Danish magician. Eriksen has grown to become one of the best play-makers in world football, and Tottenham will have to stay firm to keep hold of their prized asset.
Eriksen has excelled again in a refreshing Tottenham side and he's the orchestrator in the middle of the park, especially in a campaign where Alli has failed to live up to expectations. He has the ability to play in a variety of roles behind the striker and provides the service for the likes of Kane, Alli, and Son to feed off. He's also an expert in dead-ball situations, which is why he's one of the best free-kick takers in the world right now.
The Dane was also named in the PFA Team of the Year for his mesmerising performances this campaign.
Unlucky to miss out: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Pascal Gross (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Forwards
Right Forward: Mohamed Salah
Matches: 33, Assists: 9, Goals: 31, Big chances created: 10, Shot Accuracy: 48%
When Salah initially signed for Liverpool, fans were skeptical after his first stint in the Premier League with Chelsea was a failure. So people felt that the Reds had overpaid for him. He has however defied critics, and his transfer is arguably the best signing of the season.
The 'Egyptian Messi', who took his nation into the World Cup, is the darling of his country at the moment. He has found the back of the net a staggering 31 times, in addition to his 9 assists and has broken numerous records on the way.
He has already scored in a Premier League record 23 games this season. He's in hot pursuit of the all-time record for most goals in a campaign- 34 goals scored by Shearer in a 42 game campaign. What's more stunning is that he has scored these goals from the right wing and not as a centre-forward.
His electric performances are keeping Liverpool ahead of the likes of Spurs and Chelsea, and he will remain crucial to the Reds' hopes of winning the Champions League title this season.
He's likely to clinch the PFA Player of the Year title, ahead of de Bruyne who has had a fabulous season himself.
Salah, astoundingly, also leads the charts for the Golden Boot in the Premier League and is also leading for the Golden Shoe, for the most goals scored in the league in Europe.
Left Forward: Roberto Firmino
Matches: 34, Assists: 15, Goals: 7, Big chances created: 11, Shot Accuracy: 45%, Tackles: 63
Roberto Firmino's fantastic season has only been overshadowed by the brilliance of Mohamed Salah and the sacrificial role that he plays for the team.
The Brazillian who is not the classic no.9 is the key jigsaw in Klopp's attacking unit. He's the unselfish forward who brings his fellow forwards Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah into play by allowing them to run in behind him. His clever movement is important in dragging defenders from their positions, again creating paths for the midfield runners.
The 26-year-old has 15 goals and 7 assists in the Premier League this season. It's only half the goals as Salah has managed but it has to be said that Firmino's role is the major reason behind Salah's success.
Firmino is also Klopp's most important defender at the top end of the pitch as he is the one who orchestrates the whole gegen-pressing. Firmino has remarkably managed more tackles than most of the top defenders and midfielders this season.
Unlucky to miss out: Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur),
Centre-forward: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Matches: 33, Assists: 2, Goals: 26, Big chances created: 5, Shot Accuracy: 41%
Harry Kane incredibly continues to improve season after season and has been placed in the bracket of best strikers on the planet over the past few seasons. The winner of the Premier League Golden Boot in the previous two campaigns has had yet another fabulous season and he could be denied a hat-trick only due to the unbelievable season that Salah has had.
Initially called a one-season wonder and seen as a one-dimensional player, this man has worked tirelessly to establish himself as one of the most feared and sought-after forwards in world football. Kane is a clever player who also allows the likes of Alli and Son to flourish and score heaps of goals from midfield.
Having found the back of the net on 26 occasions, he's almost single-handedly keeping Tottenham in the race for the Champions League spots next season. Spurs fans will hope their favorite son can stay at White Hart Lane for many years to come, as the massive clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona are likely to set their eyes on Kane as one of their top targets.
Unlucky to miss out: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
