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We are reaching the business end of the 2018/19 season of the Premier League and this season has been as entertaining as ever. The Premier League is arguably the best league in the world and some of the best in the world apply their trade here.
So, thinking about the best in the world, we decided to put up the best midfielders in the English League so far. Midfield is a very important position in modern day football as they control the tempo of the game for their team and also add goals, assists and creativity.
Midfielders are powerhouses of their respective teams and it was very difficult to put up the 10 best in the Premier League this season. Before we start with the list, it is only right to mention some players who just missed out from the top 10 list.
Honourable mentions: Fabinho (Liverpool), Nemanja Matic (Manchester United), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Joao Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers), James Milner (Liverpool)
All the above players were considered, but they just couldn't make the cut for the top 10. This list is purely based on performances this season and not on reputation, also, this list consists of players who have played 10 or more games in the midfield.
So, without further ado, here are the top 10 midfielders in the Premier League this season:
#10 Declan Rice
If there is a player in world football who possesses similar traits to Barcelona's Sergio Busquets, then it is Declan Rice. After bursting onto the scene last season, Rice has had his breakthrough this season. He has been immense in the middle of the park for West Ham United.
The English international plays as a deep-lying midfielder who breaks up play, makes the highest ball recoveries and keeps the ball ticking. The young Englishman never keeps hold of the ball for too long and keeps passing it along. His defensive play is also tremendous as he has won 64 percent of his tackles this season.
The 20-year-old has attracted a lot of eyeballs this season and deservedly so. Still very young, Rice now has a lot to live up to, and only time will tell what the Englishman is capable of.
#9 Wilfred Ndidi
When Leicester City signed Ndidi as the replacement of N'Golo Kante, many people thought that the young man is going to fail, but boy has he delivered. Replacing the best defensive midfielder in the world can prove to be a tough job, but the Nigerian has done all he possibly could to come close to the level of Kante.
Ndidi plays as the defensive midfielder in a midfield two at Leicester. Ndidi is a hard-working midfielder and he has the tendency to make interceptions at the right moments. In terms of ball recoveries, he is the best in the Premier League. If only his distribution with the ball becomes better, he could climb up this list and the Nigerian has the potential to be an elite midfielder.
The 22-year-old has won 71 percent of his tackles this season and made an astonishing 69 interceptions, which just goes onto describe the hard working nature of the Nigerian.
#8 Ruben Neves
Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a terrific return to the Premier League and the Portuguese midfielder has been one of the reasons for it. Neves has been colossal for Wolves in the middle of the park. Neves has played alongside Joao Moutinho in a midfield two and both of them have been brilliant.
Neves plays the role of a deep-lying playmaker and his passing is absolutely top notch. He controls the tempo of the game and his cross-field passes are a joy to behold. The Portuguese is a set piece specialist as well and he has already scored some stunning goals this season.
The 22-year-old averages 72 touches per and has a passing accuracy of 81 percent. The Portuguese is a hard worker off the ball and he was made a total of 63 interceptions this season.
#7 Lucas Torreira
Arsenal signed a young Uruguayan named Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria this season in order to fix their long term midfield problem of not having that bite and tenacity in the middle of the park. Torreira came in with a reputation in the Premier League and he has lived up to it for the Gunners.
Playing in a midfield two alongside Granit Xhaka, the young Uruguayan has been bossing it in the middle of the park. His energy, drive and tenacity have added a new dimension to the Gunners midfield. The 23-year-old is also brilliant on the ball and for a man of his size, he wins an enormous number of duels. The little Uruguayan is still very young and with some experience under his belt, he has everything required to be one of the best in the world.
Torreira has won 60 per cent of his duels this season and he has a passing accuracy of 88 per cent. He averages 78 touches per game and has scored 2 very important goals.
#6 N'Golo Kante
When Maurizio Sarri signed Jorginho at Chelsea this season, everyone had one question in their minds, where will the best defensive midfielder in the world, that is N'Golo Kante, play as Sarri clearly prefers Jorginho as his defensive midfielder. Kante has played most of the season on the right of the midfield and still has been Chelsea's best midfielder by far this season.
The Frenchman has quickly adapted to ' Sarri Ball' and has played his more attacking midfield role very well. His runs in between the full backs and center backs from midfield have been a highlight this season and he has not lost his touch in terms of making defensive contributions. If Kante had been played in his natural position by Sarri this season, then there is no doubt that he would have been in the top 2 of this list.
The 27-year-old has scored 3 goals and given a total of 4 assists this season. Kante averages 76 touches per game and has made a total of 37 interceptions.
#5 David Silva
If there is an award for being the most consistent midfielder in the Premier League for a decade, then the award is going to be won by David Silva. The little Spanish genius is a monster in the middle of the park and he has adapted seamlessly to Pep Guardiola's philosophy at Manchester City.
The Spaniard is very hard to track as he picks up spaces in between the midfield and defense and his vision is just astounding. His link-up play with Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling on the left has been a highlight this season. The Spaniard is very hard working off the ball and has recovered the ball several times for the Skyblues this season.
The 33-year-old has scored a total of 6 goals this and made a further 6. He has won 63 per cent of his tackles and he averages 92 touches per game, with 89 per cent passing accuracy.
#4 Georginio Wijnaldum
When Liverpool signed Fabinho and Naby Keita, everyone thought that Gini Wijnaldum's game time is going to be reduced at Anfield, but turns out that the Holland international has been the Reds' best midfielder this season. He has been brilliant for Jurgen Klopp's side this season.
Wijnaldum has played both as the number 6 and the number 8 this season and he has been fantastic in both positions. The 28-year-old is a hard-working midfielder and his pressing off the ball is indispensable to this Liverpool side.
Wijnaldum has scored 2 goals this season and he averages 71 touches every game. He has a passing accuracy of 91 percent and has won 59 percent of his tackles this season. The Holland international has been the most consistent midfielder for Liverpool and he remains integral to the Reds' dream of winning the Premier League.
#3 Fernandinho
Manchester City have been dominating in the Premier League for the last 2 years and Fernandinho is one of the biggest reasons for that. The Brazilian has adapted to Pep Guardiola's style of play very well and he is a very important member of this world class Skyblues side.
Playing as the deep lying playmaker in a midfield three, the Brazilian has been the conductor for City this season. The 33-year-old controls everything in the middle of the park for City and his passing is one of his underrated skills. Fernandinho is very hard working and his off the ball contributions are what City cannot get from any other midfielder in that position.
Fernandinho has scored 1 goals this season and made a further 3. He averages 93 touches per game and he posses a passing accuracy of 88 percent. The Brazilian has won 75 percent of his tackles and this is a stat that a defender would be proud of.
#2 Bernardo Silva
When Kevin de Bruyne was ruled out due to injury during the start of the season, someone in the City squad had to step up and Bernardo Silva has done just that. He has been so good that Pep Guardiola has labelled him as undroppable and the Portuguese truly deserves that.
Silva has played in the right midfield role alongside Fernandinho and David Silva, and these three have been dominant in the middle of the park this season. The Portuguese international is known for attacking traits but his defensive contributions have been brilliant as well.
The 24-year-old has scored 6 goals this season and has given a total of 7 assists. He has won 75 percent of his tackles this and he has a passing accuracy of 87 per cent. Silva remains integral to City's dream of winning the quadruple this season.
#1 Paul Pogba
When Pogba returned to Manchester United after winning the World Cup with France, everyone expected the Frenchman to step up for the Red Devils, but he started the season with inconsistent performances, and after the arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United, Pogba has been unstoppable in the middle of the park for United.
Playing in the left midfield role, the big Frenchman has been troubling defenders with his raw pace, brute strength and skill on the ball. The 26-year-old has been brilliant in his defensive contributions as well and that one of his underrated skills. Pogba's main contribution this season has been to add goals from the midfield and that is what he was known for in his Juventus days.
The 26-year-old has scored 11 goals this season and given a total of 9 assists. He has won 64 per cent of his tackles and has a passing accuracy of 83 percent. Paul Pogba is slowly but surely starting to look like the midfielder for whom United paid 89 million Euros and he has been arguably the best midfielder in the world this season.
