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The month of April has finally dawned upon us, and with it, comes the business end of the football leagues across Europe, including the English Premier League. At the time of writing, the destination of this year's league title remains shrouded in mystery, leaving it entirely possible that it could well be decided on the final day of the season. Two teams, Huddersfield Town and Fulham have already been relegated, and four teams are well and truly battling it out for the two remaining Champions League spots. Now seems an appropriate time to decide on the team of the season, but with a couple of restrictions:
Only one player can be chosen from a given team.
Only one player can be chosen from a given nationality.
Our criteria for selection will be based not only on how well the player has played when compared to others in the league, but will also take into account the importance of the player to their particular club. For example, player A may have more goals than player B, but player B's goals may have been more vital to his team than player A's were to his. In such a case, player B will be included.
It may be worth noting that there may be several players who deserve a spot in the team of the year thus far but would have been left out due to the self-imposed restrictions on nationality and club. With that in mind, here are the players who may have just missed out on a spot in our XI.
Goalkeeper: Lukasz Fabianski
Nationality: Polish
Club: West Ham United
Every team needs a solid foundation, and that often starts with the goalkeeper. Usually the first name on the team sheet, keepers are required to be the team's last line of defence, and nowadays, required to be as adept with the ball at their feet as they are keeping out of the back of the net.
Lukasz Fabianski is something of a Premier League veteran, having played for Arsenal and recently relegated Swansea City, before signing for West Ham in the summer of 2018. And it is here where the Poland international has shown what he is really capable of.
He may have only kept 5 clean sheets this season, but he is the sole reason West Ham have not conceded more than the 48 goals they have this season. Making 3.8 saves per game, the 33-year-old shot-stopper is proving that he is still as agile as a cat when it comes to keeping the ball out. He will almost certainly be voted West Ham's player of the season, no mean feat considering the talents such as Declan Rice, Marko Arnautovic and Felipe Anderson also present in the squad.
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Right Back: Matt Doherty
Nationality: Irish
Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers
When Wolves were promoted to the Premier League as Championship winners, few could have predicted the situation they would be in, come this stage of the season. As it stands, the plucky Midlands outfit sit seventh in the table, as the 'best of the rest' behind the traditional top six clubs. While the likes of Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez have hogged the limelight, one man has gone quietly about his business in the top flight: Matt Doherty.
Doherty is one of Wolves' stalwarts, having been at the club since 2010. Now, at the age of 27, he is in the prime of his career, and the club can certainly expect to get a few more years of solid service from the Irishman.
This season, Doherty has averaged 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game, stellar numbers for an attacking full-back. He also poses a threat in attacking areas, with his 3 goals and 4 assists so far this season testament to that. There is no doubting the fact that he could easily be considered one of the league's best full-backs in a few years' time.
Centre Back: Virgil van Dijk
Nationality: Dutch
Club: Liverpool
What is there to say about Virgil van Dijk that hasn't already been said this season? The Dutch international has been immense for Liverpool this season, and may single-handedly be the reason why the club wins its first ever Premier League title. Brought in from Southampton in the summer, for a staggering 75 million pounds to shore up the team's defence, he has done that and more.
The world record fee paid for him seems like more and more of a bargain as each day passes, and van Dijk continues to exceed all expectations. The actual defensive work required of him is not much, due to Liverpool's high ball possession and domination of games, but he has proven himself to be more than capable when he is called upon.
With 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game, and 3 goals and an assist for good measure, van Dijk has put up solid numbers for Liverpool. His passing accuracy of 89.6% rivals that of some of Europe's top playmakers, and it is no exaggeration at all to say that right now, he is the best central defender in world football.
Centre Back: Souleymane Bamba
Nationality: Ivorian
Club: Cardiff City
This pick may seem to come a little bit out of left-field, but hang on.
At the age of 34, Souleymane 'Sol' Bamba may well be approaching the twilight of his career, but it looks as though the man form the Ivory Coast still has plenty to offer any team he plays for.
Bamba started his career in the PSG youth academy, and impressed for their development sides, but was released due to his employers feeling that he could be a bit undisciplined. He made only one appearance for the senior team before he was let go in 2006. After playing for 7 clubs in 10 years, he found a home in Cardiff City, joining them in 2016 when Neil Warnock was appointed manager.
He helped the club win promotion form the Championship last season, and has carried his good form into the Premier League. He has made an immense 5.5 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, and poses a massive threat from set pieces, as evidenced by his attacking output of 4 goals and 1 assist so far this season.
Bamba has not played since the 5th of March, when he ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments, and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Cardiff have understandably struggled in his absence, and will surely hope he returns in time for the next campaign.
Left Back: Lucas Digne
Nationality: French
Club: Everton
The Premier League has always been blessed with excellent French players-both in the past with the likes of Thierry Henry, Claude Makelele and Fabian Barthez to Alexandre Lacazette, Dimitri Payet and Paul Pogba in more recent years. While Everton left-back Lucas Digne may not be one of the more high-profile names to come out of France, he is undoubtedly a fantastic footballer.
Still only 25 years old, Digne arrived at Everton having previously played for Barcelona, Roma and Paris-Saint Germain-all clubs with European pedigree. He never really seemed to settle at these clubs, but seems to have adapted well to life in the English top flight.
As a primarily attack-minded full-back, Digne can be seen initiating a vast majority of Everton's attacking moves down the left flank, linking up well with Bernard and Richarlison, whilst remaining defensively solid. He has scored 3 times so far this season, as well as laying on 4 assists for his teammates. He is heavily involved in the side's offensive play, seen by the fact that he completes nearly 40 passes per game, providing 2.3 crosses and 1.9 key passes in the same time as well. He does see to his defensive responsibility as well, making 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game.
With time on his side, and a club where he has fit in seamlessly, Digne could well be on his way to becoming a world-class player in just a few years' time. .
Centre Midfielder: Wilfred Ndidi
Nationality: Nigerian
Club: Leicester City
In recent years, Leicester City Football Club has made a name for itself as a club capable of finding some of the best bargain buys in world football. One needs to look no further than the nucleus of their title-winning side in 2016- Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and N'golo Kante- three players who, all combined, cost under 15 million pounds. Leicester City may have paid more than that to secure the services of Wilfred Ndidi from Belgian club KRC Genk, but the fee of 17.6 million euros seems more and more like a steal with every game he plays.
Ndidi was touted as the next Kante when he signed for Leicester in January 2017, and while it seemed that that comparison was far-fetched at the time, he is slowly working his way upto the diminutive Frenchman's level. Ndidi has started 31 league games thus far this season, averaging 5.8 ball recoveries a game, as well as 2.2 clearances per 90 minutes. He is also instrumental in providing an attacking impetus to Leicester's play, completing 51.9 passes per game, including 2.5 long balls.
Ndidi is also a vital cog in his national team's set up, and played every single minute of Nigeria's World Cup campaign last year. Still just 22 years old, he could well be on his way to a bigger club sooner rather than later.
Centre Midfielder: Luka Milivojevic
Nationality: Serbian
Club: Crystal Palace
The Premier League has seen its fair share of Serbian imports- from quality players such as Nemanja Vidic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Nemanja Matic and Branislav Ivanovic to the ones who didn't quite make it, like Lazar Markovic, Mateja Kezman and Marko Grujic. Other than giving rise to some of the greatest chants in English football ("He comes from Serbia, he'll f*****g murder ya, Woooaahh Nemanja"), these players often bring with them a grit and determination which several teams would love to have in their side. Luka Milivojevic is no different.
A strong, hard-as-nails combative and tenacious defensive midfielder, Milivojevic is the solid man in the middle of the park that Crystal Palace have been crying out for ever since their promotion back to the top flight in 2013.
Milivojevic is not just a physically strong player though. To add to his 4.2 ball recoveries per game, his excellent technical ability is backed up by his 1.4 key passes per game and a passing success rate of 80.3%. It also helps that he is a wizard at taking penalty kicks, with 9 of his 10 league goals this season coming from the spot, a statistic which proves his quality.
Milivojevic is 27 years old, and Palace can be secure in the knowledge that they can rely on him to be the beating heart of their midfield for at least another 3 or 4 years.
Attacking Midfielder: Christian Eriksen
Nationality: Danish
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Now onto the most exciting part of our team, the attacking four, starting with the playmaker, in the number 10 position, Christian Eriksen.
Behind all the numbers and statistics, there is an intangible quality which Eriksen possesses, and that is to make the game look far easier than it actually is. Whether he is picking up the ball in deep positions before driving forward, providing raking passes across the field, or threading exquisitely subtle through balls for his teammates, he seems to do it with all the grace and lightness of a top quality Danish pastry. Simply put, he is a joy to watch.
Ever since arriving from Ajax in 2013, the Great Dane has captured the imagination of English fans, and followers of the game the world over. In 29 league games this season, he has scored 6 goals, as well as laying on 11 assists. In a team packed with attacking quality of the likes of Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Lucas Moura, Eriksen's own unique qualities find a way to shine through. He also takes 2.1 shots and provides the same number of key passes per game, highlighting the fact that he is so tough do defend against as he could either go for goal himself, or simply lay the ball off to a teammate.
Speculation linking Eriksen with Real MAdrid has never gone away, and it is not beyond the realm of possibility that he could move there in the near future, but Spurs would be loath to lose him just as he enters his prime.
Right Winger: Raheem Sterling
Nationality: English
Club: Manchester City
Raheem Sterling is currently having the season of a lifetime. Ever since he broke into the Liverpool first team at the tender age of 17, he had been earmarked as a star of the future, but there were times since then where it seemed he had peaked early and would fizzle out as a player. But since his move to Manchester City and his link up with legendary manager Pep Guardiola, Sterling has only gone from strength to strength.
In the recent international break, Sterling became the first player since Alan Shearer to score a hat trick for both club and country in the same week, against Watford for Manchester City and against the Czech Republic for England. Besides his on the pitch exploits, Sterling has been one of the highest profile names to link up with Kick It Out, an organization helping combat racism in football, and has on several occasions seen to the needs of underprivileged children in various areas of London.
On the football pitch though, he is someone who shines with all the glory of a dying star. His electrifying pace, coupled with his wicked acceleration and excellent technical qualities make him an incredibly hard player to stop. He has so far registered 15 goals and 9 assists this season, forming an integral part of Manchester City's defense of the Premier League title.
Left Winger: Eden Hazard
Nationality: Belgian
Club: Chelsea
Romelu Lukaku. Toby Alderweireld. Jan Vertonghen. Vincent Kompany. With son many top class Belgians currently plying their trade in the Premier League, one could be forgiven for thinking that it would be tough to choose who the best of them was. But there is absolutely no doubting the fact that Eden Hazard is the best of them all, and by some distance as well. In fact it would not be inaccurate to claim that he is the best Belgian to ever pull on the national team's jersey as well.
The mere mention of his name is more than enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the best defenders in the world. Extremely potent when cutting into central positions from his wide left berth, Hazard can often leave opposition players dumbfounded, and on their backsides with a drop of the shoulder and a lightning-quick turn of pace.
So far this season, he has notched up a personal best for assists in a single season, with 12, as well as scoring 14 times himself, an invaluable contribution in a Chelsea side which has, this season, struggled to find the back of the net under Maurizio Sarri. He averages 3.3 successful dribbles per game as well, which highlights his spectacular individual ability.
Hazard is another player who has been constantly linked with Real Madrid, and with the spectre of a transfer ban looming over Chelsea, they will be desperate not to lose their star man and will hope that he stays for the foreseeable future.
Centre Forward: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Nationality: Gabonese
Club: Arsenal
Leading the line for our dream team is Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a player who has been Arsenal's main man ever since he arrived in January 2018. He hit the ground running at his new club last year, scoring 10 goals in the second half of the Premier League season, and now, in his first full season with the Gunners, has picked up where he left off.
Aubameyang has scored over 15 league goals for the fifth season running this term and has failed to hit that mark only once in the last 8 seasons (he scored 13 goals in the 2013/14 season), a record stretching back to his time with Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1.
When Aubameyang signed for Borussia Dortmund, he was often shunted on the wing or the bench to accommodate their main man, Robert Lewandowski. However, after the Pole departed for Bayern Munich, Aubameyang became an indispensable part of manager Jurgen Klopp's new-look side.
Ever since making the move to Arsenal, however, Aubameyang has formed a deadly partnership with French striker Alexandre Lacazette, and the pair are presently thriving under Unai Emery. Aubameyang's pace is often the key to unlocking tight defences, and his ice-cool composure in front of goal ensures that he does not pass up many opportunities.
A goal poacher extraordinaire, Aubameyang could well set the Premier League alight in the years to come and could help Arsenal win a first league title in over 15 years.
