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The 2020-21 Premier League season concluded on Sunday, as one of the most intriguing campaigns in the history of English football drew to a dramatic climax. Manchester City dethroned Liverpool at the summit and reclaimed the Premier League title, as they got their hands on the prize for the third time in four years.
After a dramatic race for the top four spots, Liverpool and Chelsea sealed their place in next season's UEFA Champions League campaign, as Leicester City were made to pay for their alarming nosedive at the business end of the season. Manchester United made it successive top four finishes under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as they finished second behind arch-rivals Manchester City.
Tottenham Hotspur became the first side in Premier League history to make it through to the UEFA Conference League, while their London rivals Arsenal missed out on European football for the first time in 26 years after finishing eighth in the Premier League table.
Sheffield United finished rock bottom after a dismal campaign and suffered relegation after two seasons in the Premier League, as they failed to recover from a torrid start that saw them go winless for a staggering 15 games. Fulham and West Bromwich Albion joined the Blades in the bottom three, while the likes of Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion narrowly avoided the drop.
Usual suspects dominate Premier League's best players rankings
In what was a tumultuous Premier League season due to the extraordinary circumstances at play, several key players enhanced their reputations with match-winning performances for their respective sides. The usual suspects like Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah unsurprisingly played starring roles over the course of the season, while a handful of unexpected names also stepped up to the plate.
On that note, here are the 10 best players from the 2020-21 Premier League campaign ranked in increasing order of their performances throughout the season.
#10 Son Heung-Min | Tottenham Hotspur
While Harry Kane is undoubtedly Tottenham Hotspur's talisman, Son Heung-Min's value cannot be overstated. The South Korean is one of the most explosive attackers in the Premier League and enjoyed another stunning season despite his side's seventh-place finish.
Son notched up double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League, as he finished with 17 goals and 10 assists to his name in 37 appearances. The 28-year-old's versatility, speed and goalscoring ability were on show several times over the course of the season, as he complimented Kane brilliantly to wreak havoc on opposition defenders.
#9 Jack Grealish | Aston Villa
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish was one of the contenders for the PFA Player of the Year award before picking up an unfortunate injury earlier this season. Nevertheless, the England international set the stage alight, as he led from the front and delivered a string of top-class performances for his boyhood team.
Hailed as one of the best ball carriers in the country, Grealish is incredibly hard to dispossess due to his low center of gravity, while his ability to create chances has also turned heads across Europe. The 25-year-old featured 26 times for Aston Villa in the Premier League and recorded an impressive tally of six goals and ten assists, as he produced the goods as a left-winger and a central midfielder.
Grealish is Villa's prized asset and is reportedly a top target for Manchester United this summer. Only time will tell if he seals a big-money move in the coming months, but the Englishman has proved to be one of the most exciting players in the Premier League.
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#8 Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City
Widely regarded as the best attacking midfielder in world football, Kevin De Bruyne enjoyed an outstanding season with Manchester City. Pep Guardiola's side romped to another Premier League title victory, with the Belgian playing a starring role at the center of the park.
While he didn't quite hit the heights of last season when he won the PFA Player of the Year award, De Bruyne still played an instrumental role in City's success domestically. In 25 Premier League appearances, the 29-year-old recorded six goals and 12 assists, a stat that makes for impressive reading for a midfielder.
De Bruyne has been one of the most consistent performers in the world over the years and is all set to go down as a Premier League legend if he carries on like this.
#7 Luke Shaw | Manchester United
Manchester United enjoyed another impressive Premier League campaign under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but Luke Shaw's resurgence was one of the most intriguing subplots of their season. The Englishman has undergone a remarkable transformation under the Norwegian and finally looks like the player he was destined to be before his nasty leg break in 2015.
Manchester United's decision to sign Alex Telles to provide cover and competition for Shaw has paid dividends, as the Englishman has taken his game to a new level since the latter's arrival at Old Trafford. Shaw's lung-busting runs on the left-flank have been a key feature of his gameplay this season, while his crossing ability has also improved tremendously in the past 12 months.
He is all set to be called for the European Championships later this month, indicating that he has well and truly turned his career around.
#6 Mason Mount | Chelsea
Mason Mount's astronomical rise has been one of the stories of the season, as the Chelsea midfielder has established himself as a key player for club and country. Having made his name under Frank Lampard last season, his game has reached new heights since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel.
Much was said about Mount not warranting his place in the side last season, with Lampard even accused of favoritism due to his constant selection of the midfielder. However, the Englishman has silenced his doubters in some style this season and looks set to become an important player for the Blues in the years ahead.
Mount's energy and work rate off the ball has been lauded, while he has also shown his goalscoring tendencies with a respectable tally of six goals. Additionally. he featured 36 times in the Premier League for Chelsea and notched up five assists, indicating that he is quite the asset.
#5 Ilkay Gundogan | Manchester City
Ilkay Gundogan has been arguably Manchester City's most underrated player of the Pep Guardiola era, but the German midfielder finally got his dues this season after a string of magnificent displays, particularly since the turn of the year. The Cityzens lacked a reliable goalscorer due to Sergio Aguero's injury concerns and Gabriel Jesus' form, but Gundogan stepped up to the plate admirably to ease the burden.
The 30-year-old recorded a staggering tally of 13 goals and two assists in 28 Premier League appearances, as he spearheaded Manchester City's title charge in one of the most important phases of the season. Gundogan is a silky smooth operator of the ball and can play in multiple positions at the center of the park, while his goalscoring ability reached new heights in the 2020-21 season.
He enjoyed his best-ever season in terms of goals and was by far one of Manchester City's best performers in the Premier League.
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#4 Mohamed Salah | Liverpool
Mohamed Salah was once again Liverpool's best attacker in the 2020-21 Premier League season and almost single-handedly rescued the Reds in what was a roller-coaster of a league campaign for the outgoing champions. Jurgen Klopp's side surrendered their domestic crown to Manchester City after a torrid run of form since the turn of the year, but Salah performed admirably and scored goals consistently for his side.
The Egyptian missed just one Premier League game for Liverpool and finished the season with 22 goals and five assists, as he narrowly missed out on his third Golden Boot to Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.
Judging based on his numbers, Salah is one of the most consistent attackers in Premier League history and is all set to go down as one of Liverpool's greatest-ever players if he carries on performing like this.
#3 Ruben Dias | Manchester City
Ruben Dias' big-money move to Manchester City last summer raised eyebrows, as the Cityzens agreed a deal believed to be in the region of €68 million to secure his signature from Benfica. However, his extraordinary first season in the Premier League has erased all doubts about his ability. Dias has been the signing of the season by a country mile and has quickly become the leader of the Manchester City backline, having formed a fruitful partnership with John Stones.
The Portuguese center back's positioning and aerial prowess is up there with the best in the business, while his attitude, leadership qualities and ability to throw his body on the line have also come to the fore several times this season.
Dias was named FWA Player of the Season earlier this month and could well win a handful of other personal accolades in the coming weeks.
#2 Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United
After taking the Premier League by storm since his arrival in January 2020, Bruno Fernandes has become Manchester United's most important player and enjoyed an outstanding first full season at Old Trafford. The Portuguese midfielder is a live wire at the center of the park and has the uncanny ability to score goals or notch up assists even when he's not playing particularly well, indicating that he is hard to keep out of the game on any given day.
Fernandes is one of the most reliable penalty takers in world football, while his long-range shooting is also a massive feature of his gameplay. The 26-year-old featured 37 times in the Premier League for Manchester United and recorded a whopping 18 goals and 12 assists, becoming the first player since Robin van Persie in 2013 to notch up 30 goal contributions in a single season.
He is one of the biggest match-winners in the world and has transformed a lackluster Manchester United side into a force to be reckoned with.
#1 Harry Kane | Tottenham Hotspur
In what was a dismal Premier League campaign for Tottenham Hotspur that saw Jose Mourinho sacked for his failure to turn around a series of underwhelming results, Harry Kane's form turned out to be a silver lining for the Londoners. The England captain is one of the most feared strikers in world football and won his third Premier League Golden Boot, as he recorded an outstanding tally of 23 goals and 14 assists.
Kane's unique ability to score goals as well as create them makes him one of the most complete attackers on the planet, while his fruitful partnership with Son Heung-Min coupled with his Playmaker award victory is the most startling example yet of his all-round ability.
The 27-year-old is at the peak of his powers and has been linked with a stunning move to Manchester City this summer. Kane is reportedly unhappy at Tottenham due to the club's failure to win trophies over the years, but only time will tell if he decides to leave for greener pastures.
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