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#7 Lucas Digne
The French left-back has been one of the players who has benefitted the most from Carlo Ancelotti's arrival at Everton. Lucas Digne finished the calendar year with eight assists and was a vital cog in the Everton wheel under Ancelotti in the Premier League.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin's aerial prowess in the box has been matched by Digne's ability to deliver quality balls into the box.
The Frenchman has also been thrust into a leadership role at Everton and has worn the captain's armband on several occasions.
Digne was one of the key players in Everton's impressive start to the 2020-21 Premier League season, when they won their first four games.
Since then, though, he has picked up an injury that has kept him out of action for the last few weeks. Digne will continue to remain on the sidelines for a couple of more months, at least.
#6 Ben Chilwell
Ben Chilwell's year has been mixed, but there is little doubt that he has been one of the most impressive defenders in the Premier League when he has been available.
He wasn't available towards the end of last season for Leicester City, which derailed their Premier League top-four charge, having been in third place for a bulk of the season.
In the summer, Chilwell swapped Leicester's blue for the blue of Chelsea and has hit the ground running for Frank Lampard's side.
He has taken Marcos Alonso's place in the side and has made himself undroppable. With Lampard seeking attacking returns from his full-backs, Chilwell has not disappointed so far, with a series of outstanding performances. He already has two goals, and three assists in 11 Premier League games this season.
#5 Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Manchester United have been one of the most impressive teams in the Premier League in 2020, and a lot of that has been down to the arrival of Bruno Fernandes.
But they have also managed to find a level of robustness at the back, which has enabled them to build forward momentum. Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back has divided opinion because of his ineffectiveness while moving to the forward areas on the pitch. However, his defensive solidity is unmatched in the Premier League.
He delivered some memorable performances in 2020, most notably in the Manchester Derby in March, the last game played with fans at Old Trafford in the Premier League this calendar year.
Wan-Bissaka had a memorable outing against Raheem Sterling in that game, with a series of his signature sliding challenges that completely blunted the winger.
#4 Reece James
The youngster has well and truly displaced Cesar Azpilicueta to become the first-choice right-back at Chelsea this season, and it has been merited as well.
James and Chilwell have become vital cogs at Chelsea under Lampard, with the right-back in particular having had a storming start to the Premier League season.
He also developed an excellent partnership with Hakim Ziyech in no time and formed a lethal attacking weapon on the right side. Ziyech cuts in from the right flank to use the space inside, while he also creates space for James to move on the outside and put in some delightful crosses into the box.
