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We are halfway through the 2019/2020 season of the Premier League, which means now we know how almost every player has fared for their respective teams in England's top-flight.
Here, we are going to talk about midfielders as they are the driving force behind every teams' eventual success. They are the players who cannot afford to have a bad game, as both the defence and attack depends on them.
The Premier League has a plethora of brilliant midfielders, ranging from number six's to number ten's and here, we are going to take a look at such five midfielders, who have stood out this season.
Honourable Mentions: Georginio Wijnaldum, James Maddison, Oliver Norwood, Fred, and Joao Moutinho.
#5 Jorginho
After signing for Chelsea in the summer of 2018, Jorginho seems to have finally found his feet in the Premier League. This season, we have seen Jorginho the defensive playmaker at his very best as he has been dictating games from deep for Chelsea and along with that, he has improved defensively as well.
Averaging 96 touches per game, the 28-year-old has scored four goals this season, along with giving two assists. Defensively, the Italian has won 65% of his tackles, with 21 clearances, and 52 interceptions.
Jorginho is pivotal to Frank Lampard's style of play at Stamford Bridge and if he continues to perform the way he has done this season, Chelsea's chances of finishing in the top four will be greater.
#4 Wilfred Ndidi
Wilfred Ndidi's performances this season are a testament to the way Leicester City recruit players. Replacing someone as influential as N'Golo Kante was always going to be a difficult task but the signing of Ndidi seems to have made that job quite easy.
The Nigerian has been scintillating from defensive midfield this season and it's his presence that has helped Leicester keep nine clean sheets in England's top-flight, which is only second to Liverpool this season.
The 23-year-old has improved massively on the ball as he averages 73 touches per game and he usually dictates play for his side from deep. He also covers for his full-backs and dons the role of a sweeper, which is something he does better than anyone in the Premier League.
In terms of goals, he has scored two this season and assisted one. Defensively, the Nigerian has won 52% of his tackles, with 44 clearances, and 56 interceptions.
#3 Jack Grealish
Despite Aston Villa's struggles in the Premier League this season, their skipper Jack Grealish, quite contrastingly, is having an incredible time in England's top-flight.
The 24-year-old has been displaying his various skills that have caught the eye of a number of top six clubs in the Premier League. The Englishman is very versatile and can play anywhere in a midfield three; he can, sometimes, also fill in on the wings.
Grealish can pick a pass, strike a long ball, and also drive with the ball, quite effectively and efficiently. This season, the Englishman has scored seven goals in the English league, along with providing six assists. There's a high chance that Grealish will leave Villa this summer, whether the club stay in the Premier League or not.
#2 Jordan Henderson
Liverpool are running away in the Premier League title race as they are currently 25 points ahead Manchester City in second, and one of the biggest reasons for that has been the performances from the Reds' skipper Jordan Henderson.
The Englishman has played various positions this season and has excelled in every single one of them. With Fabinho, Henderson has played as a number eight on the right-hand side, but his best performances have come as a number six - sitting just ahead of Virgil van Dijk & Joe Gomez - and dictating play from deep.
In terms of stats, the 29-year-old has scored three goals and given a further five assists, with most them being his signature quarterback passes to the forwards. Defensively, the English international has won 67% of his tackles, with 17 clearances, and 24 interceptions.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne
Who else but Manchester City's creator in-chief?
Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best if not the best midfielder in the world right now and without him, one can't imagine how Pep Guardiola's Manchester City would look like.
De Bruyne has predominantly started on the right-hand side of a midfield three and he has been creating chances for fun for his teammates. The 28-year-old has scored seven goals in the Premier League this season, along with providing 15 assists, which is the highest tally of assists for anyone in Europe's top five leagues, let alone the English league.
The 28-year-old is a hard worker on and off the ball as he covers every blade of grass on the pitch, despite the fact that he is given a lot of freedom. With the news of Manchester City's 2-year UEFA Champions League ban coming to light recently, it would be interesting to see whether the Belgian will stay in Manchester next season or not as there's no lack of potential suitors for him.
