The best over-30s team of the season | Premier League 2019-20

Sergio Aguero is one of the Premier League's most prolific veterans
Sergio Aguero is one of the Premier League's most prolific veterans

The 2019-20 Premier League season – up until its suspension on March 13th – was looking to be one of the most remarkable in the history of the competition despite Liverpool running away with the title race. Perennial top-four contenders like Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have struggled while underdogs like Leicester City and Sheffield United have made a real push for Champions League qualification.

The season has also been notable for the rise of young superstars such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tammy Abraham and Aaron Wan-Bissaka – but not all of the league's most outstanding players have been youngsters. In fact, the season has also been a fantastic one for some of the league’s veterans.

With that in mind, here is the Premier League’s best team of 2019-20 – made up purely of players who will be 30 or older by the time the year comes to an end.


Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel

Kasper Schmeichel is as solid as any other Premier League keeper
Kasper Schmeichel is as solid as any other Premier League keeper

Kasper Schmeichel may never escape the shadow of his father Peter – arguably the best keeper in football history – but he’s certainly building his own legacy at Leicester City and 2019-20 has been one of his best campaigns to date despite him being a true veteran at the age of 33.

The Danish international has appeared in all 29 of the Foxes’ Premier League games and has kept 10 clean sheets – putting him in joint second place in the league overall. He’s also made 80 saves – more than any other keeper whose team is currently in the top 6 – and has yet to make an error leading to a goal. The likes of Alisson and Ederson may get more plaudits but Schmeichel is as solid as any other keeper in England right now.


Right-back: Cesar Azpilicueta

Cesar Azpilicueta has enjoyed another strong season with Chelsea
Cesar Azpilicueta has enjoyed another strong season with Chelsea

Chelsea’s current captain and one of just a handful of veterans in Frank Lampard’s young side, Cesar Azpilicueta has enjoyed another strong campaign with the Blues despite turning 30 last August. Despite outstanding youngster Reece James providing him competition for his right-back berth, the Spanish international has still started in 27 of the Blues’ Premier League games.

Along the way, he’s been effective in attack – scoring 2 goals and registering 3 assists while also scoring 2 in European competition – but he’s remained one of the strongest defensive full-backs in the league too, averaging 2.4 successful tackles and 1.9 successful interceptions per game. How much longer he’ll remain ahead of James in the pecking order is unknown, but for now, he’s doing a fine job.


Centre-back: Chris Basham

Chris Basham has had an excellent debut season in the Premier League
Chris Basham has had an excellent debut season in the Premier League

Sheffield United have been the surprise package of the 2019-20 season, rising to 7th place when the season was suspended in March, and a great part of their success has been due to their stingy defence; only Liverpool have conceded fewer goals than Chris Wilder’s side, who have let in just 25. Chris Basham – who has played every one of their 28 games – has been perhaps their most outstanding defender.

A journeyman who has also played for Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers and has been with the Blades since 2014, much has been made of Basham’s ability to switch seamlessly into a full-back slot during games – but his raw defensive abilities have been tremendous too, racking up remarkable statistics when it comes to tackles (2.2), interceptions (2.2) and clearances (4.5) per game.

It’s unlikely that a big-money move awaits the 31-year-old in the summer, but after a brilliant debut season in the top-flight, he certainly won’t be unheralded any more.


Centre-back: Jonny Evans

Jonny Evans has been a rock in Leicester's defence
Jonny Evans has been a rock in Leicester's defence

Many observers have praised Leicester City for the way they’ve been able to adapt their defence without Harry Maguire this season, with Caglar Soyuncu given a huge amount of credit, but while the Turkish international has been excellent, it’s safe to say that equal credit should be given to his partner at the heart of the Foxes’ backline – veteran Jonny Evans.

Signed by the Foxes for a bargain £3.5m in the summer of 2018, the 32-year old has provided a tremendous amount of solidity this season, appearing in all 29 of Leicester’s league games and helping them to concede just 30 goals.

While the Northern Ireland international scores highly in defensive stats, his passing accuracy – a completion rate of 86.7% - is also excellent, which allows him to maintain a calm demeanour throughout even the toughest games. Simply put, he’s one of the Premier League’s most underrated players.


Left-back: Patrick van Aanholt

Patrick Van Aanholt has been a key man for an underrated Crystal Palace side
Patrick Van Aanholt has been a key man for an underrated Crystal Palace side

Crystal Palace have largely flown under the radar in the current season but they have actually had a solid campaign and currently sit in 11th position in the Premier League. The majority of their success has been built upon a solid defensive foundation as they have conceded just 32 goals – just one more than second-placed Manchester City.

Dutch left-back Patrick van Aanholt has been one of their more outstanding performers. Even though he will turn 30 in August, the veteran still manages to provide a threat going forward, scoring 3 goals, which include winners against Newcastle and Manchester United, while also providing defensive solidity alongside fellow veterans Gary Cahill and Joel Ward. While he’s not a flashy modern full-back, there are few more dependable players than the 29-year old in the Premier League.


Midfield: Jordan Henderson

Jordan Henderson brings energy and drive into Liverpool's midfield
Jordan Henderson brings energy and drive into Liverpool's midfield

It’s almost hard to believe that Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson turns 30 in June; sure, he’s been around forever and is currently the Reds’ longest-serving player, but the sheer energy he brings onto the pitch would suggest he’s almost a decade younger than his actual age. Nobody works harder than the England international and while Liverpool may be more reliant on other players for their more spectacular moments, nobody drives them forward quite like their captain.

The 2019-20 campaign has probably been Henderson’s best season to date; not only has he popped up with some important goals, scoring 3 and registering 5 assists, but he’s also proven himself to be versatile, able to operate from a deeper position and also as a more attacking midfielder. His detractors would often question exactly what he does on the pitch; this season those questions have been answered. The Reds are simply a better side when he’s involved.


Midfield: Joao Moutinho

Joao Moutinho pulls the strings for most of Wolves' attacking moves
Joao Moutinho pulls the strings for most of Wolves' attacking moves

When all is said and done, there could be a case for Wolves’ Joao Moutinho being considered amongst the Premier League’s greatest ever bargains. The Midlands side paid just £5m for him in the summer of 2018 and since then, the Portuguese playmaker has been a revelation, despite turning 33 last September. After being an ever-present figure in the 2018-19 season– scoring 1 goal and registering 8 assists – he’s been equally brilliant in the current campaign.

Moutinho has played in all 29 of Wolves’ league games, scoring 1 goal and registering 6 assists, and playing in the centre of midfield alongside fellow Portuguese international Ruben Neves, he’s pulled the strings to set up the majority of his team’s attacks. The veteran has averaged 2.2 key passes per game and offers a threat from set-pieces too, meaning he’d slot into any of the Premier League’s top sides without an issue.


Midfield: David Silva

David Silva remains one of the Premier League's best attacking midfielders
David Silva remains one of the Premier League's best attacking midfielders

Arguably Manchester City’s greatest ever midfielder, fans have been waiting for David Silva to slow down for years, and while he’s officially set to depart the Etihad at the end of the 2019-20 season, the Spaniard has enjoyed another great campaign despite turning 34 in January. Affectionately known as ‘Merlin’, Silva has played a little less this season – managing just 16 Premier League starts – but his performances have remained brilliant.

He’s scored 3 goals and registered 7 assists – with only Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez managing more – and he’s also been able to average 1.8 key passes per game, showing that despite his age, he hasn’t lost any of the vision or passing ability that marked him out as a world-class performer in his prime. There can be no doubt that when he does leave, Pep Guardiola’s side will miss him greatly.


Forward: Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy appears to be on course to win the Golden Boot
Jamie Vardy appears to be on course to win the Golden Boot

Despite being 33 years old, Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has shown no signs of slowing down in the current season. The fleet-footed forward has enjoyed his best campaign since he inspired the Foxes’ stunning title win in 2015-16, and at the point that the season was suspended, he had scored 19 goals in his 26 Premier League appearances – putting him in the lead in the race for the Golden Boot.

Vardy has averaged a goal every 117 minutes in the current campaign, an incredible statistic by anyone’s standards, and thanks to Brendan Rodgers’ tactics looking to play to his strengths, he’s been able to find plenty of room behind opposing defences to capitalise on. Judging by his performances, he’s got plenty left in the tank for future seasons too.


Forward: Sergio Aguero

Sergio Aguero appears to be evergreen, scoring another 16 goals for Manchester City
Sergio Aguero appears to be evergreen, scoring another 16 goals for Manchester City

Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero appears to be evergreen. The Argentine forward has been banging in goals for his team ever since joining them back in 2011-12, and despite being 31 years old now and missing chunks of the season due to injury, he’s still been able to find the net 16 times in just 17 starts – averaging a goal every 88 minutes.

No other striker in the Premier League seems able to find themselves in as many dangerous positions as Aguero, and his finishing skills are second to none. Incredibly, he has taken just 72 shots on goal this season – meaning he scores on average with 1 of every 4. How City would ever cope if he was to depart would be anyone’s guess.


Forward: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still Arsenal's most dangerous player
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still Arsenal's most dangerous player

Last season’s Golden Boot winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has enjoyed another tremendous campaign with Arsenal in the current season, scoring 17 goals in 26 appearances to put him just 2 behind Jamie Vardy at the top of the goalscorers list. Despite turning 31 in June, he doesn’t seem to slow down – in both his goal rate and in terms of his pace, as his sheer speed is largely what allows him to score so many goals.

The Gabonese striker might not appear to do much outside of scoring goals – he’s got just 1 assist to his name this season and his passing success rate sits at just 72% - but that honestly doesn’t matter. He is paid to find the back of the net and he does it at an astonishing rate, with 17 of his 65 shots going in. He scores at least 1 in every 4 attempts and despite his advanced age, he’s still Arsenal’s most dangerous player.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh