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The Premier League season has been absolutely fabulous. 13 weeks in, even though Manchester City have established a sizeable lead at the top, leaving their rivals chasing dust, there has been some really good football on show, with all teams boasting a good pack of players, aided by the lucrative finance deals flowing into the richest league in the world.
Considering the tight schedules teams have with the league, domestic cups, and European competitions, playing every minute of every game across 13 gameweeks is a considerable feat. This post identifies the 5 best players in the league who have been absolutely wonderful and irreplaceable for their respective teams and have played every single minute of their season so far.
Honourable mentions:
Hector Bellerin: The Arsenal right-back, always touted to become one of the best right-backs in the world is finally proving his worth for the club. He has been clinical and very productive this term and has been a solid presence in the Arsenal line-up.
Romelu Lukaku: The Belgian hitman has been good, but doesn't feature in the top 5 of this list according to the author due to his continuous hiccups in the big matches. Solid showings, yes but not convincing enough.
James Tarkowski: The centre-back has been an absolute revelation for Sean Dyche's Burnley this season. Filling in the void left by Micheal Keane's departure to Everton, Tarkowski has looked confident from the off and has been solid at the back, receiving plaudits all along for his performances.
Jack Cork: Another Burnley success story. Cork has been crucial to Burnley's great run of form this season with Cork receiving an England call-up too. A no-nonsense player, Cork is a workhorse of a player who rotates the ball around well.
Davy Propper: Brighton's unsung hero. Davy Propper was a summer signing for Chris Hughton's side who have impressed and exceeded expectations in their first top-flight season. His presence in the middle of the park and ability to control the tempo of plays have made him an integral cog in the Brighton system. A Netherlands international, Propper is proving to be one of the buys of the season and may even become a sale that garners good profit for Brighton in the future if his performances so far are to go by.
#5 Nacho Monreal
Whether it be as a third centre-back in a 3-man defence, or as a wing-back when the situation demands, Nacho Monreal has been excellent this season. The diminutive Spaniard is probably Arsenal's most consistent performer and has been one of the more mature presences in an often criticised Arsenal squad.
Signed from Malaga a few seasons ago as a back up left back, Monreal has slowly but steadily climbed up the ranks to become a mainstay in the team. His performances in the Arsenal shirt have earned him a handful of appearances for the Spanish national team as well and he is expected to travel with the Spanish squad for the World Cup in Russia based on his consistent performances over the last one year.
This season, Monreal has chipped in with some crucial goals too and his consistency was rewarded with the PFA player of the month award for the month of October. His reading of the game is admirable and his technical ability is right up there. A top player who deserves to be talked about in a more positive sense, Nacho silently continues to bolster the Arsenal defence and his calm presence at the back will prove crucial in Arsenal's quest to return to the top 4 of the Premier League.
#4 Nemanja Matic
The unsung hero of Chelsea's title triumphs of 2014 and 2016, Nemanja Matic's move went under the radar compared to the other high profile moves made by United, and similarly, while everyone has been raving about United's attack and improved defence, one simply doesn't realize the importance Matic plays in the team, which is often overlooked.
Matic's reading of the game and his knack for playing the right ball in unleashing quick counters have always been known to Mourinho, who knows how to make the best out of the lanky Serb from his time at Chelsea. Matic combined formidably well with Paul Pogba and ensured that United got off to a flyer of a start before injuries to Pogba and various key members came to the fore and created a slight roadblock to proceedings.
Even then, Matic has remained composed and has proven to be a figure of steel in midfield once again and will be crucial to United's title challenge and their run in the Champions League.
The Serb continues to be Mourinho's strongman in midfield as he was at Chelsea and even though a number of combinations have been tried at the center of the park by Mourinho at United due to injuries and otherwise, Matic has been a constant presence at the heart of the pitch. A wall in front of the defence, Matic continues to perform at a top level and at 29, his experience and presence shall be all the more important going into the business end of the season for Mourinho's United.
#3 Jan Vertonghen
"SuperJan" as he is referred to amongst the Tottenham faithful, Jan Vertonghen is a wonderful defender who has been supremely consistent over the past couple of seasons in the Premier League. One half of what was arguably the best centre-back pairing in England last season, Vertonghen is a technically sound defender who fits easily into a back two or a back three as demanded by Pochettino.
A former Ajax product, the Belgian is a strong presence capable of putting in clattering tackles and is very good in the air. His understanding with Toby Alderweireld was key to Tottenham's success last season and it is no surprise that the side have slumped a bit defensively in Alderweireld's absence.
This doesn't take anything away from Vertonghen who has been solid as always at the back and has continued to be so. The fact that he has been playing regularly in Tottenham's wonderful European run so far makes his feat of not having missed even a single minute of action in the Premier League even more spectacular.
A leader at the back, Vertonghen has been one of Pochettino's most relied upon players, and he has repaid every ounce of confidence Pochettino has placed in him with numerous resounding performances.
#2 David De Gea
From the mistake-prone youngster who competed with Anders Lindegaard for a starting place at Manchester United, to becoming arguably the best goalkeeper in England and the world, Spain and Manchester United hero David De Gea has come a long way. The heir to Iker Casillas's throne for Spain and Edwin Van Der Sar's at United, the former Atletico Madrid prodigy has exceeded expectations and has been absolutely sensational over the last couple of seasons.
David De Gea has kept 9 clean sheets this season and has made 39 saves, some of them absolutely awe-striking, such as the one he made against Liverpool when Salah bundled a shot towards the goal. His commanding presence, wonderful shot-stopping abilities, and jaw-dropping reflexes have made him a fan-favourite at Manchester United.
De Gea's reputation has grown leaps and bounds and his performances have been consistently brilliant.
United fans still can't thank the fax machine mishap enough, without which De Gea would have been guarding goal at Madrid and not Manchester.
#1 Cesar Azpilicueta
Chelsea's 'Mr. Reliable', Cesar Azpilicueta is without a doubt one of the best players in the Premier League. Originally a right-back, 'Dave' as he is fondly referred to by the Chelsea faithful is has been employed at everywhere across the back line, all with equal success. A leader on the field and a wonderful reader of play, the Spaniard has been a mainstay amidst all the change at Chelsea and has put in some absolute world class showings in a Chelsea jersey.
The meagre £7m Chelsea spent to acquire Azpilicueta looks like an absolute steal of a deal considering the rates in the current market for versatile players in the mould of Azpilicueta. A manager's dream player, the fact that he has played every minute of every game Antonio Conte has managed Chelsea in the Premier League, shows how important Azpilicueta is to any system of play.
This season, his telepathic understanding with Spanish teammate Alvaro Morata has been absolutely delightful, with Azpilicueta providing the assist's for 5 of Morata's 8 goals in the Premier League already.
Azpilicueta's ability to slot into any role demanded of him with supreme confidence and his ability to perform well in even the most adverse situations makes him the author's pick for the no.1 spot on this list.
