1. Kevin De Bruyne
From being a bench warmer at Chelsea to becoming one of the finest midfielders in the world, De Bruyne has surely come a long way in his career.
It is no surprise how the Belgian midfielder was very impressive in the World Cup. He had a stellar season with Manchester City last season, contributing by scoring eight goals and registering 14 assists. And it is not just the goals and assists but his passing was exquisite to watch. He created 96 chances last season, making 2078 passes in total in the 37 appearances he made.
Pep Guardiola bestows a lot of confidence in Kevin De Bruyne and it doesn’t come as a surprise given how effective the Belgian is on the pitch. But with recent reports predicting that a knee injury in training might keep De Bruyne out of the game for two to three months, it will be a big concern for Pep Guardiola and City and they can only hope that the Belgian recovers the soonest and is back helping them defend their title.
2. N’Golo Kante
Consistency is what defines the contribution of N’Golo Kante. Kante got the recognition of a being a tireless midfielder right from his Leicester City days. It was the Foxes’ triumph in the Premier League that got Kante more appreciation and earned him a big move to Chelsea. It is not just at the club level that the Frenchman has shown what he’s capable of.
His performance in the 2018 World Cup was of utmost importance in France winning the tournament. Kante with his high work-rate, tremendous ability to read the game and win the ball back has been amazing to watch.
Kante made an incredible 82 interceptions last season, the most among the midfielders in the Premier League. He may not be regularly involved in assisting or scoring but his contribution in the midfield more than suffice.
Maurizio Sarri will be blessed to have a player like Kante at his disposal. Sarri would be hoping that with Kante in the heart of the pitch would allow his attackers to openly express themselves and that the Frenchman will help big time in protecting his back four to win the ball back.
3. Christian Eriksen
There is no denying that the Danish midfielder is one of the most underrated players both in the Premier League and in the world right now. His contributions for Tottenham Hotspur have been immense and do not get much attention as the London side struggle to win trophies.
Nevertheless, Eriksen is an incredible player. His passing and playmaking abilities are a sheer delight to watch. His ability to play efficiently with both his feet make him a very special player. It is unfortunate that the Spurs midfielder hasn’t been able to win any trophy with the North London side.
Eriksen scored 10 goals and made 10 assists last season and it is safe to say that he was the one who got the Danish team ticking in the World Cup. Mauricio Pochettino will be looking to make better use of Eriksen this season as the Danish midfielder is one of the most prolific goalscoring midfielders in the Premier League.