Jordan’s had a legendary year – and Fred looks part at last
JENAS TEAM OF THE SEASON SO FAR
With football suspended until April 30 at least, it is the ideal chance to highlight the Premier League’s most influential stars this term. I have tried to throw in some curve balls and pick players who have helped steer their side to new heights or stave off the threat of relegation. Yesterday I named my top keepers and defenders and here are my best-performing midfielders, with strikers to come, before I whittle down a team of the season so far…
MIDFIELDERS JORDAN HENDERSON
LIVERPOOL
What a season he has had. Magnificent. He has every facet required to play different roles when Jurgen Klopp asks him to do it. Even in a holding role he was creative. Fabinho got injured and he just sat in there and bossed it. It has been his best season by a mile from a player who was once a scapegoat at Liverpool. He will go down as one of their greats in a Liverpool shirt.
JACK GREALISH
ASTON VILLA
Lots of eyes on him this year – the question was could he do it in the Premier League? He has gone above and beyond. He ghosts past players and there’s a reason why he’s the most-fouled player in the league. Eight goals and seven assists is a good return. Jack is battling relegation, in a newly-promoted team, and it is hard to shine in that. You have got to have guts to do that. He has to move clubs to kick on.
FRED
MANCHESTER UNITED
Fans may see this as a curve ball but he has contributed massively. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has discovered who is with him this season. There have been highs and lows. Nemanja Matic is back onside. But Fred’s been a constant. He’s been through the muck and low points. He was mocked and laughed at as a £40million buy. Now he looks every bit of it, having settled in. He’s added grit and determination to United.
ADAMA TRAORE
WOLVES
Do not get in this guy’s way!
Credit to Nuno Espirito Santo and Traore for his improvement.
I’ve laughed at him in the past.
He’ll go by you but kick it in the stand. His productivity was terrible. Now, he’s hurting teams with goals and quality crosses. He must have been on the training ground day after day. Go into his numbers now, they’re top class. Seven assists, four goals and a lot of havoc.
KEVIN DE BRUYNE
MANCHESTER CITY
When he does not play then Manchester City miss that penetrative nature, that aggressive side to their attack.
He has 16 assists and eight goals this season and many come from the right side. You know what is going to happen, but he is unstoppable. He is one of the world’s best players. He has had a very good year in a City side in massive transition. Immense.
JAMES MADDISON
LEICESTER CITY
He has been huge for Leicester.
He oozes quality, has a swagger. He takes set-pieces, receives the ball in tight areas.
This season he has made another big step forward. Youngsters can have a big jump, improve, then go backwards a little. I had that a bit at Newcastle. He is driving through because of his mentality. He has knocked it forward, and I give him total credit for that.
PIERRE HOJBJERG
SOUTHAMPTON
People expected more of Southampton this season. They started like a drain. But I judge them from the moment they lost 9-0 to Leicester. To a man they have shown they are in it together, and that scoreline won’t define them. Hojbjerg has dominated some games recently. He’s not glamorous, or the most beautiful around the pitch. But he’s led a team through the bad and found determination and resolve.
GINI WIJNALDUM
LIVERPOOL
He brings everything to the table. When I watch him play
I think of England. We have Henderson, we have OxladeChamberlain, and I ask myself who could do the Wijnaldum job? Liverpool’s midfield functions perfectly because of him. Defensively he works his socks off, he will receive the ball anywhere, he nicks the odd goal. He has the lot and is a major cog in their title winning-elect side.
JOHN LUNDSTRAM
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Fantasy football players won’t argue with me here. We need a Sheffield United player in. Norwood was close. Lundstram is effective. Goals, drive, was taken out of the team and got himself back in. He has come from right down in the lower leagues. He’s been at Yeovil, Blackpool, Orient, Oxford. He’s not beautiful on the eye but has drive, passion and fire, and is part of a major collective effort under Chris Wilder.
RIYAD MAHREZ
MANCHESTER CITY
It would be a massive mistake for City to lose him in the summer. He offers something different on City’s right-hand side. He’s got big goals and has been more consistent and is trusted more by manager Pep Guardiola. Mahrez is third in the top-flight table of goal-makers with eight assists. The former Leicester City man could still be a vital individual for Manchester City in future seasons.