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Premier League key players – One per club in 2021/22

It hardly seems a month ago that Manchester City were holding aloft the Premier League trophy after dominating the 2020/21 season. However, after a whirlwind break that included the Euros, Copa America and Olympics, we find ourselves at the start of yet another exciting Premier League season. Many clubs have been busy in the transfer market, with some monumental deals taking place and seeing familiar faces return to the English top flight for another chance at glory. With all that in mind, who will be the stars that each club will turn to in order to have a successful season? Let’s take a look at the key players for each Premier League club for the season ahead.

 

Arsenal: Kieran Tierney

After a severely underwhelming season last time out, The Gunners know they need to deliver this season in some capacity. Whilst there is plenty of hope in young stars like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe to spice up their attack, it’s Kieran Tierney who is the man to watch at The Emirates. When he played last season, the Scottish full-back was their best player on the pitch and their most consistent.

His speed and grit allow him to charge down the wing with ease without sacrificing any defensive output. On top of that, Tierney is able to whip in deadly crosses and even find the net on occasion. When he was out of their squad, Arsenal looked lost and lacked any real threat on the wing. Let’s hope Tierney stays fit and gives them a much-needed boost in their bid for European qualification

 

Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins

With Villa losing Jack Grealish to Man City, it leaves a gaping hole to fill in their attack. It means that other players are going to need to find someone who can find the goals and assists that Grealish provided. That man could well be Ollie Watkins who is destined to be one of the key Premier League players for Villa this season.

The striker proved he can produce regularly in the top flight with 14 goals last season with excellent finishing matching his pacey and powerful structure. Watkins has the ability to take that further this season as he finds himself with a proven strike partner in Danny Ings. If Ings and Watkins can form a strong bond together, Villa will have a strike duo that will pressure any defence in the league.

 

Brentford: Ivan Toney

Last season showed that leading Championship strikers can flourish in the top flight so Brentford will need their lead man Ivan Toney to repeat the form of last season. Toney netted 31 goals for The Bees in their previous campaign showcasing deadly finishing in front of the net. He has the pace and skill to take on the best English football has to offer and it will be this grit that will help succeed at the top level. Many clubs were eyeing Toney over the break and his form will be crucial into helping Brentford stay up this season.

 

Brighton: Leandro Trossard

It looks like Brighton were starting to get the best out of Leandro Trossard towards the end of last season. The tricky playmaker delivered in spades last season scoring 5 goals and 6 assists in a productive campaign for The Seagulls.

With the ability to deliver threatening set pieces as well as find deadly passes, the Belgian international has everything in his arsenal to unlock the best defences around. Brighton will need to up their goal threat if they want to fight off relegation and Trossard is the man who could do just that.

 

Burnley: Ben Mee

Burnley continue to provide miracles by surviving in the Premier League with such a modest squad. One factor in this remarkable consistency is the solid defensive foundations that the team is built on. It comes thanks to the excellent pairing of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski and it will be Mee who Sean Dyche will count on to lead by example as one of the key Premier League players for the club.

The Burnley skipper has proven himself to be a model leader at Turf Moor always willing to scrap and fight from kick-off to the final whistle. Mee’s leadership and defensive prowess will be vital to help Burnley stay up for yet another season.

 

Chelsea: Kai Havertz

Last season was a tale of two Chelsea’s. The Blues looked lost under Frank Lampard but the arrival of Thomas Tuchel turned them into one of the deadliest sides in the league. Much of this was down to Tuchel finally getting the best out of Kai Havertz who had a mixed debut year in English football.

On his day, the German playmaker is unplayable with excellent passing, tricky feet and the knack to find the net from anywhere in the final third. Havertz was the reason why Chelsea won the Champions League this season and he could also be the reason why Chelsea could be the biggest threat to toppling Man City this season.

 

Crystal Palace: Joachim Andersen

There has been a lot of change over the break at Selhurst Park. Roy Hodgson’s departure and the arrival of Patrick Vieira has seen a huge change of personnel with The Eagles forming an almost entirely new back line. There is a familiar face in there though as Danish international Joachim Andersen arrives after impressing many on loan at Fulham last season.

Andersen can play as both a right back and in the middle giving Vieira plenty of tactical choices to place in him in the starting line-up. Crucially, Andersen has both the skill and experience to lead a newly formed back-line and help Palace find a way to stay in the mid-table fight. Having barely arrived at Selhurst Park, he is already one of the Premier League key players for the club.

 

Everton: Richarlison

It’s been a dramatic summer at Goodison Park. The hotly debated arrival of Rafa Benitez has got many people talking and raised the question about the future of Everton’s top creative stars. Whilst some stars have a debatable future, one who is staying put looks to be Richarlison and that will be a massive relief for The Toffees. Richarlison is one of the few players at Everton who can both create and convert chances on a regular basis and is vital for Everton to stay in the top half of the table.

The Brazilian has been on fire for his country winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and helping Brazil to the final of the Copa America. As long as he isn’t too burnt out, expect Richarlison to be pushing double figures for both goals and assists again this season.

 

Leeds: Jack Harrison

Leeds looked perfectly at home being back in the Premier League last season and many will be expecting them to build on their success from last season. A key part of that success was the hot form of Jack Harrison who has finally moved to Elland Road permanently from Man City this season.

With 8 goals and 10 assists last time out, Harrison was always a threat for opponents to deal with and his pace on either wing made it hard to predict where he would end up. Harrison has natural chemistry with both Raphinha and Patrick Bamford in an exciting attacking unit that will challenge the best sides in the league all season long.

 

Leicester: Kasper Schmeichel

It was a bittersweet campaign for Leicester last year as The Foxes fell at the final hurdle for Champions League qualification for a second year running but winning their first ever FA Cup trophy. There’s no doubt that Leicester are top four quality and it will be up to their skipper Kasper Schmeichel to rally the troops once again.

Schmeichel himself had a dramatic summer as he was involved in Denmark’s gritty and fairy-tale run to the last four at the Euros proving to be in red-hot form. He will certainly be looking to carry that form with him into the new season and help Leicester finally reach The Champions League after coming oh so close.

 

Liverpool: Virgil Van Dijk

How Liverpool missed Virgil Van Dijk last campaign. Liverpool’s defence was decimated by injuries but the loss of Van Dijk was a hammer blow too far in their quest to defend their title. Van Dijk’s presence in the back line was missed with their line missing the physicality and passing skill that the Dutchman brings to the table.

Jurgen Klopp will be looking to wrap Van Dijk in cotton wool to ensure he stays fit for the entirety of the season as he knows losing him again could derail their title aspirations before it has even begun. It’s not often key players in the Premier League show how vital they are through their absence as was the case with van Dijk last term.

 

Man City: Phil Foden

City have invested heavily, recruiting Jack Grealish to bolster one of the most fearsome midfield groups in European football. However, it is their homegrown star Phil Foden who is set for a breakout season this time around. Foden looked perfectly at home in City’s frontline last season as the lack of a true striker let him drift into the middle and regularly slam home goals match after match.

His 9 goals and 8 assists doubled the youngster’s best figures and makes him one of the hottest stars anywhere in world football. Expect Foden to be regularly starting for Pep Guardiola and play a huge role in City’s title defence over the coming months.

 

Manchester United: Edison Cavani

It took a little while for Edison Cavani to find his feet in English football but once he did, there was no stopping him from finding the net. The Uruguayan has signed a new contract at Old Trafford and was super consistent scoring 10 goals in his debut campaign in the Premier League.

Cavani’s success in the second half of last season came from an excellent understanding with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes forming a trio that very few could handle all game long. With this group back for another season, expect Cavani to be breaking his markers from last season and being a top contender for the Golden Boot this season.

 

Newcastle: Callum Wilson

Newcastle need Callum Wilson to stay fit all season long if they want to stave off relegation for another season. The Englishman filled the goal void that had be plaguing them for years as he notched 12 goals last campaign.

Wilson is a proven scorer at the highest level and has both the pace and skill to deliver this on a regular basis. With some of his supporting members such as Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron starting to find their form too, it will help Wilson remain a persistent thorn in the side of Premier League defences over the season ahead.

 

Norwich City: Teemu Pukki

Norwich’s squad is relatively unchanged as they quickly returned to the Premier League after just one season away. This will be a relief for The Canaries as they know they have players that can help them fight for survival such as Teemu Pukki. Pukki is an excellent finisher and bagged 11 goals in the top flight when Norwich were relegated during the 2019/20 season.

He will need his colleagues to keep providing him with ample opportunities but another double-figure season from the Finnish talisman could help Norwich stay in the top flight for another season. One of the key Premier League players for Norwich last time and the same this season.

 

Southampton: James Ward-Prowse

There is no denying that James Ward-Prowse is the very heart and soul of Southampton. The Englishman is a dynamo midfielder who is one of the best passers in the league on his day. The club skipper is also a real threat from free kicks meaning that Southampton’s skipper has all the tools needed to single-handedly defeat opponents.

With 8 goals and 7 assists last season, Ward-Prowse is an indispensable part of Ralph Hassenhuttl’s squad and someone Southampton need to star each week if they want to stay with their rivals in the middle of the table.

 

Tottenham: Son Heung-Min

With Harry Kane’s future very much in question, all eyes will be on Korean superstar Son Heung-Min to deliver for Nuno Espirito Santo this season. Son is coming off his most productive campaign ever having scored 17 goals and earned 11 assists last season.

He is a one-man wrecking crew at his finest although his bond with Harry Kane is perhaps the best strike partnership in English football. There will be questions as to how Son will fare without Kane should he leave North London but his form will be key for Spurs pushing to make the top four this time around.

 

Watford: Daniel Bachmann

Whilst Watford still retain club favourites like Troy Deeney and Tom Cleverley, there are also new stars emerging at Vicarage Parade. One of those is Austrian goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann who is developing into a fine goalkeeper at the highest level. Bachmann is agile and has excellent reactions giving The Hornets plenty of security in between the sticks.

He also impressed many at the Euros with Austria playing all the minutes in their campaign that reached the knockout stages. Bachmann could be a breakout star in the Premier League this season and be a big part of helping Watford fight off relegation over the next 9 months.

 

West Ham: Tomas Soucek

No-one earmarked West Ham to be a top 6 side last season yet David Moyes managed to guide The Hammers to their best campaign in years. One of the big reasons for this success was the form of livewire midfielder Tomas Soucek. Soucek was the perfect box-to-box midfielder making charging runs through the field to help shape attacks as well as finish them off.

The Czech superstar notched up 10 goals last season and made himself one of the biggest surprise stars of the past year. Soucek will be looking to repeat this form once again as The Hammers prove last season was not a one-off fluke.

 

Wolves: Raul Jimenez

Wolves’ season faded into a whimper last season and a lot of that came to the absence of star striker Raul Jimenez. The Mexican missed most of the campaign with a fractured skull and no-one was able to replace the goal threat he provided when he was available.

Jimenez is a real powerhouse with great feet and excellent aerial abilities making him difficult for the very best defenders to cope with. As long as Jimenez can stay fit, he will help Bruno Lage enjoy a strong first season in English football and bring Wolves back into the top half of the table.

 


 

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