The world’s most popular football league, English Premier League returns on Friday as the champions Manchester City begin their title defence against Burnley. Vincent Kompany who coaches the newly promoted Burnley will have a big test to dispatch City. We look at the players expected to shine in the Premier League this season.
Erling Haaland
It would be criminal not to mention Erling Haaland among the players expected to continue winning the hearts of the fans this season. The lanky Norwegian striker is coming from a very fruitful season in which he managed to grab the headlines in his first season.
The Manchester City frontman hit an incredible 36 goals in his first season in England after joining for a €60 million deal from Borrusia Dortmund of Germany. Known as one of the best finishers in the world currently, Haaland is going to continue giving defenders a hard time in stopping him to score. The key factor to his game lies in the support and supply he is gaining from the midfield.
Martin Odegaard
Last season, Arsenal came agonizingly close to winning the title after being on top of the table for quite some time. During that time, one of the instrumental players was Martin Odegaard. His transfer from Real Madrid to North London seems fitting as he managed to dominate the club’s midfield. His good run of form reminded football fanatics across the globe that he was once tipped as a future star.
Besides that, he scored a total of 15 goals from midfield to show how dangerous he can be to the opponents. If the Gunners have a chance to win the league for the first time in 20 years then Odegaard has to be at the top of his game consistently.
Kai Havertz
When Kai Havertz arrived in England from Bayer Leverkusen, so much was expected of him. Described as a wonderkind, fans had been talking about him dominating the league when signed by Chelsea. But nothing has gone his way since. Despite showing some classic performances in some matches but consistency hasn’t been on his side.
One would say maybe a change of managers at Chelsea affected him to become stable. Now with the chance to clean his name, Havertz managed to be signed by Arsenal in a huge deal with the club searching to win the league title. The German International looks like he will be given a free role which he must capitalize on. There is doubt he is going to fit into the young Gunner’s side.
Declan Rice
Arsenal fought hard to sign Declan Rice as many clubs including Manchester City were chasing for his signature. Probably the biggest transfer this summer as Arsenal paid $130 million which shows how they wanted him. The 24-year-old English international will be expected to play a deep-lying midfield role to expectation.
In the past, Rice was instrumental in the success of West Ham where he made his name. Now he is going to play with a talented pool of players which will give him an edge to up his game and be recognized as one of the best midfielders in the whole world. It is for that reason that Arsenal decided to offload Granit Xhaka to Bayer Leverkusen to create a space for Rice.
James Maddison
Since Christian Eriksen left Tottenham Hotspurs, the club has struggled to find a perfect replacement. With the arrival of James Maddison, the problem looks to be solved. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder was on the books of relegated Leicester City last season before making a $51 million move to North London.
He is expected to provide some creativity in the club going forward. Looking at the money Spurs paid showed they meant serious business and knows exactly how key he is going to be. For Maddison, it is the perfect opportunity to show his qualities in the top six clubs and reach the peak of his career. Age seems to be on his side to dominate the game going forward starting this season.
Kelvin De Bruyne
For quite some time, Kelvin De Bruyne has been a marvel to watch. Manchester City won the last three English Premier League titles and De Bruyne has been a vital cog in that dominance. The Belgian has shown no signs of ageing but instead, he keeps upping his game each game. This season, there is no change as he is expected to continue where he left off last season.
Known for his accurate passing, and taking shots from a distance, De Bruyne is somehow a player you don’t want to have the ball all the time. It’s crazy to think, he has been unstoppable and consistent for over 6 years now. Now in his 30s, De Bruyne is continuing to cement his status as a City legend and one of the best attacking midfielders of his generation.