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The English Premier League has been home to many legendary midfielders. Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and the likes have graced the league over the years.
Currently, the Premier League has quite a few quality midfielders, but not all have been in prime form this season. Some though have been quite influential and are leading their respective teams with aplomb.
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In this article, we will take a look at the five best midfielders in the Premier League right now based on current form and WhoScored ratings.
Note: Rankings are based on the first 15 Premier League gameweeks.
#5 Declan Rice (7.34)
West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice has been one of the prime reasons behind his club's consistent performances this season. The Hammers are fourth in the league. Rice, who is currently the fifth-best Premier League midfielder as per WhoScored ratings, has had a huge hand to play in it.
The England international has led West Ham in all of their Premier League matches. He has attracted attention from the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea once again. Rice has one goal and three assists to his name in 15 games this season.
He has been strong defensively, making two interceptions per match on average, on top of 2.5 tackles. Rice has also won 5.5 duels per game so far in the Premier League. More of the same from 22-year-old is what David Moyes will want.
#4 Conor Gallagher (7.46)
Crystal Palace midfielder Conor Gallagher is currently the fourth-best Premier League midfielder as per WhoScored ratings. The 21-year-old, on loan from Chelsea, has been highly impressive for the Eagles and looks highly likely to be called up to the Blues' first team next season.
Playing mostly as a central midfielder, Gallagher has scored four goals and provided three assists in the Premier League so far. He has put in consistent performances from the middle of the park, playing 1.7 key passes per match.
The youngster hasn't shied away from shooting either, trying 1.9 shots per game, 0.8 of which are on target. On the defensive front, Gallagher has made 2.7 tackles per game so far in the Premier League.
#3 Bernardo Silva (7.52)
The first of the two Manchester City players on the list, Bernardo Silva is currently the third-best midfielder in the Premier League based on WhoScored ratings. The Portuguese has been at his scoring best and is showing exactly why Manchester City opted to hold on to him this season.
With seven goals in 15 Premier League appearances so far, Silva is currently Manchester City's top goal-scorer in the league. He also has an assist to his name. Silva has played in central midfield as well as an attacking midfielder this season, and has excelled in both positions.
The 27-year-old's exquisite ball control makes him a vital cog in the Manchester City set-up. As Manchester City continue to mount a Premier League title challenge, they will need Silva to continue firing on all cylinders.
#2 Ilkay Gundogan (7.52)
Manchester City maestro Ilkay Gundogan is currently the second-best Premier League midfielder based on WhoScored ratings. The Germany international has been a key player for Pep Guardiola this season. He is one of the prime reasons behind their rise to the top of the Premier League table.
Gundogan has also handled captaincy responsibilities, with Fernandinho spending most of his time on the bench. The added pressure of captaincy has only elevated his game and he has been among the Premier League's best players so far this season.
In 11 appearances so far this season, Gundogan has scored three goals and assisted one more. He has scored three big chances this season, and has played 2.1 key passes per match so far. Moreover, 90% of his passes have found one of his teammates.
#1 Mateo Kovacic (7.56)
Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic has missed a handful of matches due to a hamstring injury, which was followed by a positive Covid-19 test. But that hasn't kept him from being the top-rated Premier League midfielder as per WhoScored ratings.
The Croatia international was an integral part of the Blues' side that took an early lead in the Premier League title race. Chelsea failed to win just two league matches while he was fit. One was a 2-1 defeat to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and other was a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
He has played in nine league matches, scoring one and assisting five goals. Kovacic gained full fitness last week and was set to return to first-team action. However, he tested positive for Covid-19, which further prolonged his stay on the sidelines.
