'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With every day that passes, we’re getting closer to June 17th – the date that the Premier League is scheduled to resume after over three months of suspension. With most teams still having nine games remaining in the 2019-20 campaign, there’s still a lot of football left to play. And that means that there’s a lot at stake, too, including next season’s European places.
Naturally, all of the Premier League’s stars will be looking to make an impact when action resumes. But the following 5 players – who were either on the shelf or just beginning to break through at the time of the competition’s suspension – will definitely be ones to keep an eye on.
#1 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Before the Premier League season was curtailed in March, Tottenham striker Harry Kane appeared to have kicked his final ball of 2019-20 already. The England captain suffered a hamstring tear on New Year’s Day, and it looked likely that he’d miss the rest of the season.
Trending
Since then, though, the campaign has lost three months. And that’s been a blessing in disguise for Kane, who is now back to full fitness and appears to be raring to go.
It’s unlikely that the Spurs striker will get back into the race for the Golden Boot. He’s got 11 goals to his name this season – eight fewer than the current leader Jamie Vardy. But despite that, there’s still every chance that he can score the goals to fire Spurs back into the Champions League spots.
After all, not only will he instantly offer Jose Mourinho’s side their best goal threat again, but things have changed since he’s been gone.
The resumption of the Premier League season will be the first chance that Kane will get to play with new attacking signing Steven Bergwijn. And since he’s been on the shelf, creative midfielder Giovani Lo Celso has also established himself as a key player.
The addition of both players should mean that Kane receives more chances at goal. And judging by his usual standards, that means that he’s probably going to score plenty upon the return of the Premier League.
#2 John McGinn (Aston Villa)
At the time of the 2019-20 Premier League season’s suspension, Aston Villa were in deep trouble. Dean Smith’s side currently sit in 19th position. And while they still have a game in hand over their relegation rivals, they also haven’t won a league game since January.
Part of the Villans’ problem has been a series of injuries to key players. Both Wesley and Tom Heaton have been sidelined since early January, but their biggest loss came a little earlier. Star midfielder John McGinn suffered an ankle injury in December and was only on the verge of a return when games were curtailed.
When Premier League action does resume, the Scottish international will be fully rehabilitated, and that can only mean good things for Villa.
Prior to his injury, McGinn – along with Jack Grealish – was the Midlands side’s best player, scoring three goals, registering two assists and picking up four Man of the Match awards.
A well-rounded midfielder capable of giving Villa more solidity and more attacking fluidity, McGinn’s return should give Smith’s side a much better chance of survival. There can be no doubt that he knows this too and will be fired up to ensure that his side remains in the Premier League.
#3 Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal)
Unlike McGinn and Kane, Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah was not sidelined with an injury when the Premier League campaign was suspended. Instead, the 21-year-old striker was just beginning to make his impact on the Premier League.
Nketiah had spent the early part of the season on loan at Leeds United, scoring three goals after mainly being used as a substitute. But after returning to Arsenal in January, he was able to break into Mikel Arteta’s first team and was beginning to repay his new boss’ faith.
The striker was chosen to start the Gunners’ last three Premier League fixtures and performed well. He scored in his second league start – a 3-2 win over Everton – and was also excellent in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Newcastle.
With question marks around the future of fellow striker Alexandre Lacazette, Nketiah will be looking upon the Premier League restart as his big chance. If he can continue to perform well and score more goals, he could establish himself as Arsenal’s first-choice frontman going forward.
And the signs are already looking good. Nketiah scored a hat-trick for the Gunners in a recent behind-closed-doors friendly with EFL Championship side Charlton Athletic.
A true predator who always seems to find himself in the right position in front of goal, there’s every chance that he’ll live up to expectations. If he can do that, then he could also fire Arsenal upwards in the Premier League table too.
#4 Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea)
Chelsea’s 2019-20 Premier League season was already shaping up to be a memorable one before it was curtailed. With club legend Frank Lampard at the helm, the Blues had finally begun to make the most of their academy products and looked on course for a possible Champions League qualifying spot.
Names such as Tammy Abraham, Reece James, Mason Mount and Billy Gilmour were able to establish themselves as first-team staples. But one academy product that we hadn’t seen a lot of this season was Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Before the Premier League suspension, the England international hadn’t made a single appearance during the 2019-20 campaign due to a torn Achilles suffered at the end of last season. But the 24-year-old is now ready to return, and he’s also ready to make a big impact.
Loftus-Cheek reportedly scored upon his return to full first-team training in a recent intra-squad game and was said to have performed excellently. The addition of his skills into Chelsea’s midfield will be a huge bonus for Lampard.
The England international is capable of playing in basically any role in the centre of the park. His passing skills allow him to be an effective deep-lying midfielder, while his dribbling and eye for goal mean he can be an asset further forward, too.
With the Blues looking to remain in their current fourth place at a minimum, they’ll need their best players at full strength upon the Premier League restart. And the return of Loftus-Cheek could be just the extra boost that Lampard is looking for.
#5 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Despite his massive presence as a global superstar of the game, prior to the Premier League’s suspension, Paul Pogba appeared to be in danger of becoming the forgotten man at Manchester United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side appeared to be in the best groove they’d found all season since January. The addition of new playmaker Bruno Fernandes had the Red Devils producing some great results. They were even able to beat rivals Manchester City in their final Premier League game before action was curtailed.
Pogba had of course been on the shelf with an injury since December. But when the action resumes later this month, the 27-year-old Frenchman should be ready to return. Pogba’s doubters would suggest this could be a bad thing for United, but in truth that likely won’t be the case.
Instead, the French international should offer United’s midfield an extra dimension that they were lacking even during their recent good spell. His ability to drive play forward should theoretically open up opposition defences to allow Fernandes to create even more chances for the side’s forward line.
Even if the Frenchman genuinely has his heart set on a move away from Old Trafford, it shouldn’t matter. Pogba will know he’ll have to perform at his best in order to get that move – particularly under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Either way, Pogba’s return should be a positive for United. And his impact could be the key to the Red Devils capturing a Champions League spot for next season.
