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The 2022/23 Premier League campaign is set to begin in less than a week and players are now gearing up for yet another grueling season. While some will build on the progress they made last season, others will be out to right the wrongs of the last few years and turn a new leaf.
Several Premier League players underperformed in the 2021/22 season
When a player is not performing to their potential and is unable to get out of a bad run of form, the start of the new season is welcome. A number of stars failed miserably to justify their potential or maintain consistency last season and are burdened by either their price tags or the hype around them.
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But some will look towards the 2022/23 season as a chance to hit their peak again and prove their worth. On that note, let's take a look at five Premier League players with a point to prove in the 2022/23 season.
#5 Gabriel Jesus - Arsenal
Gabriel Jesus is one of the few players in the Premier League who has immense talent but has been unable to showcase it to its full potential so far. The Brazil star, who signed for Manchester City in 2017, could never propel himself to greatness under Pep Guardiola.
His recent move to Arsenal, however, is bound to show everybody what he is about, especially in a side that shall be built around him. An excellent No 9, Jesus's ability to time runs, strength to hold the ball and effective finishing abilities convinced the Gunners to spend £45 million to bring him to the Emirates.
He has already proved his class in pre-season by scoring seven times in five games, including finding the back of the net against both Chelsea & Sevilla. Arteta has built a squad that is ready to compete with the big boys, and Jesus certainly looks like a fine cherry on top.
After not being able to spread his wings at Manchester City, he will be a man on a mission to become a star at Arsenal in the upcoming season.
#4 Jack Grealish - Manchester City
Although the 2022 summer transfer window is yet to end, Jack Grealish remains the most expensive signing in British football.
The former Aston Villa star joined Manchester City last summer for £100 million as Guardiola decided to bring the England star to the Etihad. However, given the size of the squad, there was a lot of competition and Grealish was unable to completely come out of his shell last season.
In fact, he could only manage three goals and three assists in 26 Premier League appearances, which was a poor return for a man with his price tag.
However, after the departures of Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus this summer, there is little competition in the wing positions. While Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez have joined the Citizens, they are both out-and-out centre-forwards and are only likely to occupy one position on the pitch.
This leaves Grealish to fight actively to play on either wing and prove to Guardiola his proficiency in scoring goals and creating multiple chances in a game. Moreover, his ability to draw fouls in good areas, his quality in set-pieces and his desire to beat defenders in 1v1 situations could be vital.
Once played on a consistent basis, Grealish will be keen on coming good and justifying his £100 million fee in the 2022/23 season.
#3 Marcus Rashford - Manchester United
Marcus Rashford had one of his most shocking seasons at Manchester United last term and the Englishman will be keen to forget it as soon as possible.
After returning from a shoulder injury last summer, Rashford was eased back into the squad by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, the weight on his shoulders was considerable as every other attacker, apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, was hugely underperforming.
This led to Rashford often trying to influence games single-handedly, but it came to no avail as he often looked like a clueless figure on the pitch.
Things did not change for the better under Ralf Rangnick, as few were able to comprehend the German manager's tactics. But it wasn't just an inability to understand things, as Rashford also looked like he had lost a little of his trickery and pace last season.
So it comes as no surprise that he could only conjure four goals and two assists in 25 Premier League appearances last season. To put things into context, he managed 11 goals and 11 assists in 37 Premier League games in the 2020/21 campaign. Hence, he suffered a massive drop in form last season due to the aforementioned factors.
But Rashford has since worked hard to gain full fitness and has looked sharp in pre-season under Erik ten Hag. But the 24-year-old will need to impress in the upcoming season if the Dutch manager is to keep him in his plans in the coming years.
It is worth noting that the attacker only has a year left on his contract with an option to extend it for another 12 months. Hence, Rashford is on thin ice and will be eager to convince his boyhood club to retain his services by going full throttle next season.
#2 Kai Havertz - Chelsea
It has been nearly two years since Chelsea shelled out a then-record transfer fee of £75 million to sign Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen.
Since then, the player has gone on to win multiple trophies with the club. He has also been a big-game player as he has scored in the UEFA Champions League final and the FIFA Club World Cup final. Despite this, there is still a grave amount of inconsistency on the part of the German star as there are still doubts about his optimal position.
Thomas Tuchel has used his fellow countryman in the centre-forward role and Havertz has done his best to justify his selection. But the Blues need him to produce a lot more from that position, as that was the main reason for paying the big bucks for him.
In the last two years, he has scored only 12 goals and provided six assists in 56 Premier League appearances for Chelsea. Although he only turned 23 earlier this year, it is about time Havertz nailed down a spot in the starting XI on merit rather than being the least-worse option.
There are high expectations from him and the Blues will need him to contribute more than 20 Premier League goals next season to justify his potential. Tuchel's patience with his current squad is running thin, and Havertz now needs to repay the faith put in him by the gaffer over the last 18 months.
#1 Harry Maguire - Manchester United
If there is one player who has been ridiculed the most in English football over the last couple of years, it is certainly Harry Magure. The England centre-back, since moving to Manchester United for £80 million, has been crushed under that price tag.
Unlike Van Dijk, he has not been able to command his side to greatness by being either a tactically astute defender or a great leader. The captain's armband has also carried its weight in ruining his confidence over the last 18 months.
Moreover, a lack of pace, comical errors, and mistakes in key games have also led to his downfall. However, it must also be said that the England star has never been trained by a top manager. Erik Ten Hag can change that narrative by coaching confidence into the player through tactics that could benefit the centre-back.
Maguire has, so far, looked comfortable in pre-season but will be eager to perform at the top of his game next season. It is imperative that he not only justifies his price tag but proves the doubtors wrong by showcasing his quality at the highest level.
While all of this is hard to achieve in one season, he can make good progress in the 2022/23 campaign by regaining his status as a top Premier League defender.
