Premier League 2018/19: 5 unsung heroes of the season 

#3. Fernandinho

The Manchester City veteran has proved his invincibility at the club once again this season.

It is absolutely baffling that a 33-year-old Fernandinho still makes this list given his remarkable consistency and dependability in Manchester City’s midfield over the years. The Brazilian was signed from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk by former boss Manuel Pellegrini in his first season in charge of the club, who even then, would not have thought that the Brazilian would go onto become a veteran figure at the Etihad.

Fernandinho is massively underrated in this galactico-esque City team, but Pep Guardiola’s side often seems to have a man short when the Brazillian is on the sideline.

The midfielder is the first name on Pep’s team and is quintessential for the way City play. Fernandinho is a one-man force, tirelessly shielding the back four, saving the midfield’s skin, intercepting, tackling, blocking counterattacks and paving the way for City’s prolific quintet of De Bruyne, Sane, Sterling and both the Silvas to explode.

Pellegrini would often play Fernandinho with another defensive midfielder, mostly Yaya Toure, in a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 formation. However, Pep’s arrival in 2017 meant that City’s system changed to the Catalan’s trademark 4-3-3. The Brazilian, therefore, is deployed as the lone defensive midfielder, which shows Guardiola’s immense faith in him.

Fernandinho, at 33, is already past his prime years and the City hierarchy are looking for players to replace their seasoned midfielder. Recent reports have suggested that the likes of West Ham United’s Declan Rice, Wolves’ Ruben Neves or Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele could be likely successors for Fernandinho.

Fernandinho injured himself in City’s penalty-shootout win at the Carabao Cup final in Wembley which handed them their first silverware of the season. With Guardiola’s men still alive in the FA Cup, Champions League whilst hunting for back-to-back Premier League titles, Fernandinho becomes all-the-more important for Manchester City’s quest to glory.