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The English Premier League is one of the most contested leagues in the world today. In the season 2018-19, the story hasn’t been different, the race is quite still very much alive even if there are just a few months to the end of it.
Liverpool is clear favourites for the crown this season, which will make it their first since the EPL was established. Manchester City has given them a run for their money, but with a few inconsistencies through the season, they find themselves five points behind the league leaders.
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With that in mind, there are certainly some players that are crucial to their team’s top four ambitions this season. Without these players, their teams will certainly struggle to make it to the top positions in the EPL this season.
The top six positions in the Premier League are highly contested as they guarantee European football the following season. The top three will get immediate qualification into the Champions League, while the fourth positioned team will have to make do with a play-off for the Champions League.
Position fifth and sixth will get a chance to participate in the Europa league. And that’s why those positions are highly contested.
This season, two of last season’s top six Chelsea and Arsenal started the season under the leadership of new managers. The other team that finished in top six that got a managerial change is Manchester United, who finally fired Jose Mourinho after some dismal displays this season.
With new managers, bring in new ideas and the competition gets lively and tougher. Here are the players that are crucial to their team’s ambition this season.
Eden Hazard
With great vision, dribbling ability and a touch of the spectacular, Eden Hazard is certainly one of the most feared players in the English Premier League today. Eden Hazard has been Chelsea’s talisman for a number of years now and still continues to deliver for them.
The current Chelsea top scorer is so integral to the team that when the strikers aren’t performing or are injured, he has been played in the striker’s position. With that in mind, the Chelsea faithful will hope that their star man remains fit and firing if the team is to stand any chance of clinching one of the coveted top four positions.
At 28 years old, the amazing Eden Hazard is in his prime and will definitely be in the middle of anything good that Chelsea wants to achieve this season. Sarri will hope that his star man remains fit for the rest of the season as his team chases a top-four finish.
Virgil Van Dijk
What more can be said about Virgil Van Dijk? The Dutch defender has surely come into this Liverpool side and made them a better side than they were. A born leader of men with pace, power and passing ability, Van Dijk is certainly in the middle of Liverpool’s current good form that has them on top of the Premier League.
If Liverpool does go ahead and win the title this season, they will owe much of it to the Dutch centre back. So much so, that he’s been handed the armband a couple of times in the absence of Jordan Henderson and his assistant James Milner. If anything happens to Van Dijk, you can bet that Liverpool will not be the same side. Forget about all the praises the front three are getting, Van Dijk is the one that has been the platform that they can build on. Klopp will hope that Virgil Van Dijk continues with the same form and lead Liverpool to the Premier for the first time since its inception.
Fernandinho
Since the appointment of Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager, one player has really stood out and that is Fernandinho. The Brazilian defensive midfielder doesn’t get the praise he deserves due to the wide array of attacking talent in the team, but take him out of the team and that team doesn’t function that well.
When Fernandinho got injured sometime in November, Manchester City lost two consecutive games and even almost gave Liverpool a clear run to the Premier League title. That’s how crucial he is to Pep’s team style of play as he breaks opposition’s game and build’s Manchester City’s play.
Pep will surely hope his man to remain fit for the remainder of the season as he chases leaders Liverpool who are currently top of the league. The likes of Gundogan have been tried in the holding role for City, but they haven’t thrived as much as the Brazilian. This City team usually looks compact and stable with Fernandinho in it.
Harry Kane
Kane is Tottenham’s go-to man and has been for a number of seasons now. With him in their squad, Tottenham knows they have one of the deadliest and feared strikers in world football today.
Harry Kane contributes more than just goals to his team as many would like to think. He quite integral to how Spurs play, that without him, the void is usually very clear doe all to see.
Sours are right in the thick of the top four battle and will hope that the English man comes back from the injury he suffered against Manchester United soon. Without him, Spurs have been dumped out of the FA Cup as well as the League cup consecutively in just four days.
If Mauricio Pochettino and his team want to finish in one of the top four positions then they will hope that Harry Kane fully recovers from his injury soon.
Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba has finally come alive for Manchester United under Ole Gunnar and is putting in performances that warrant the 89 million that United spent to get him from Juventus. Ole Gunnar has finally found out a way to let Pogba play to his strengths and that has made him of the feared midfielders in the Premier League right now.
If Manchester United is to make it into the top four this season then best believe that Paul Pogba will have a huge say in that. He has been contributing goals and assists under the new manager.
Manchester United is finally seeing the best of Pogba and fans simply love every game he plays. Most fans would have wanted him sold at the beginning of the season since he wasn’t justifying his huge transfer fee now would want to keep at the club at all costs.
With 8 goals and 7 assists to his name in the EPL this season, the flamboyant French star is instrumental to Manchester United ambitions.
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang
Where would Arsenal be without Aubameyang’s goals this season? The Gabon striker has really come into his own this season and though not on a consistent level, he has been superb.
Considering that this is his second season in the Premier League and he’s already one of the top scorers of the season, says much about his season. We all know of his speed and his finishing, he has put it to great effect to ensure that he bangs goals for Unai Emery’s men.
Though many fans may be frustrated by some of his performances, it is safe to say that there’s no other player in their squad they’d have leading their line than the Gabon striker. At times he gets played on the wing to accommodate Alexander Lacazette, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting up solid displays for the Gunners.
Without him pumping in the goals this season, Arsenal may have surely struggled to be in the top six or even be contesting for the top four.
