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The 2019/20 Premier League season is just three months from its culmination and its winners are all but confirmed. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are on their way to end a thirty-year drought by winning their first-ever Premier League title of the modern era in what has been an unimaginable campaign.
It is obvious that the soon-to-be-announced PFA Team of the Year will be largely dominated by Liverpool players due to their breathtaking performances, however, it will be interesting to see which other players from the division join Klopp’s heroes. In this section, we will take a look at the 2019/20 Premier League season’s best individual performers, who could be included in the coveted PFA Team of the Year.
Goalkeeper
Liverpool’s Alisson Becker is a popular shout for the PFA Team of the Year, especially because of the Brazilian’s league-highest 10 clean-sheets and an unrivalled save percentage of 84.3. Remarkably, Alisson has managed those numbers in just 19 out of a possible 27 games. He has also just conceded 8 goals in the Premier League so far and also has an assist to his name.
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However, Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson should still manage to eclipse Alisson for the goal-keeping position in the prestigious team. The 22-year-old is toe-to-toe with his illustrious counterpart, having 9 clean-sheets, one penalty stop and a save percentage of 75. Henderson’s heroics in goal is one of the key reasons they are soaring high in 7th place with an outside chance of securing Champions League football for next season. The Blades are just four points off fourth-placed Chelsea.
The Manchester United loanee is a sure-shot future England goal-keeper and could even find himself fighting David de Gea for the number one position at Old Trafford next season. His shot-stopping is excellent, passing brilliant and positional intelligence masterly. Whilst the snub could be extremely harsh on Alisson, what Dean Henderson has managed to achieve with Sheffield United is fairytale stuff.
Defenders
Last season’s UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, Ballon d’Or runner-up, PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season Virgil van Dijk is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best centre-back in world football right now.
While much of the plaudits in this unstoppable Liverpool team go to their illustrious front-three of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, even Jurgen Klopp will agree to the fact that it is actually their stalwart defence that has been the reason for their invincibility so far. Van Dijk might not be the official club captain but the defender leads by example. He has four goals and a division-high twelve clean-sheets to his name, along with a league-highest 2,234 passes.
In fact, van Dijk has not only managed to improve his own game but also of those in and around him. The former Southampton man is a perfect modern-day centre-half: pacy, athletic, powerful and visionary. Van Dijk is almost unsurpassable at the back, often found intercepting balls at ease, dispossessing the opposition with inch-perfect tackles and winning each duel thrown at him.
He is equally potent in attack, being a constant threat on corners with his incredible heading ability, driving the ball from the back and playing dead-accurate long balls to the attackers.
On top of his game right now, Virgil van Dijk is one of the least surprising names on this list. Teammate Joe Gomez could partner the Dutchman in defence after his excellent defensive showings following the injury to Joel Matip, however, it is Leicester City’s Caglar Soyuncu that should deserve a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
Just three years ago, the defender was playing for Altinordu in Turkey's second tier but has now gone onto become one of the most sought-after centre-backs in Europe. Soyuncu is a brave, powerful and no-nonsense defender, yet extremely calm and composed on the ball. His partnership with Jonny Evans at the heart of the Foxes defence this season has impressed many.
For the full-back positions, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson are unrivalled, as they were for last season’s Team of the Year. They are two of the most attack-minded defenders in the league, racking up a combined 19 assists in the Premier League this season.
Jurgen Klopp’s heavy-metal football relies primarily on the full-backs and their ability to neutralise attacks, press the opponents, maraud forward and create chances of their own. It will not be an understatement to say that both Alexander-Arnold and Robertson are the most hard-working players in this Liverpool side and deserving candidates for the PFA Team of the Year.
Midfielders
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, a strong candidate for the PFA Player of the Year award, should easily find himself in this team owing to his extraordinary displays this season. The 29-year-old Englishman has been the heartbeat of Jurgen Klopp’s team and his absence was evident in their hard-fought 3-2 win against West Ham recently. Henderson had always been under-appreciated by Liverpool fans in previous years, however, his impact in this team has been lauded extensively.
Henderson is excellent in transition, is incredibly comfortable on the ball and can dominate the middle of the pitch. On top of that, he has also pitched in with 8 vital goal contributions this season, representing his importance in creating goalscoring opportunities as well.
In front of Henderson, Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne will be one of the first names on the team. The Belgian playmaker has been Pep Guardiola’s most consistent performer this season. With his god-gifted right-foot, de Bruyne has dazzled defenders with his incredible passing, crossing, dribbling and shooting on a weekly basis.
The 28-year-old is currently leading the Premier League assists chart with 16, only four short of equalling Thierry Henry’s record set back in 2002/03. Apart from his assists, the two-time Premier League winner has also scored 8 goals this season, becoming the player with most individual goal contributions (24) this campaign. He is also the leader when it comes to through-balls provided (23) and chances created (96).
Whilst Henderson and de Bruyne have all but guaranteed spots in the team, deciding upon the third midfielder is a tricky proposition. Leicester City’s James Maddison and Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum are great shouts, however, it is Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish who deserves the final midfield spot, especially if he can spearhead his side out relegation.
The 26-year-old Englishman, who was included in the PFA 2018/19 Championship Team of the Year, has seven goals and six assists to his name in the Premier League this season, almost single-handedly bailing out Villa on several occasions. Versatile and adaptable to many roles, Grealish can dribble past defenders effortlessly, create chances and score worldies himself.
Forwards
Liverpool’s high-flying winger Sadio Mane has continued his blistering form from last season, scoring 13 goals and providing another 6 assists in the Premier League this term. The 27-year-old Senegalese was, without a doubt, Klopp’s best player in the first half of their season before a minor muscle tear at the turn of the year ruled him out for a few weeks.
On his return from injury, however, Mane has once again highlighted his unparalleled importance in this Liverpool side with crucial winners against Norwich and West Ham in their relentless pursuit towards the title. A powerhouse winger, Mane is not just a natural goalscorer but a pacy dribbler, ball-carrier and a potent chance creator.
Mane’s counterpart Mohamed Salah and Wolves’ speedster Adama Traore are strong contenders for the other wide position, however, the influence and impact Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has had on Arsenal this season should surely land him a place in the PFA Team of the Year line-up come May. The Gabonese front-man, with his brace against Everton, became the joint-highest scorer in the division (17).
In an astonishing statistic, Arsenal would have been rock-bottom in the Premier League without Aubameyang’s goals, such has been his importance. Mikel Arteta’s arrival has brought an exciting, attacking brand of football which has injected new life into the players, with Aubameyang benefiting the most. The Gunners find themselves 10th on the Premier League table right now and face an uphill task to secure European football.
The 2019/20 Premier League campaign has been one for the strikers, especially with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham, Southampton’s Danny Ings and Wolves’ Raul Jimenez among others firing on all cylinders week-in week-out. However, Leicester City talisman Jamie Vardy, despite his ongoing dry spell, should undoubtedly lead the PFA Team of the Year. The former English international is level with Aubameyang on 17 goals whilst also giving 4 assists this season.
Vardy is one of the most-feared strikers in the division because of his exceptional pace, movement and finishing. His relationship with James Maddison is almost telepathic and a joy to watch even for neutral fans. Jamie Vardy will now look to end his campaign on a high and steer his club to only their second-ever Champions League qualification.
