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We are right on the half of the season in English Premier League. 19 game weeks are behind us. Liverpool currently leads the title race with 7 points ahead of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City who lost their last two games against Crystal Palace and Leicester City.
It all indicates that this could be the most interesting season in the past few years with big battles to happen at the top and also at the bottom of the table. In this period of the year, it's a perfect time to make some mid-season reviews. In this article, we will rank the 5 best players in the Premier League so far this season.
#5 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
The fifth best Premier League player so far this season is Harry Kane. Mauricio Pocchetino's squad enjoys quite an excellent season as they are currently second with 6 points behind the leaders.
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Their this achievement is unimaginable without Harry Kane. The England captain scored 12 goals and provided 3 assists in 18 appearances in Premier League. In December, he scored 5 goals and he is peaking his form right in time for the festive period in Premier League.
However, it's not only about his statistics. It is about his all-round play that makes him so special and important for this Tottenham squad. He constantly drops deep to receive the ball and to participate in the play.
Pocchetino uses 4-4-2 (diamond) formation this season so it means that Kane has a partner in the attack. It's usually Heung Min Son or Lucas Moura who play alongside Kane. Kane is able to make a perfect partnership with both players. In the past few years, Kane has really become one of the best players in the world in his position.
#4 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
The fourth player on this list is another England international, Raheem Sterling. The 24-year-old winger is Pep Guardiola's best player in this season. Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero had some serious injuries in the previous period so Sterling stepped up his form to lead his team.
His statistics say 9 goals and 6 assists in 16 appearances. Depending on the situation, Sterling has played in all positions in attack this season. Most of the matches he played on the right wing, but in several occasions, he played on the left wing and also in the center of the forward line.
He now takes even more responsibility and he is more mature than last season. Versatile, decisive and always dangerous in the opposition box, the main takeaway of this season is that he is performing at a higher level than ever in his career and remains key to Manchester City’s league and continental success aspirations.
#3 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
The third-ranked player on this list is Virgil van Dijk. At the same time, the Dutch international is the only defender on this list. But, this list wouldn't have any sense without him. Van Dijk is Klopp's main player in defence and we can say that he is a glue that sticks everything together.
His presence on the field brings security to the whole squad. Liverpool conceded only 7 goals in the first 19 matches in Premier League. This tells you how good Liverpool defense is and the real commandant is Virgil.
Van Dijk came to Liverpool last January in a big-money transfer from Southampton. He became the most expensive defensive player in the history. But, when you see what he brings on the field, it can be said that he is worthy of every penny.
#2 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The second best player in Premier League so far this season is another Liverpool player, Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian is the main attacking force in Jurgen Klopp's squad that leads them towards Premier League title. Salah has 12 goals and 6 assists which means that he contributed to 41.86 % Liverpool goals in Premier League this season.
Salah had a very slow start of the season and because of that, many fans started to call him a 'one season wonder'. However, with the progression of the season, Salah improved his form. In December, he scored 5 goals and provided 2 assists. The main difference in comparison to the last season is that Mo Salah now plays as the centre-forward with Roberto Firmino playing mostly behind him.
Jurgen Klopp and his team dream about winning the Premier League in May. In order to accomplish that, Salah must retain this form because he is their most important player.
#1 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
And finally, the best player in Premier League so far is Eden Hazard. The Belgium captain scored 10 goals and provided 9 assists. So, he contributed to 19 Chelsea goals this season which is more than any other player in Premier League this season.
In the last game against Watford which Chelsea won 1-2, Hazard scored both goals. These goals were his 100th and 101st goal in Chelsea shirt. He is the 10th player in Chelsea history to reach 100 goals. It is fair to say that Hazard enjoys his life under Maurizio Sarri. 'Sarriball' is a perfect system for a player like Eden.
At the beginning of the season, Hazard played on the left wing. However, he now plays as the center-forward because Sarri is disappointed with Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud. In 4 matches played at this new position, Hazard scored 4 goals and provided 3 assists. He is in a flourishing form since the start of the season and definitely deserves to be in the first place of this list.
