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The Premier League era has seen many a talented youngster coming to the fore, especially in recent times.
With fewer competitions and games in the footballing calendar in the pre-Premier League era, clubs could afford to field their strongest XIs in virtually every match. However, the demands of the modern game have become such that Premier League teams need to have large squads to be competitive in the tournaments they play in.
That has meant more first-team opportunities for youngsters and academy graduates of Premier League clubs, something that has been evident in the 2020-21 season as well.
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The ongoing Premier League season has featured a fair share of exciting young prospects led by the likes of Phil Foden, Mason Greenwood and Emile Smith-Rowe. However, some of them have failed to make a mark this season.
On that note, let’s take a look at five such youngsters who have underwhelmed in the Premier League this season.
#1 Eric Garcia | Manchester City
Spain international Eric Garcia has fallen far down the pecking order at Manchester City, as he currently finds himself as the newly-crowned Premier League champions' fifth-choice centre-back.
Garcia came through the ranks at Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy but departed Camp Nou in 2017 to join Manchester City. The 20-year old is regarded as one of Spanish football’s brightest prospects but has featured just 11 times for City this season, including five times in the Premier League.
One of the main areas in which Garcia has been found out is his ability in the air - he has won only 1.2 aerial duels out of 3.3 attempted per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season. While the Spaniard has a tackle success rate of above 66% in the league, he has won only 3.3 of the 6.2 duels attempted per 90 minutes this season.
Garcia earned a promotion to City’s senior team in the 2019-20 season, making his Premier League debut against Watford in a thumping 8-0 win. He went on to make 25 appearances across all competitions in his debut season at the English giants.
However, Garcia has only made sporadic first-team appearances this season. After City’s latest signing of Nathan Ake, the 20-year old could have even less game time next campaign.
#2 Brandon Williams | Manchester United
Brandon Williams, a Manchester United academy product, made his Premier League debut in the 2019-20 season and immediately showcased his immense potential.
He racked up 36 appearances in all competitions in his debut campaign and enjoyed a brief run in United’s starting XI, keeping out his senior compatriot Luke Shaw. However, the 20-year-old has made only 13 appearances this season, including nine starts from the bench and just three Premier League outings; he made 17 league appearances last campaign.
While Williams has been going through a steep learning curve - like most youngsters in their sophomore season do - he has been decent in the limited opportunities this season. The resurgence of Luke Shaw, who is now regarded by many as one of England’s finest full-backs, has relegated the 20-year old Williams to the bench, though.
Moreover, Manchester United’s signing of Alex Telles has pushed Williams further down the Red Devils’ pecking order. Even in his limited opportunities this campaign, Williams has been deployed in an unfamiliar right-back role instead of his preferred left-back position.
#3 Dwight McNeil | Burnley
Burnley’s dynamic winger Dwight McNeil enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in the 2018-19 Premier League but has not hit the same heights this season.
McNeil made his debut in the final game of the 2017-18 Premier League season and soon established himself as one of the first names in Burnley’s team sheet. With three goals and five assists in 21 Premier League appearances in his first full season in the competition, McNeil impressed fans and critics alike, earning a more prominent role under Sean Dyche.
The 21-year-old appeared in each of the Clarets’ 38 Premier League games in the 2019-20 season, registering two goals and six assists. Much like Burnley's fortunes, though, McNeil’s goal contributions have dried up this season. He tallied just two goals and three assists in the 2020-21 Premier League before Burnley’s thumping 4-0 win over Wolves last month.
McNeil’s two assists in that game might have boosted his stats for the season, but the youngster has had a very quiet campaign for the Clarets in 2020-21.
#4 Rhian Brewster | Sheffield United
Sheffield United’s record signing Rhian Brewster has massively misfired this season. His poor returns in front of goal have been partly responsible for the Blades’ dismal goal tally of 18 goals in the Premier League this season.
The Englishman earned his name as one of the country's best upcoming talents, especially after his fine showing in the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup in India. Brewster played a starring role in England’s World Cup triumph, winning the Golden Boot for his tally of eight goals and an assist in the tournament.
The former Liverpool youth product enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell with Swansea City in arguably English football’s most gruelling competition, the Championship. The 21-year old scored 11 goals in 22 appearances in the competition, including a goal in Swansea’s playoff clash against Bristol City.
Thanks to his stellar showings belying his young years, Brewster earned a club-record £23.5 million move to Bramall Lane.
However, the Champions League winner is going through one of his worst seasons, as he has failed to register a single goal or assist in 28 appearances for the Blades. That is something he'll look to improve upon next campaign.
#5 Steven Alzate | Brighton & Hove Albion
Steven Alzate burst onto the scene for Brighton in the 2019-20 Premier League season, earning the Man of the Match award in his debut match against Newcastle United.
The Colombian is rated highly, especially for his versatility which allows him to operate in a full-back role or in his preferred position in central midfield. Alzate is also known for his technical prowess along with his maturity beyond his years, which has earning him 19 Premier League appearances in his debut campaign.
Even though the 22-year-old failed to find the back of the net, he was hugely impressive for the Seagulls and was tipped to a permanent fixture for Brighton.
However, Alzate’s career has somewhat stalled this season, as he has made only 15 appearances across all competitions this season, including nine Premier League starts. With 807 Premier League minutes in the 2020-21 season, it would be fair to say that Alzate has not lived up to expectations.
His diminishing exploits this season might see him miss Colombia’s upcoming Copa America campaign this summer.
