Everton - Idrissa Gueye
The Senegalese international has been a rock in the Everton midfield since his arrival in 2015. His 144 tackles and 141 interceptions ranked first in the league last season, even ahead of the highly regarded N'Golo Kante.
It is a surprise that no club approached the Toffees for the services of Gueye this summer, given his consistent performances in the last two seasons. He has continued his high standards this season as well without catching the eye of many.
Huddersfield Town - Christopher Schindler
Huddersfield's story of the season is quite similar to Brighton's - a tight defence enabling them to survive in the league. Schindler has been the standout performer at the back for the Terriers.
He is third in the league in clearances made, which are of utmost importance as David Wagner's side are used to defending in the majority of the games. The German international is certainly impressing in his debut Premier League season.