Top 5 highly rated midfielders in the Premier League

The Premier League has seen some amazing players play in England and enrich the quality of the game and this season too there are plenty of such players to look forward to. Not all the top rated players have played as per their reputations but there is no denial of their talent and capabilities.

We take a look at five of the top highly talented and renowned midfielders in the league, who may not be at their best but with the abilities they possess, it wouldn't take them time to dominate in the league.

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#5 Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)

It is safe to say that it has not gone all well for Mesut Ozil ever since he was seen meeting the Turkish President before the 2018 World Cup. The criticism he received after Germany’s poor performance in the World Cup in Russia this year indirectly instigated the former Real Madrid player to retire from international football. While it was surprising news then, it is sad news to bear with.

Ozil is one of the finest creative midfielders when on song. His form with Arsenal hasn’t been at the top level but there is no denial about the capability of what the German can do on his day. Ozil registered 8 assists and scored 4 goals last season in 26 appearances. He sure can do better than this and with new manager Unai Emery at Arsenal, the German midfielder is touted to play at his ultimate best and hopefully recreate the form he was in at Madrid under Jose Mourinho.

#4 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

Pogba seems to be in fine touch this summer

One can argue that Paul Pogba deserved to be higher in this list and while it is true, Pogba is yet to flourish his best in the Premier League. Pogba is an incredible midfielder with loads of tricks and abilities under his belt. The former Juventus man seems to have struggled to reach his best at Manchester United. It is not that he has been poor but with a player of his abilities, he can be very effectively destructive.

He scored 6 goals last season and assisted in 10 others. His most useful contribution came in the Manchester derby in the second half of the season against Manchester City where his brace helped United make a comeback and register a 3-2 win. Such matches have shown glimpses of what Pogba is capable of and also his performances in the 2018 World Cup showed how he can be mature and classy at the same time.

If Pogba can get it all together at United, the Red Devils have to be seriously taken as one of the strong candidates to win the Premier League this season.

#3 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)

Eriksen will be key to Spurs' chances of finishing in the Top Four this season

There is no denying that the Danish midfielder is one of the most underrated players both in the Premier League and in the world right now. His contributions for Tottenham Hotspur have been immense and do not get much attention as the London side struggle to win trophies.

Nevertheless, Eriksen is an incredible player. His passing and playmaking abilities are a sheer delight to watch. His ability to play efficiently with both his feet make him a very special player. It is unfortunate that the Spurs midfielder hasn’t been able to win any trophy with the North London side.

Eriksen scored 10 goals and made 10 assists last season and it is safe to say that he was the one who got the Danish team ticking in the World Cup. Mauricio Pochettino will be looking to make better use of Eriksen this season as the Danish midfielder is one of the most prolific goalscoring midfielders in the Premier League.

#2 N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)

Kante will be one of Chelsea's most important players under Sarri this season

Consistency is what defines the contribution of N’Golo Kante. Kante got the recognition of a being a tireless midfielder right from his Leicester City days. It was the Foxes’ triumph in the Premier League that got Kante more appreciation and earned him a big move to Chelsea. It is not just at the club level that the Frenchman has shown what he’s capable of.

His performance in the 2018 World Cup was of utmost importance in France winning the tournament. Kante with his high work-rate, tremendous ability to read the game and win the ball back has been amazing to watch.

Kante made an incredible 82 interceptions last season, the most among the midfielders in the Premier League. He may not be regularly involved in assisting or scoring but his contribution in the midfield more than suffice.

Maurizio Sarri will be blessed to have a player like Kante at his disposal. Sarri would be hoping that with Kante in the heart of the pitch would allow his attackers to openly express themselves and that the Frenchman will help big time in protecting his back four to win the ball back.

#1 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

De Bruyne is arguably Premier League's best midfielder right now

When we discuss the top five midfielders in the world, there is no way that someone would like to leave out Kevin De Bruyne out of that list. From being a bench warmer at Chelsea to becoming one of the finest midfielders in the world, De Bruyne has surely come a long way in his career.

It is no surprise how the Belgian midfielder was very impressive in the World Cup. He had a stellar season with Manchester City last season, contributing by scoring eight goals and registering 14 assists. And it is not just the goals and assists but his passing was exquisite to watch. He created 96 chances last season, making 2078 passes in total in the 37 appearances he made.

Pep Guardiola bestows a lot of confidence in Kevin De Bruyne and it doesn’t come as a surprise given how effective the Belgian is on the pitch. But with recent reports predicting that a knee injury in training might keep De Bruyne out of the game for two to three months, it will be a big concern for Pep Guardiola and City and they can only hope that the Belgian recovers the soonest and is back helping them defend their title.