Top 5 most underrated players in the Premier League

The Premier League is widely considered as the world's best and most unpredictable competition. Naturally, many of the top players - worldwide - feature on a weekly basis in the division but extended focus on their respective performances at different sides sees some of the more hard-working, impressive players flourishing quietly don't get the recognition they fully deserve.

With that in mind, here's a list of five underrated players who are currently playing across England's top-flight:

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#5 Pascal Gross (Brighton)

Gross in action during Brighton's 1-1 draw with Arsenal late last month

When he originally joined Brighton, it was mentioned that Pascal Gross had created the most chances in the Bundesliga during the previous season - the league collectively shrugged.

Brighton spending £3m on a player from relegated Ingolstadt was not major news, regardless of how it was spun. However during his first season in England, he managed to score seven and create eight assists: having a direct hand in 44% of Brighton's goals.

Wilfried Zaha contributed the same overall total, which only accounted for 27% of Palace's goals over the course of that campaign. His contributions in the final third also outweighed those of experienced forward Glenn Murray, which accounts for his landslide victory in Brighton's Player of the Year accolade.

Despite all of this though, the lack of interest in Gross' services over last summer was a surprise, even with his long-term contract deal in place until June 2022.

There are rumours suggesting Liverpool could make a move in the current window, which make sense - the experienced German could settle quickly alongside better teammates and create more chances alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, in comparison to Solly March and the aforementioned Murray.

#4 Nathan Ake (AFC Bournemouth)

Ake has proven his worth with regular first-team minutes under his belt in recent seasons

2018 was Ethan Ampadu's year of emergence, something that Nathan Ake experienced five years earlier. Voted the club's young player of the year and had played three times for the first-team at 17. Since then, it seemed as though he was inevitably taking the Lucas Piazon route - endless loans before quietly slipping into mediocrity.

Instead though, he has developed himself into one of the league's most consistent defenders on the south Coast at Bournemouth. So far this season, he's one of 10 outfield players who have played every minute - alongside defensive partner Steve Cook - ranks in the division's top five for clearances and leads the league for shots blocked.

His impressive form hasn't gone unnoticed, either. Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United are all said to be monitoring his progress, which seems typical since the Blues were content in letting him leave permanently just two years ago.

#3 Idrissa Gueye (Everton)

Gueye in action during Everton's recent fixture away against Brighton

Being known as the mini N'Golo Kante - or drawing comparisons to the Chelsea midfielder - would be seen as an extraordinary compliment to most players. To Idrissa Gana Gueye, it does him a disservice. Since leaving the abysmal Aston Villa side to join Everton in 2016, he has completed the most tackles of anyone in the Premier League.

So far this season, no-one across Europe's top five leagues has completed more tackles and interceptions than the 29-year-old. Despite these statistics, Arsenal's Lucas Torreira has already leapfrogged him in the discussion for the league's best defensive-midfielder.

With the exception of Kante and Manchester City's Fernandinho, it's actually hard to look beyond Gueye when you delve deeper. Even though most would assume the likes of Nemanja Matic and Victor Wanyama would prove far superior.

Gueye is perhaps a victim of Everton's stuttering form more than anything else. If he had the likes of say, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez in-front of him, making the most of the possession which he so regularly regains, his transfer value would be considerably higher and he'd probably have earned a big-money move elsewhere by now.

#2 Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham)

Fabianski quickly emerged as one of West Ham's best and most consistent performers

Last season, Lukasz Fabianski made 137 saves for Swansea City - just behind league leader Jack Butland, whose Stoke side were relegated to the Championship. Swansea followed them to England's second tier, after losing a crucial six-pointer against Southampton in the final few weeks of the campaign.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Relegated sides face more shots, so naturally their 'keepers will inevitably end up making more saves. However, only two players outperformed Fabianski in terms of save percentage, despite playing more minutes than any of the others across the top ten. He also saved three penalties, a league-high that season.

West Ham signed him that summer for just £7m and so far this term, he again ranks second in terms of saves made, and fourth in save percentage. Liverpool's record-breaking Alisson Becker, Tottenham's World Cup-winning Hugo Lloris and Arsenal's Petr Cech - who has played less than 600 minutes this term, all boast better.

From the only spot-kick he's faced this campaign, he's saved. Someone who didn't know better might just conclude he's one of the league's best goalkeepers based on impressive stats like these.

#1 Ryan Fraser (AFC Bournemouth)

Fraser has continued to develop his involvement in the final third this term and is flourishing

People should be more excited about the fact that Bournemouth are serious challengers to the likes of Everton, Leicester and West Ham for 7th place - or best of the rest.

Burnley's surprise campaign last term certainly overshadowed the Cherries, though Eddie Howe has gradually developed a side who are now well beyond the plucky underdog tag which they entered the division with a few years back.

The remarkable thing is that Howe's side consists of players bought in for cheap fees from elsewhere, who have developed over a few seasons into real talents. Ryan Fraser is a better example of this than even Callum Wilson - a league-high nine assists combined with five goals proves he's legitimately one of the league's most exciting attackers.

Rapid, direct and much stronger than his 5ft 4in frame would suggest, Fraser is a player who should be interesting the bigger sides much more than he currently is. For now though, Howe and his coaching staff will be ecstatic at the way his impressive form continues to slip under the radar.