Premier League: Three players to watch out for post international break
The Premier League returns after a two-week hiatus, as the season continues to take shape following the international break.
The North London teams have grappled at the top, remaining the only teams yet to taste defeat this season. All eyes will also be on Manchester City, who lost a pair of consecutive PL games for the first time since 2018, when they host Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
The battle at the bottom also intensifies, and one can’t look at the table in isolation and predict the volume of tensions floating around those camps. Indeed, all of Luton Town, Burnley, Bournemouth and Sheffield United were condemned to defeats in their last outing.
As always, the superstars, cult heroes and poster boys have set the pace this season. Erling Haaland and Son Heung-Min are amongst the goal leaders, while summer signings Moussa Diaby, James Ward-Prowse and James Maddison are a few who have hit the ground running.
Following eight weeks of scintillating action and a sufficient data set, we look to predict three players who will set the stage on fire in the forthcoming weeks of Premier League proceedings.
#1 Anthony Gordon
Newcastle United have taken several windows to prepare a team capable of rotating, challenging each other and fighting tooth and nail in all competitions. They’ve certainly exceeded expectations, with a 4-1 thumping of Paris Saint-Germain painting the entire Tyneside black and white.
One place they don’t have the depth at the moment is left wing. Harvey Barnes will be out until 2024 at least, leaving Anthony Gordon – Newcastle’s third most expensive signing – as the only option.
And boy has he stepped up.
With two goals and four assists in the division, Gordon has racked up the kind of numbers that the purists were demanding when the Magpies paid in excess of £40 million for him. A goal against Liverpool as well as Sheffield United means he’s already halved last season’s tally.
Gordon has been exceptional with his one-versus-one play; he looks like a sharper, fitter player. Pace was never an issue with the Englishman, but he’s using it to full effect in this Eddie Howe system.
Part of the reason behind Newcastle’s excellent defensive setup starts with players such as Gordon, who work tirelessly in tracking back or starting counterattacks.
After a suspension and well-earned rest, Gordon is ready to go post international break.
#2 Matty Cash
Of the 20 players to top the xGI rankings this term, just one defender makes the list. And that is Matty Cash.
Such has been his relevance in Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, Cash has registered two goals and an assist this season already. He’s playing in an advanced role, sometimes as the system morphs into a 4-4-2.
With Alex Moreno not far from returning, Aston Villa’s full backs will continue to torment opponents as the season wears on.
Cash has been given the license to overload the right flank, as seen by his freedom in the final third. He’s a shooter as well, and in very little time, has adapted an eye-catching chemistry with Diaby and Ollie Watkins.
With West Ham, Luton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham lying in wait, Cash is one that can impress the contemporary football viewer with his effective, gung-ho style of play.
#3 Mohamed Salah
Salah isn’t close to Haaland, Son or Alexandar Isak in terms of goals.
He’s in a different role this season. Instead, he’s Liverpool’s orchestrator-in-chief, having created as many as nine big chances this season. And even when he isn’t at the end of the chances or a focal point at times, Salah has come up with five league goals.
We’re at a point where it seems as though Salah breaks records every week, either for club or the league.
Much to Jurgen Klopp’s anguish, Liverpool haven’t won in the league since the 24th of September. That doesn’t signal anything remotely close to a crisis but is more of a wake up call if they’re to challenge for the title.
With the summer signings they assembled, the brand of football they’re playing once again and the goals flowing in, it’s difficult to look past Liverpool this season.
The key to that success will be Salah.
He’s hit the type of form that lays testament to Liverpool rejecting several bids from Al Ittihad in the summer, including a whopping £150m offer.
But he must go a step further for Liverpool. The Egyptian king might be enroute to another chartbusting season.
-Roy Akarshak
Twitter: @RoyAkarshak
Photo: Анна Нэсси. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.