10. Harry Maguire, Leicester (£17m)
Maguire’s two Premier League assists are the most of any centre-back this season
Not much has gone right this season for Leicester, although things could have been a whole lot worse without the calming presence of Maguire at the back. After marking his arrival with a goal and assist in his first two league games, Maguire’s performances were still being noticed even while Leicester were in the relegation zone, and the 26-year-old has continued to be quietly excellent.
A lack of speed at the back is one of the main reasons why Leicester struggled last season, and Wes Morgan has certainly benefited from having a younger partner. With Maguire taking the initiative, Morgan can play in a more limited sweeping role.
9. Jack Cork, Burnley (£10m)
Cork has covered more ground than any other Premier League player this season
Sean Dyche was full of praise for his new central midfielder following the 1-0 victory over Newcastle on Monday night, hailing “his game knowledge and his understanding of the Premier League”.
Cork’s composure in possession and defensive discipline have long made him one of the most underrated players in the country. The lack of mainstream attention is partly because he often blocks out the defensive midfield space in a way that doesn’t involve racking up his tackling or interception statistics.
Cork is outstanding in possession, rarely misplaces his passes and generally dictates the tempo – as he did on Monday, making 51 passes in a dominant display at Turf Moor. Ever-present this season, Cork is blossoming in an environment that provides him with consistent first-team action.
8. Richarlison, Watford (£11.5m)
39% of Watford’s attacks have gone down the left this season (the third-highest in the division), reflecting how often Richarlison’s team-mates are giving him the ball
Some glaring misses against Stoke and Chelsea over the last two weeks made it clear that Richarlison is far from a finished product, but the 20-year-old Brazilian has the flair and confidence to become the lynchpin of Marco Silva’s new project.
Three goals and two assists from nine league starts is a terrific return for a young player in a new country, although there are signs that heightened expectations are getting the better of him. In matches against Everton and Stoke, it led to some ill-advised dribbling and nervous finishes from the youngster.
Nevertheless, Richarlison is hugely talented and offers directness and speed that is largely absent elsewhere in the Watford squad.
7. Mario Lemina, Southampton (£18m)
Lemina’s 91.1% pass accuracy is higher than any non-defender in the Premier League
Players in Lemina’s mould are incredibly difficult to find. His calm but incisive distribution of the ball at the base of midfield has arguably been the only bright spot of an underwhelming season so far for Southampton. Strong in the tackle and quick to anticipate a loose ball, Lemina is pulling all the strings at St. Mary’s.
At just 24 he is still learning about the Premier League, and the former Juventus midfielder will surely only get better. He has the potential to establish himself as one of the best midfielders in the country by the end of 2017/18.
6. Davinson Sanchez, Tottenham Hotspur (£42m)
Sanchez’s 93.6% pass accuracy is second only to that of John Stones in the Premier League
Adapting to life in English football after receiving your education in the Netherlands isn’t easy – just ask Vincent Janssen. Given that Sanchez is just 21, arrived for a huge fee and didn’t even get a pre-season with Mauricio Pochettino, it’s quite remarkable how comfortably he has slipped into Spurs' back three.
Sanchez is both strong and quick, adding mobility to central defence that Eric Dier wasn’t able to provide last season. The former Ajax defender hasn’t made headlines yet in England, but if anything that's testament to the remarkable ease of his transition to life in London. Sanchez looks like he’s been part of the Tottenham defence for years.
5. Romelu Lukaku, Man United (£75m)
Lukaku has three assists and seven goals in 10 Premier League games for Man United
When Jose Mourinho said that “Romelu is one of the players that should be untouchable in terms of the respect of everyone” earlier this week, he had a point. Only Leroy Sane has scored and assisted more Premier League goals this season than Lukaku’s 10. He was won more aerial duels (3.8 per game) than in any of his previous five Premier League seasons. In terms of his crossing, passes completed, pass accuracy and assists, he is either equal to or better than Harry Kane.
Statistics don’t necessarily reflect on-field events, but it’s important to highlight data when discussing Lukaku purely because so much of his work goes unnoticed – sometimes deliberately, it would seem. The Belgian is currently struggling for confidence and on a six-match goalless streak, but it won’t last much longer.
Lukaku was signed to score goals against stubborn, mid-table opponents. He is doing this job superbly.
4. Sead Kolasinac, Arsenal (free)
No Arsenal player has a higher goals and assists total (five) across all competitions than Kolasinac this season
It didn’t take long for Kolasinac to endear himself to Arsenal fans and prove that he’s precisely the sort of aggressive, forward-thinking defender this team has been missing. Arsenal’s opening-day comeback victory against Leicester was defined by the Bosnian’s surging runs in possession, breaking the first line of the Foxes’ defence and shaking his team-mates out of a familiar slumber.
Kolasinac has been grabbing games by the scruff ever since, and last weekend’s performance against Swansea was his finest to date. At 1-0 down, the 24-year-old grabbed a goal and an assist to turn the game on its head. Arsene Wenger has finally found a fierce leader capable of lifting the crowd and changing the shape of a Premier League game.
3. Pascal Gross, Brighton (£3m)
Gross has scored or set up 70% of Brighton’s 10 league goals so far this season
The 26-year-old German midfielder, signed from Ingolstadt, has been a revelation for Chris Hughton’s side this season. Gross is deployed as a No.10 in Brighton’s 4-4-1-1 formation, although he tends to drift alongside striker Glenn Murray and run into the channels like a second forward (not dissimilar to Dele Alli at Tottenham).
Incredibly, Gross has already bagged five assists and two goals in the Premier League this season, making him statistically the most prolific midfielder who isn't based in Manchester. Four of his assists have been superb, whipped crosses into the penalty area (leading to four headed goals), which underlines how important he will continue to be throughout the campaign. Set-piece goals and early crosses have often formed a major part of Hughton’s tactics.
2. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool (£36.9m)
Salah is the top goalscorer in the Champions League among non-strikers, with four goals
It’s no surprise that Salah, who scored or assisted 29 goals in all competitions for Roma last season, has hit the ground running at Liverpool. His directness in possession and speed on the flanks makes him the perfect foil for Sadio Mane and well-suited to the counter-pressing tactics of Jurgen Klopp.
Having received an education at Chelsea, Salah didn’t need any time to adapt to Premier League football; he has already scored 10 goals in just 16 games in all competitions for Liverpool.
Salah’s arrival has also freed up Philippe Coutinho to play in a deeper central midfield role, which means he can pierce the first line of opposition defences and help Liverpool tackle a long-standing issue: how to break through teams that sit deep.
1. Ederson, Man City (£35m)
Ederson’s 83.7% pass success rate ranks him first among goalkeepers and 69th overall in the Premier League. The next-best keeper, Thibault Courtois on 70%, is way down in 211th
The rise of Manchester City’s Brazilian goalkeeper has been extraordinary. Ederson only broke into the Benfica first team in March 2016 but is already one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, and earned plaudits from all corners for his unbelievable distribution.
On numerous occasions this season, the 24-year-old has received a backpass while under pressure from high-pressing forwards, only to split the ball through the lot of them and calmly recycle possession. He is fast becoming the fulcrum of City’s possession-dominant tactics, preventing aggressive opponents from disrupting the rhythm of Pep Guardiola’s team.
City’s high line means Ederson’s traditional goalkeeping skills are rarely tested (he has made just 10 saves this season, the fewest in the division), but that brave header in the face of Sadio Mane’s flying boot suggests he is more than just a good technician.
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