9. Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea, 32)
One of the things that’s changed since Carlos Carvalhal arrived at Swansea is their defence. The Welsh side have the best backline among the relegation candidates, and that record would have been even better had they not been hammered by Manchester City recently: that kind of thing can happen.
Fabianski has been a huge part of that: observe, for example, the recent game against Huddersfield when Swansea had a man sent off after 10 minutes, but thanks to the Pole’s excellence managed to escape with a draw. In an understated way, away from the glare of Arsenal, he has turned into an excellent goalkeeper.
8. Nacho Monreal (Arsenal, 32)
Few Arsenal players have escaped this season with their reputations enhanced, but Monreal might be one of them. He’s nobody’s idea of a world-beating left-back, but the Spaniard has performed well nonetheless and gained something of a cult following for his (weirdly good) goalscoring.
Monreal has popped up with six this term – not bad considering he only got two last season, and one in the two-and-a-half campaigns before that. He’s been dependable in a back three or four, and while Arsenal have plenty of problems, he’s not one of them.
7. Antonio Valencia (Manchester United, 32)
The Secret Footballer once said that trying to block a clearance by Valencia was like being hit by a train. You can well believe it. When the Ecuadorian first filled in as a full-back he looked lost; a man out of place – because he was, as a winger asked to do a defender’s job. But over time he’s adapted to be one of the most reliable right-backs in the Premier League. Nothing too fussy, nothing spectacular, just steady consistency – enough to earn him Manchester United’s player-of-the-year award in 2016/17.
Jose Mourinho described him as the best right-back in the world last year, which might be a bit much, but United certainly haven’t had to worry about that position while he’s been there.
6. Stephen Ward (Burnley, 32)
When Burnley signed Charlie Taylor from Leeds last summer, he looked like another young graduate from the second tier that Sean Dyche would mould into a top-flight performer. But he’s barely had the chance, broadly thanks to the form of Stephen Ward, a doughty old soldier who has kept ploughing up and down that left flank for most of the season.
Bar a couple of months out around the turn of the year, the Irishman has been an automatic choice for Burnley. It may or may not be a coincidence that they didn’t win any of the fixtures he missed.
5. Glenn Murray (Brighton, 34)
The benefit of being a player who has pretty much always looked 34 – in face, body, movement and style – is that actually reaching 34 suddenly isn’t such a big deal. "Glenn has always had a know-how on how to score goals,” said Brighton manager Chris Hughton earlier this season – and he wasn’t wrong: the 13 goals Murray has scored already this season match the total he’d managed in his previous four top-flight campaigns combined.
The concern for all promoted teams is goals, but thanks to Murray (and a few others, in fairness), Brighton haven’t had to worry too much.
4. James Milner (Liverpool, 32)
Lots of Liverpool players have received credit this season, but Milner hasn’t been one of them. He’ll be used to that, though: his has been a career of steady, under-the-radar consistency, and it’s been no different this term.
After filling in at left-back last season, the 32-year-old has been back in midfield this: not an automatic choice, but once again proving himself as a Swiss Army knife player, doing a job wherever a job it’s required. Boring, perhaps, but sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed.
3. Ashley Young (Manchester United, 32)
Young’s transformation from inconsistent, ill-balanced winger into a dependable and enjoyably nasty full-back has been one of the weirder developments of the last few years. Clearly, he’d rather be back in his old position, and is playing where he does now out of necessity: it’s left-back or nothing. But this head-scratching revival has been the perfect example of a man making the best of what he has.
There’s a good chance he’ll make England’s World Cup squad, too. What a world.
2. Fernandinho (Manchester City, 32)
You youngsters will know Pep Guardiola has been a pretty good manager for a while now. But before that, your dad might tell you he was a pretty good midfielder too. But not as good as Fernandinho – according to the Manchester City manager, anyway. “No way. No way,” Guardiola said in December, when asked if he would have got into his City side. “Fernandinho is much, much better.”
The Brazilian is the point around which most of City’s play revolves, and when he’s not there they can look rather chaotic. One of City’s biggest tests in transfer windows to come will be finding someone to replace him.
1. David Silva (Manchester City, 32)
Even though his shaved head still makes him look like Stephen Ireland, Silva has been as magnificent as he’s ever been this season – which is all the more remarkable considering his age, but more importantly that he’s done so with his newborn son ill in hospital.
Most of us couldn’t concentrate on making a cup of coffee under those circumstances, but the Spaniard has been sensational in directing play with his understated genius. Slightly absurdly, he’s only been in the PFA Team of the Year twice: 2011/12, and this season. Thank you, David.
