The Premier League season brought an unprecedented range of new challenges for players, managers and fans as a convoluted and congested season was navigated without the most important factor in a football game, the fans.
The drama in the English top-flight was at its typically high level as a total of nine different teams spent time atop the league table this season. With Manchester City sitting in eighth place, seven points behind Liverpool on New Year’s Eve, few would have predicted that Pep Guardiola’s men would be anywhere near the title race. However, the Mancunians did just that and won the title with three games to spare.
As the end of the 2020/21 season quickly appears over the horizon, Football Castle has run through our Premier League Team of the Season.
Defence
Édouard Mendy
The only current African goalkeeper in the Premier League has been a revelation since joining Chelsea ahead of the ongoing season.
At £22 million, The Senegalese has been nothing short of a bargain amidst Chelsea’s summer spending spree as he has made a difference to the Blues’ defence.
Indeed, the Stamford Bridge side went from conceding 54 goals with the eleventh best defence in 2019/20 to only 23 conceded with Mendy between the posts. The 29-year-old’s standing as second candidate for the Golden Glove(16 clean sheets) speaks a lot as he has appeared in only 29 of the 36 league games having joined after the start of the campaign. Mendy has also been able to maintain a mind-blowing 71.2% saves success percentage and 55.2% clean sheets average.
His superb record extends to Europe where he has kept eight clean sheets in 11 Champions League matches this season, the most in a season by a goalkeeper for an English side in the competition’s history.
João Cancelo
Joining City for £60m in 2019, Cancelo had to battle the pressure of being the most expensive player ever in his position, but has gone about proving his worth this season.
Arguably the best full-back in Europe’s top five leagues in 2020/21, Cancelo has been different class on both defensive flanks for City. The Portuguese performs a balancing act in Guardiola’s controlled possession tactics this season when he comes inside and into midfield, he has the passing ability to help control the game and open the opposition up from there.
The 26-year-old’s unique efforts were one of the underrated ingredients of the successful ‘false nine’ tactics this season. However, Football Castle identifies his due recognition here.
Rúben Dias
Dias has been the most integral cog in the City engine which steamrolled to the Premier League title with the impact of the signing of the season, tantamount to Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool.
It is hard to imagine City anywhere near this season’s success without Dias, despite all their attacking firepower.
The 23-year-old was signed as Aymeric Laporte’s central defensive partner but quickly formed a solid partnership with the revived John Stones. Dias’ leadership and old-school defending helped them keep things tight at the back and motivate the Cityzens who went on a 19-game unbeaten run in the Premier League from November as Dias and Stones conceded only three goals, scoring a combined four at the other end.
Harry Maguire
Has had his fair share of critics given his record transfer fee for a defender but he has been very good at the back this season as the Red Devils’ defence has looked solid in recent times. Indeed, United are comfortably second-placed behind Man City and conceded 38 times with him in the side
He has emerged as the leader of this Manchester United team and has formed a very formidable partnership in the heart of defence along with Victor Lindelof.
Maguire has been undroppable for Solskjaer this season having made 52 appearances.
He equaled Gary Pallister’s club record for the most number of league games without being substituted, for the 71st consecutive game against Leeds. However, He couldn’t break the record, as he limped off with apparent ankle ligament damage in the subsequent game against Aston Villa which ruled out of their last three Premier League games of the season.
Luke Shaw
has been one of the league’s most creative players this season despite playing at full-back, but his crossing has been just as immaculate as his defending.
Having battled injury misfortune in the last few years, the England International has impeccably reacted to competition at club level and the sensational race to make Endland’s left-back spot at the European Championship.
Midfield
Tomáš Souček
Was only on loan last season but his unique qualities have been harnessed by David Moyes and he has had a huge impact. Proving his worth as the most expensive player in the history of the Czech league.
Having registered 12.2km covered on average per game, the highest in the league this season.
Souček has been the beating heart of West Ham’s magnificent season and even has nine goals from his box-to-box midfield role to show for his efforts.
Bruno Fernandes
Has been a revelation since joining Man United in January 2020 as he became the first player to win the Player of the Month award four times in a single calendar year.
Fernandes has produced the greatest goal scoring season of any Premier League midfielder in history – and even has 11 assists to emphasize his creative genius, too. He has now been involved in 44 goals (26 goals, 18 assists) in 50 Premier League appearances as United secured second place on the standings and are in the Europa League final.
His influence is absolutely monumental for the Red Devils.
Bruno Fernandes breaks Frank Lampard’s record for most goals scored by a Premier League midfielder in a single season, all comps (28) 💥 pic.twitter.com/jSDB4nDhOz
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 13, 2021
Phil Foden
City’s most improved player this season has been their shining light since replacing the departed David Silva in their starting 11.
The 20-year-old overcame personal issues during the first international break of the season as he emerged as Pep Guardiola’s key attacking weapon in his false nine system. Foden drifts all over the attack as he finds and vacates pockets of space alongside his fellow attacking midfielders. The result is seven goals and five assists in 26 Premier League games as he recorded double figures for goals and assists in all competitions.
The City academy graduate is a silky midfielder who glides across the attacking areas and his talent has properly broken through this season with consistent first team football.
Attack
Harry Kane
Has maintained an eye-catching Golden Boot battle with Salah as both are currently tied. However, his staggering output of 21 goals and 13 assists puts him amongst the most complete centre forwards in world football.
The England captain has rebranded his game to take on a more creative role from deep, as his superb range of passing has benefitted Son Heung-Min in particular who loves to run in-behind the defence. This has made Kane a deadlier marksman as he approaches what is undoubtedly the prime of his career.
Despite also topping the assist charts, Kane retains his clinical thirst for goal as he became Tottenham’s second all-time goalscorer this season with 219 goals.
Mohamed Salah
Continues to prove wrong those who write him off every season. The Egyptian began the season sharp with a hattrick on opening day against Leeds and hasn’t looked back since.
Salah remains Liverpool’s top dog and could still bag a third Golden Boot with 21 goals already, and now has Africa’s Premier League goal record in his sights.
Son Heung-Min
Got his individual campaign up and running with four goals in a 5-2 thrashing of Southampton, all assisted by Kane. The 28-year-old has been key to Tottenham being the fourth-best goalscorers in the league this season as his partnership with Kane became the deadliest duo in a single season in English top-flight history with the most goal combinations(14).
The South Korean is enjoying his most prolific league campaign with 17 goals and 10 assists in 34 appearances as his partnership with Kane promises a bright future for the Spurs faithful.
Player of the Year: Harry Kane
Young Player of The Year: Phil Foden
What do you think of Football Castle’s Premier League Team of the Season and Players of the Year selections? Do you have a different opinion? Let us know in the comments!
