While big names grab the headlines, a host of players have escaped front-page attention but are key to their side’s fortunes…
Diego Costa. Cesc Fabregas. Angel di Maria. Alexis Sanchez. These are just four names that have dominated the headlines during the start of the current Premier League campaign. However, they are not the only stars worthy of recognition.
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The Guardian recently published a list of ten unsung Premier League heroes who have escaped front-page attention, but are key to their side’s fortunes. Have a look through the list in full and see if you agree with the choices:
Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City)
Flourishing with regular first-team football, the 29-year-old has kept five clean sheets in the Premier League this season and impressed his fellow defenders, the manager Garry Monk and supporters alike with his authority in the penalty area.
Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United)
Manchester United and Stoke City posed the summer signing a few difficult tests but his delivery, creativity (only Stewart Downing has made more chances for them) and attacking prowess have played a key part in West Ham United’s rise to fourth.
Ryan Bertrand (Southampton)
Southampton’s polished attacking football under Ronald Koeman has demanded acclaim but Bertrand, signed on a season-long loan from Chelsea, is improving by the week in the league’s meanest defence.
Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion)
Albion rejected Burnley’s persistent summer advances and their stance has been rewarded with the 24-year-old seizing the chance presented by Jonas Olsson’s demotion and forming a decent partnership alongside Joleon Lescott.
Ayoze Perez (Newcastle United)
Three goals in his past three games, the latest an exquisite back-heel against West Brom that demonstrated rare technical ability, have helped transform Newcastle and suggested they have landed another bargain.
Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke City)
The Senegal international never got a chance at Man United, and did not fare much better on loan at Blackburn, but with confidence restored by a productive stint at Hannover, he has made an impact on English football at the third time of asking.
José Fonte (Southampton)
Fonte deserves rich credit for marshalling a defence that lost two key pieces, Shaw and Dejan Lovren, in the summer. The 30-year-old was appointed captain by Koeman, and his form was recognised with a first call into the Portugal squad last month.
Richard Dunne (QPR)
As his display against Manchester City at the weekend illustrated, Dunne continues to read the game superbly and his experience and availability will be invaluable for Harry Redknapp’s attempts to preserve QPR’s top-flight status.
Mark Noble (West Ham United)
The former Under-21 captain has been ever-dependable for Sam Allardyce and epitomised the spirit in the side this season when playing on with a calf injury against Liverpool that subsequently kept him out for a fortnight.
Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)
Ivanovic is clearly appreciated inside Chelsea, where it matters, but rarely gets a mention in a team elevated by the summer signings of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas. Ivanovic may not tick all the boxes for a modern full-back but demonstrated once again at Anfield on Saturday that there are few better defenders in the Premier League.
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