Discussing which Premier League players have surprised us so far this season…
The January transfer window has been and gone, and the Premier League season is now well into its second-half. While Chelsea and Manchester City – the top flight’s two runaway leaders – have dominated the headlines, there have been plenty of other players playing a starring role in their respective sides’ plights.
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In the list below, we rank the ten surprise stars who have impressed so far this season, proving themselves as the most underrated players around:
10) Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City)
The former Arsenal number two stepped out of the shadows when he joined Swansea this summer, and has since established himself as a Premier League regular. His performances have been consistently impressive this term, and has been a large part of his new side’s defensive stability.
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9) Danny Ings (Burnley)
The young striker has returned from injury with a bang, and currently leads Burnley’s top scorers list this season. There were doubts over whether he’d make the grade in the Premier League, but those doubters have quickly been proved wrong.
8) Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton)
Clyne has been an integral part of Southampton’s surprise top four push this season, and his performances have also caught the eye of England manager Roy Hodgson. He was handed his his first cap late last year, and has attracted attention from a number of top clubs.
7) Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)
The Icelandic midfielder was a fringe player at Tottenham, but has returned to South Wales to establish himself as the club’s most important star. He has consistently impressed, and has truly shown Spurs what they let go.
6) Diafra Sakho (West Ham United)
The Senegalese striker stirred up controversy when he ditched his country’s African Cup of Nations campaign in order to remain with the Hammers, but it’s not hard to see why Sam Allardyce was so desperate to keep hold of their top scorer.
5) Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers)
Only Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero have outscored Charlie Austin so far this season, and his form is all the more impressive when you consider Rangers’ are struggling down at the foot of the table.
4) Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)
The Danish midfielder has pulled the strings all season for Tottenham, while he’s also made a habit of scoring crucial late goals. He’s continued to improve throughout the campaign and is now being recognised as one of the best in the league.
3) Jose Fonte (Southampton)
You could forgive Southampton fans for worrying about their defensive stability at the start of the season, with Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers, and Dejan Lovren all part of the Saint Mary’s exodus witnessed this past summer. the Portuguese international has brilliantly stepped into the void however, and has looked rock solid at the back throughout the campaign.
2) Stewart Downing (West Ham United)
Downing was the subject of plenty of criticism following his failed stint at Liverpool, and a difficult start to his time with West Ham didn’t help. He’s been nothing short of brilliant so far this season however, even earning a shock England recall.
1) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
The Spurs striker has been in sublime form so far this season, and is already closing in on the 20 goal mark in all competitions. After years of being farmed out on loan and watching on from the bench, he is finally starting to look like the top quality forward Tottenham have been lacking for so long.