Christian Benteke was a man with a point to prove this week. So far this season, the Belgian forward has rarely looked close to the player once tipped with a £25m plus move to Liverpool. However, he grabbed an unlikely hat-trick on Tuesday, during the 3-3 draw with QPR.
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The 24-year-old has scored just 11 goals for club and country since rupturing his achilles in training in March 2014, with eight of those coming since the start of last month.
His progress suggests that he’s edging closer to a return to his full potential, although of course he’s not the only one to be struggling. Just as players enjoy a purple patch in their careers, so they endure plenty of difficult spells as well.
In the list below we count down ten players who have flattered to deceive this year but remain top talents nonetheless…
10) Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
It’s clearly taken him several months of playing regularly to fully recover from last season’s injury woes. However, his hat-trick this week only proves that Villa could be well clear of the relegation zone if he’d been playing at his best.
9) Romelu Lukaku (Everton)
Impossible to stop in Europe but far from a £28m man in the Premier League. Everton took a big risk when they splashed the cash on their former loan star at the summer and will be disappointed that their faith has only been rewarded by eight top flight goals.
8) Adam Lallana (Liverpool)
Liverpool’s marquee summer arrival has flattered to deceive this season. While his lack of top-rate performances have been somewhat swept under the rug in the wake of a couple of other notable failures at the club, his form has simply not lived up to the hype of last year.
7) Edin Dzeko (Manchester City)
It’s difficult to explain the Bosnian’s miserable season in front of goal. So often City’s go to man, even with Sergio Aguero fit and firing, he’s just not been with it this year. The January arrival of Wilfried Bony has further limited his playing time and he has just six goals so far.
6) Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
Injuries have played a huge part in the Dutchman’s decline, although we could also argue that he’s not been the same since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. His former international manager has failed to help him recreate his best form and he’s managed just 10 goals in league football.
5) Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
One of the best players in the Premier League last season but another for whom injuries have taken their toll. Adrenalin and determination seemed to drag him through the back-end of the last campaign and he’s been constantly under-par so far this year.
4) Gaston Ramirez (Hull City / Southampton)
The man who makes Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani tick? The Uruguayan international has looked anything but so far this season. For those hoping that the move away from the South Coast would help him rediscover his best form, it’s been nothing but disappointment.
3) Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur)
Spurs paid £17m for this Brazilian international in the wake of Gareth Bale’s departure a couple of years ago. That seems simply astonishing now, as the once marquee arrival is now resigned to a life on the fringes of Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
2) Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)
The best defender in the world they said… No one seems quite sure what’s gone wrong with Kompany but he’s been all over the place at times this season, for both club and country. The once solid City back-line now look vulnerable, while his recent red card for Belgium summed up his year.
1) Radamel Falcao (Manchester United)
Once the most feared striker in the world. Now, he’s arguably behind United’s youth team players for a spot alongside Wayne Rooney in the Manchester club’s attack. Just four goals have followed his loan move from AS Monaco, a switch which now looks unlikely to be made permanent.