There are a number of unsung heroes in the Premier League, even at the biggest clubs, so we thought we’d make those unsung heroes, well, sung, for a change and put them together in our Underrated XI.
Read on to see who we went for, with stars from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City to some at Southampton, Norwich City and Burnley…
Bernd Leno (Arsenal)
Anyone notice this guy’s actually a pretty good goalkeeper? Once Arsenal get some decent defenders in front of Bernd Leno, they should be set, with the German shot-stopper finally showing top form after a bit of a slow start to life at the Emirates Stadium. Undoubtedly one of the most underrated ‘keepers in the Premier League right now.
Ben Mee (Burnley)
One of the most solid and reliable centre-backs in the division, Burnley’s Ben Mee is not a name you hear particularly often, so we’ve given him a central role in our slightly Garth Crooks-esque back three here.
Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City)
Also in the defence is immense Leicester City right-back Ricardo Pereira. The Portugal international may not be Trent Alexander-Arnold, but he’s a superbly reliable performer at both ends of the pitch, playing a key role in this Leicester side turning into genuine top four contenders this season.
Lucas Digne (Everton)
Another fine attacking full-back, Lucas Digne has done a fine job at Everton, showing perhaps that bigger clubs like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain overlooked his talents earlier in his career, with his assists and ability from free-kicks making him an ideal outlet on that left-hand side.
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City)
How does this guy not attract transfer links with bigger clubs? Wilfred Ndidi has never put a foot wrong since joining Leicester City as a relatively unknown youngster a few years ago, and at 23 he still has his best years ahead of him. Surely the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham will soon see this guy as an upgrade on some of their midfield options?
Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
A player finally starting to get some recognition, Jordan Henderson has long been a reliable performer for Liverpool, but has now stepped his game up a level to become a hugely important leader in Jurgen Klopp’s side as they look to finally win the Premier League title this season and perhaps retain their Champions League crown. He doesn’t get the same hype as the likes of Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk, but if LFC win big this season, they’ll have this man to thank.
Emi Buendia (Norwich City)
A fine performer for Norwich City in the Championship last season to help them to promotion, young Argentine winger Emi Buendia is now doing it at Premier League level too, contributing a hugely impressive seven assists so far this term, showing he surely has a future in the top flight even if Norwich end up going back down come May.
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
It might seem a bit silly to call a former PFA Player of the Year winner underrated, but it’s fair to say Riyad Mahrez’s slow start at Manchester City saw him fall off the radar a little bit. The Algerian winger is now back to his best and looking just as potent a force in City’s attack as the likes of Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva, helping ensure Leroy Sane hasn’t been too badly missed.
Raul Jimenez (Wolves)
Wolves fans will certainly be aware of his talents, and it seems like the rest of the Premier League is also starting to appreciate just how good Raul Jimenez is. The Mexican front-man has an impressive haul of 37 goals in 81 appearances in all competitions for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, and a number of Manchester United fans were recently raving about him on Twitter and urging Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to sign him.
Richarlison (Everton)
Richarlison has been a fairly big name for a while now, but after a quiet start to life at Everton he’d perhaps slipped off the radar. Now back to his best, the young Brazilian is showing what a top talent he is and what a big career he surely has ahead of him.
Danny Ings (Southampton)
Many people probably thought Danny Ings was finished after his injury-hit spell at Liverpool, but he’s proving critics wrong with a superb return in front of goal this season. The 27-year-old has played a major part in Southampton’s revival with 14 goals in 22 Premier League games, with this kind of form surely putting him in contention for an England place at Euro 2020 this summer.
Premier League Underrated XI in full:
