TT’s Player of the Year ladder: Assist king leads; 4 Liverpool stars in top 10

Our new feature ranks the players leading the charge to be named Player of the Year – and it’s no shock to see our embryonic top 10 dominated by stars from Man City and Liverpool.

 

Every month we’ll be ranking the Premier League’s 10 best players in a bid to calculate who is on course to be crowned Player of the Year.

We’ll explain our thoughts, show you the climbers and fallers and name the players threatening to break into the top 10….

 

1/ Kevin De Bruyne

The Belgian has eight Premier League assists already! That’s twice as many as anyone else. And if you could add artistic merit points for said assists – those whipped first-time crosses that are impossible to defend – KDB would be even further clear.

2/ Sadio Mane

The Liverpool forward is rightly now considered by some as the Reds’ most potent marksmen and has been a huge threat in every match he’s played this season. Seven goals in 10 matches so far is one thing, but the way he runs at defenders and has them on the back foot is just so pleasing on the eye.

3/ Sergio Aguero

The Premier League’s leading marksman with eight goals and had scored in every game until missing out at Goodison. Then again, he only came off the bench after 66 minutes. Two assists and has twice smashed the woodwork.

4/ Raheem Sterling

Started the season like a house on fire with that hat-trick at West Ham and his goal count is already into double figures when adding his two England strikes to his nine for City (six in the Premier League).

5/ Virgil van Dijk

It could be argued that fellow central defender Joel Matip has been just as good but the Dutchman is still the rock and defensive organiser. The Reds have wobbled a little at the back – none more so than Wednesday night against RB Salzburg – but still have the joint-best defensive record – five goals in seven games – to date.

6/ Trent Alexander-Arnold

Two assists and that brilliant free-kick to open the scoring in the 2-1 win at Chelsea. The ball just comes off his foot fast. Some important clearances too despite the odd caught-upfield lapse and has pelted in a league-leading 68 crosses, 13 more than Lucas Digne in second.

7/ Ricardo Pereira

It’s quite a battle for best right-back of the season after the first few months and Leicester’s Portuguese ace has strong claims. Part of a backline which has conceded just five goals (joint-lowest with Liverpool) and has netted in the last two homes games against Spurs and Newcastle. His 33 tackles is joint highest.

 

 

8/ Tammy Abraham

Has rebounded superbly from the decisive missed penalty in the Super Cup defeat to Liverpool with seven Premier League goals. A key figure in Frank’s revolution.

9/ Joel Matip

Offers something different to Van Dijk in that he carries the ball forward, often going deep into opposition territory. Calm and composed and his form is keeping Joe Gomez on the bench. A free transfer don’t forget.

10/ Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

A goalscoring machine. Shared the Golden Boot with Mane and Salah last season and his Premier League tally of seven in seven is currently the same as the two Liverpool men combined (Salah 4, Mane 3).

 

Bubbling under

Mason Mount, Teemu Pukki, James Maddison, Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, Callum Wilson, John McGinn, Roberto Firmino.