Premier League Team of the Season: Manchester City leads the way
By Ivan Buss
With the Premier League season drawing to a close, it’s time to take a look back at who makes the Team of the Season.
This year has been another exciting season for the Premier League. The best XI constructed below now looks very different from The Top Flight’s best XI so far which was compiled during the World Cup break.
Newcastle United has made it back to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. Arsenal has shown clear signs of progress and pushed City until the final month of the season. Brighton might yet find themselves in the Europa League or Conference League after an incredible season.
On the flip side, Chelsea has bought their way all the way to… 12th place in the table (as of the moment of writing this), one of their worst finishes in Premier League history. Tottenham have struggled to put together results and are left fighting for a European berth. At the bottom half of the table, Southampton will take a dive into the Championship, with Leeds and Leicester not far behind, but yet with much still to be played for on the final day of the season.
Here is a look at my Premier League Team of the season (4-3-3):
GK: Alisson (Liverpool)
Behind an unrecognizable defense for Liverpool this season, a defense that conceded 1.2 goals per game, Alisson conceded 43 himself so far, but he still makes his way into this team for me. His xG faced was 49.96, managed 108 saves over the course of the season, saved 50% of penalties faced, and kept 14 clean sheets, tied for second most in the league.
Even in a season where Liverpool’s standards dropped off massively, they still look set to finish in either a Europa League spot or even a Champions League spot, something that might have seemed incomprehensible just a few months ago.
RB: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United)
There is a strong argument that can be made here for John Stones, but for the purpose of balance in this side and having a true right-back in the XI, Kieran Trippier makes the cut. He has been sensational for Newcastle this season, playing a key part in a defense that is tied for second-most clean sheets in the league at 14. He assisted 7 goals, scoring one, all at 32 years of age. This is some serious production as he helped Newcastle regain a Champions League spot after such a long wait for the fans.
CB: William Saliba (Arsenal)
William Saliba transformed this Arsenal defense, and his absence highlighted that even more after he got injured. They struggled to keep clean sheets, they looked all out of sorts on any counter-attack, and their defense just isn’t the same without him. If we’re speaking pure impact on defense, he might be No. 1 in that category, which is one of the reasons he fits into this Premier League TOTS.
He started the season with an absolute stunner in the third game of the season in a 3-0 win against Bournemouth, which proved an overall benchmark for his arrival and impact within this year’s Arsenal squad.
CB: Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Much like Saliba, it’s clear that Dias makes this City defense much better. With him in the side, there is a level of comfort, no matter the opponent. He mixes strength, with his ability to read the game and sniff out danger in a sweet and swift combination that mixes both old-school defending and a more modern approach to the game. He has started 22 matches, helping to keep clean sheets against opponents such as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Leipzig, Newcastle, Chelsea, and more.
Let’s put it this way; he’s been in this league for 3 years now… Manchester City have won the Premier League in each of those three years. This helps add any extra clarity needed for those who don’t believe he has had a serious influence on this City back line.
LB: Pervis Estupinán (Brighton & Hove Albion)
This one may seem to some to come out of left field, but I believe he deservedly slides into this team of the season. With 5 assists and a goal in 30 matches for a Brighton side that is on the brink of a miraculous Europa League spot, it seems wrong not to include at least one Seagull in this squad.
He came from La Liga and seamlessly adapted to this new league and a new team. Estupinán promised not to let the Brighton fans down and has absolutely stayed true to that promise. After a £15M million move, his value for money this season is undeniable and has been a joy to watch.