These five Premier League players have upset the odds this season with impressive displays, with Crystal Palace, WBA, Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City all benefitting.
Manchester United’s Juan Mata in action against Leicester City
The Premier League is always sure to throw up some surprises and none more so than these five players who have upset all the odds and taken this season by storm.
Christian Benteke, Crystal Palace
Having flopped so spectacularly at Liverpool, Christian Benteke arrived at Crystal Palace under the spectre of an enormous £32m fee, according to BBC Sport. Palace, a club with limited funds, were paying virtually the same sum that Liverpool paid Aston Villa, only this time the Belgian was short on both confidence and conviction. This move could easily have damned the Eagles.
Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke
But instead, Benteke has sent them soaring to eighth in the Premier League and has proved the perfect apex to their attack, scoring three times in five league outings.
Nacer Chadli, West Bromwich Albion
Lying just one place below Palace are West Bromwich Albion, in no small part down to Benteke’s Belgium teammate Nacer Chadli. Having been deemed surplus to requirements at Tottenham Hotspur, Chadli has flourished having been given the freedom of a central role and has been West Brom’s creative force this season.
It’s becoming easy to see why Tony Pulis broke the bank for the playmaker, even when he had been cast aside by Spurs.
West Bromwich Albion’s Nacer Chadli
Idrissa Gueye, Everton
Despite beating them on points, last year’s Aston Villa team run the 2007/08 Derby County side close for the title of ‘worst performance in Premier League history’. Idrissa Gueye was part of the aforementioned Villa set-up and was repeatedly run ragged in midfield, committing around two fouls per game and collecting ten yellow cards in the process.
However, he has been a changed man at Everton. Gueye has helped run the show in midfield with a series of energetic and action-packed displays in which he has also kept his discipline.
Everton’s Idrissa Gueye in action with Middlesbrough’s Adam Forshaw
Juan Mata, Manchester United
When Jose Mourinho was named Manchester United boss, you can bet Juan Mata will have been packing his bags already. Discarded at Chelsea, Mourinho found little use for the Spanish playmaker and it seemed that would again be the case before a ball had even been kicked at Old Trafford.
However, not only have Mata’s displays earned him the number 10 role ahead of captain Wayne Rooney, he is currently the central playmaker ousting the classy new signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has yet to have a look in for the Red Devils.
Raheem Sterling, Manchester City
After a truly torrid Euros in which he was roundly criticised and jeered by press and fans alike, Raheem Sterling has soared to new heights under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The indecision and technical hitches appear to be gone as Sterling has looked every bit the£49m player (BBC Sport) and he seems more than capable of taking the reins from the injured Kevin De Bruyne during the Belgian’s absence.
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring their third goal
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