Edouard Mendy – Chelsea
With so many of Chelsea’s attackers firing blanks, the last thing Thomas Tuchel needed was to see his once-dependable shot-stopper become a fading shadow of the man who won UEFA and FIFA’s Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2021.
Mendy’s horror mistake in the 3-0 defeat at Leeds United – his clearance clattering off Brenden Aaronson and into the net – felt like the beginning of the end for Tuchel at Stamford Bridge. The Senegal international only returned to the pitch after Kepa Arrizabalaga was forced off during Saturday’s 4-1 hammering by Brighton.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool
Amid all the furore surrounding Alexander-Arnold’s defensive awareness – or a lack thereof – the fact that he is yet to set up a goal in 17 games across all competitions this term has gone somewhat under the radar.
Liverpool’s number 66 was subbed off when the Reds needed a goal in Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Leeds. A damning indictment of how far his form has fallen.
Thilo Kehrer – West Ham United
For a German international signed from Paris Saint-Germain, Kehrer has made more mistakes than David Moyes would have liked in claret-and-blue. There was the ridiculous penalty he gave away on debut against Brighton, and then an own goal against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Kehrer then offered little to no resistance as Marcus Rashford powered a thumping header past Lukasz Fabianski on Sunday. He’s had his moments, but better is expected from a player with such an eye-catching CV.
Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool
As Crysencio Summerville slotted past Alisson Becker in the 89th minute, Van Dijk’s 70-game unbeaten run at Anfield came to an end. And the once-unshakeable Dutchman only had himself to blame, switching off for Rodrigo Moreno’s opener while giving Summerville the time and space to pick his spot.
“Van Dijk no longer plays as convincingly as usual,” says former Anfield ‘keeper Sander Westerweld.
“He was known for almost always playing (with a clear head). But now, it is just not the case in many matches. He makes quite a few mistakes. I think this is his worst season at Liverpool.”
Renan Lodi – Nottingham Forest
Like Kehrer, Lodi deserves time and space to adapt to life in the Premier League. But, like Kehrer, there is no getting away from the fact that a man signed from a bonafide European giant in Atletico Madrid has been a disappointment thus far.
Lodi has started five games. Forest have lost all of them, conceding over 4 goals per match on average. That £25 million option-to-buy clause in the Brazil international’s contract already looks likely to go un-triggered.
Fabinho – Liverpool
If it wasn’t for Fabinho, Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi would have waltzed into this XI. Fortunately for him, the impeccable standards Fabinho has set during four years on Merseyside make the Brazilian’s sudden decline even more remarkable.
“You talk about Fabinho at the moment. Who is he at the moment? I don’t know who he is,” former Chelsea and West Ham defender Scott Minto tells talkSPORT. “It’s like his twin brother playing at the moment. He’s certainly not the player that he has been in recent years.”
Mason Mount – Chelsea
Graham Potter is ‘surprised‘ by the extent of the criticism coming Mason Mount’s way. But after scoring in just one of his 12 Premier League appearances so far this season – and after yet another anonymous display vs Brighton – some very difficult questions are starting to be asked about a player who’s career trajectory, until now at least, had only been going in one direction.
Jesse Lingard – Nottingham Forest
Perhaps the most high-profile and exciting of Nottingham Forest’s many summer signings; Lingard’s career-best displays on loan at West Ham 18 months or so ago are now starting to feel more and more like a flash in the pan. The England international has contributed next-to-nothing thus far in Garibaldi red.
The January arrival of Gustavo Scarpa already feels like the last thing Lingard needs.
Raheem Sterling – Chelsea
Chelsea have a habit of snapping up once-elite-level attackers no longer playing at their peak. And Sterling is under increasing pressure to shake off his stupor and fast. That’s if the £47 million signing from Manchester City is to avoid comparisons with the likes of Andriy Shevchenko and Fernando Torres.
Sterling, struggling in a wing-back role under Potter, has just three Premier League goals so far.
Heung Min-Son – Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs’ South Korean superstar offered a timely reminder that his class is indeed permanent when scoring a hat-trick off the bench against Leicester City in mid-September. Since then, however, Son has fallen back into his early-season slumber, failing to score in his last six games.
The long-serving forward has gone through barren spells in the past before bouncing back in style. Carry on like this, however, and Son’s place in Antonio Conte’s XI could genuinely come under threat when Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison return.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United
At 37, going on 38, it’s not exactly a shock that Ronaldo no longer possesses the same explosiveness of old. But even the ruthless finishing ability that has made CR7 the greatest club goalscorer of all time appears to have deserted him, Ronaldo slashing at the sort of chances he used to gobble up greedily.
In nine games and 430 minutes of football, he’s scored just once in the Premier League.
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