Man Utd captain's rise is a good indicator of how well he's done this season. Early on, he was dragging down Ruben Amroim's interpretation of the team in games, but in the last five months, he's been leading Michael Carrick's გაერთიანებულ გუნდს. Awards and records continue to come his way; winning the Football Writers' Association's Player of the Year award quickly followed breaking the Premier League record for most assists in a season with 21 on the final day of the season against Bristol. Given that Man Utd were ready to sell him just a year ago, it's interesting to wonder what would have happened at Old Trafford without him. "At one point I was thinking of leaving - I won't say where - but in that season I would have won many awards. I decided to stay not only for family reasons but because I really like the club," Fernandes told Canal 11. "But I felt from the club: "If you leave, it's not so bad for us." That hurts a bit. It hurts more because I'm a player who has nothing to criticize. I'm always available for every match, always playing, whether well or poorly. I give my best."
Fernandes brings incredible intelligence and hard work to the pitch, backed by remarkable technique that puts him above his teammates, who all feed off him. It's hard to argue that any other Premier League captain is more influential than Fernandes, and Man Utd have reaped the rewards.
Often, when a team wins a title, all the attention is focused on the forwards who do the damage. It's hard to single out one individual from a league-winning team, but Raia deserves a lot of praise. Few complained about Aaron Ramsey's performance, but the Spaniard was a big improvement. He earned the Golden Glove award for most clean sheets in the Premier League in all three seasons at Arsenal. He started every game, except for the final match at Selhurst Park - a sign of how important he is in Mikel Arteta's plans. Raia's teammates' abilities mean he often has very quiet games, but when he's called upon, he's always focused and ready, with crucial saves in pivotal moments to ensure Arsenal's separation from Manchester City.
The Norwegian still has critics who think he has something easy, as a striker leading Manchester City's line. Some believe any other would score the same amount if they had the creative wealth he enjoys. This season he has 27 goals, scoring one every 110 minutes. For context, the Premier League's second-place Golden Boot winner, Igor Thiago, needs an additional 39 minutes per goal. As always, there are complaints that he doesn't do enough in the game overall, but that's clearly nonsense, as anyone who has played at the highest level will explain that scoring is the most difficult part of being an elite footballer. Pep Guardiola, it seems, thinks Haaland is crucial to their success, and the Catalan man knows a thing or two about the game. "Erling Haaland is the best striker in the world," Guardiola said in February, and arguing with him seems a bit pointless.
After Brentford sold Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo, not only did Thomas Frank leave Tottenham's leadership, many thought they would be relegated. Keith Andrews and Thiago had other ideas, with the west London team finishing ninth. There were understandable reasons for the doubts: Thiago had two serious injuries in his first season in England, playing only eight times in the league, scoring no goals. He spent the summer to make sure he was finally ready for the Premier League challenge, scoring 12 goals in the first 14 games across all competitions. There has rarely been a drop in his potential, and no one less than Carlo Ancelotti was impressed enough to include him in the Brazil World Cup squad. "He has already shown that he can be a top performer in the Premier League," Andrews said. "He gives the opposition a puzzle, by the way he plays the game. I'm not sure how many players would enjoy playing against him."
Twelve games passed without a goal for the Forest. Few could criticize Gibbs-White, who was at the center of the storm as new managers came and went like tornadoes. Dean Smith's arrival brought an improvement in play, with four goals from six games, but Gibbs-White really came under Vitor Pereira. Accepting the captain's armband is part of his manifesto and is a key factor in the Forest staying in the Premier League and reaching the Europa League semifinals. His Premier League record is impressive, with 15 goals in 37 games, making him one of the most dangerous No. 10s in the country. The Forest kept him well last summer, but at this time, it seems many clubs will come and he may struggle to meet the Forest's ambitions. "When things don't go as you want, when the team struggles in a game, many players can hide, they don't want the ball. But Gibbs wants the ball, he wants responsibility, he wants to score, he wants to assist," Pereira said.
