Hiram Moreno
This week sees the start of the 2022/23 Premier League in what is set to be another exciting season in the top flight of English soccer. Exciting clashes, games where anything could happen and plenty of goals await on the horizon, with Manchester City looking to retain their crown as reigning champions of the competition.
The Premier League has some of the best players in the world in its teams, and the subject that brings us together on this occasion is midfielders, those who manage the play of their clubs and can offer help from the second line. Therefore, at JefeBet we will mention those who, in our opinion, are the midfielders to look forward to in the Premier League 2022/23.
Best Premier League Midfielders to Watch in the 2022/23 Season
Fabinho (Liverpool)
Liverpool came close to winning it all last season and will surely try to fight for all the trophies again in this 2022/23. It remains to be seen, however, whether their new attacking trident can integrate fast and continue to cause havoc in the opposing penalty area.
Whether that is the case or not, Jürgen Klopp will be hoping to count on the invaluable assistance of Fabinho, who has proven to be the player who holds up the Reds’ midfield when the team goes on the attack. The Brazilian had a 50% success rate on his sweeps in the 2021/22 Premier League season in 29 appearances.
In addition, out of 40 fouls he committed, he was only cautioned 7 times, and completed 88% of his passes. He also went above and beyond his duties by scoring five league goals, and he will surely continue to be the player who keeps Liverpool’s scheme on track throughout this season.
Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Mason Mount made his Chelsea debut under Frank Lampard as a promising youngster, but the reality is that Mount has already established himself as one of the most promising attacking midfielders in English soccer.
The Portsmouth native is coming off a career-best season in the Premier League in 2021/22, being the Blues’ top scorer in the league with 11 goals and also their top assist man with 10 assists.
Now, without a center forward after the departure of Romelu Lukaku and with Thomas Tuchel’s fluid attacking scheme, Mount will surely be a lead again in this 2022/23 season.
Declan Rice (West Ham United)
Declan Rice is one of the most sought-after players in England and around the world for several reasons. After another transfer window has passed, it appears that the midfielder will stay at West Ham, something that the team will be grateful for due to the firmness and leadership he brings to the court.
Like Fabinho, Declan Rice is not a player known for his attacking contribution, scoring just one goal and providing four assists in the 2021/22 Premier League season, but what he did to cut through and distribute play is to be admired.
Rice completed 91.6% of his passes (1977 of 2177) in a total of 36 league appearances, successfully completed 71% of his sweeps (80 of 113), and will surely serve as a thermometer to measure the Hammers’ ability to have a successful season.
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Pep Guardiola once mentioned that “Phil Foden is one of the best players he has coached in his career and that he would soon surprise everyone”. His words seem to have been true, as the Englishman has been evolving year after year and is not expected to stop in this 2022/23 Premier League season.
Last season saw him finish as his team’s fourth leading scorer with nine goals. He also dished out five assists, but beyond the numbers, his participation on the field was always outstanding as he brought a lot of fluidity to the team’s play and posed a threat to the opponent’s goal, with 57 shots in total, 22 of which were on target.
His 88% pass completion rate is also positive for a player who plays a lot in three quarters of the field, and the Citizens will expect similar contributions from him this season.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Obviously, we couldn’t leave out the finest midfielder in the world today, not just on the Premier League. Last season, Guardiola asked him to be more “decisive in front of goal”, and De Bruyne delivered, having the best season of his career in terms of scoring with a total of 15 league goals.
Despite attempting more shots, the Belgian did not lose sight of what he does best: setting up his teammates. In addition to finishing the 2021/22 season as his team’s top scorer, he was also the top assist man with a total of eight assists – tied with Gabriel Jesus in this record. All this earned him recognition as “Player of the Season” in England.
Because of all this, De Bruyne is expected to once again be the main reference in City’s midfield, and the team will hope that his performances will not only help them to win another league title, but to finally lift that elusive “Orejona”.
