da 888： The Premier League is never far from being discussed as a cause of the England national team’s eternal woes and overall, it’s hard to disagree.
da betcris： Indeed, the influx of cheap foreign talent that’s made the Premier League so successful has inevitably reduced the pool of English footballers playing at top level, whilst the intensity of the first tier has limited opportunities for young home-grown players as managers focus on short-term gains.
Nonetheless, English players are still a fundamental pillar of the Premier League and we at Football FanCast believe it’s time those who are holding up their end of the bargain received the credit they deserve.
With that in mind, and aided by our good friends at WhoScored, FFC have taken a look at the ten top performing Englishmen in the Premier League so far this season. Our rundown features Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham stars – but there’s plenty of surprises along the way!
But here’s the big question – how many will be included in Gareth Southgate’s next Three Lions squad?
10. Andros Townsend
The first of four Crystal Palace stars, Andros Townsend’s impressive averages of 1.7 created chances and three successful dribbles per match have seen him squeeze into the top ten.
The pacey winger was once favoured by Roy Hodgson but missed out on a place in England’s Euro 2016 squad.
9. Jordan Henderson
Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson took England’s armband against Slovenia in the absence of Wayne Rooney and his Premier League form suggests Gareth Southgate’s decision was justified.
The 26-year-old has been remarkably consistent in the holding role, averaging four tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.3 created chances per match for the Reds.
8. Curtis Davies
Hull City may have conceded the most goals of any Premier League side this term, a disturbing 22 in just nine games, but WhoScored still value Curtis Davies’ contribution at the heart of defence.
Despite being one of the sturdier defenders in the bottom half of the top flight and the Championship for much of his career, the 31-year-old has never been capped by England at senior level.
7. Wilfried Zaha
Another Crystal Palace winger. Wilfried Zaha’s England career has stalled since picking up two caps in 2012 but the one-time Manchester United starlet has been in good form this season, claiming one goal and two assists in seven Premier League starts.
He’s also averaged the most successful dribbles per match of any player in the division – an impressive 4.8.
6. Junior Stanislas
A spate of match-winning performances in recent outings has seen Junior Stanislas rocket up to sixth place. He netted the winner against Everton in September and stole the show during a 6-1 drubbing of Hull City, providing two goals and one assist.
The former West Ham youngster represented England at U20 and U21 level, but is still awaiting a first cap for the seniors.
5. Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling’s emerged as a key player for both club and country and appears to be flourishing even further under Pep Guardiola.
The 21-year-old has claimed four goals and two assists in the Premier League already this season, whilst popping up with a strike and a set-up in the Champions League. Impressive stuff from England’s 27-cap winger.
4. Danny Rose
Spurs boast an impressive core of England internationals but left-back Danny Rose is the only one to make the top ten.
The left-back has been his usual self this season, despite a few injury niggles, helping Tottenham claim the best defensive record in the Premier League whilst providing pace, width and delivery on the overlap.
3. Jason Puncheon
One of the most underrated stars in the Premier League, Jason Puncheon’s been in fantastic form this season. Crystal Palace’s resident No.10 has claimed two assists in eight appearances, whilst averaging 3.3 created chances per match. It’s form well worthy of an England call-up, but the midfielder seems unlikely to get one at the age of 30.
2. Scott Dann
Finishing off our Crystal Palace quartet is centre-back Scott Dann, who’s been knocking on the door of the England national team for some time.
He’s impressed once again this term, helping the Eagles claim the second-best defensive record in the Premier League’s bottom half. The 29-year-old’s also bagged two goals in five appearances.
1. Theo Walcott
So there you have it – Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has been the Premier League’s top performing Englishman this season.
That’s in no small part due to a lethal return of five goals and two assists in nine Premier League appearances, pushing the Gunners to second place in the table, since being left out of Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad.
He’s also netted thrice in Europe and looks set to claim a key role when England face Scotland in November.