The Premier League clubs will once again have to brace themselves for yet another gruelling schedule up ahead especially with the Champions League getting back underway this midweek.
And after a strenuous weekend in the Premier League, it won’t be surprising to see clubs relying on the performances of certain individuals as they aim to strengthen their position in their respective groups. In this article, we will talk about three Premier League players who are likely to play a big part in the upcoming round of matches.
Anthony Martial – Manchester United
Manchester United will be disappointed to have dropped two points against Chelsea after conceding a last-gasp equalizer. However, Anthony Martial’s excellent performance will surely give them a much-needed boost ahead of their clash against Juventus on Tuesday.
The Frenchman played a key role in United’s comeback, scoring twice and has undoubtedly impressed Jose Mourinho after a rocky summer. And considering Alexis Sanchez’s struggles in this campaign, Martial will surely serve as a lifeline for the Red Devils as they take on the mighty Juventus this week.
Martial is likely to be deployed on the left flank, where he could come up against Joao Cancelo. His raw pace coupled with his lethal finishing could cause a lot of trouble for the Juventus defence, who looked complacent in the draw with Genoa last weekend, thus making him one of the players to look forward to this midweek.
Kevin de Bruyne – Manchester City
Manchester City were flawless in their huge win over Burnley on Saturday. The defending champions scored five goals as they retained their place at the top of the table. However, despite their excellent win, coach Pep Guardiola pretty much had one eye on the game against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday. Thus, he started Kevin de Bruyne on the bench though he did feature as a substitute later on in the game.
The Belgian superstar made his return to full fitness during the international break and is likely to be given his first start of the season against Shakhtar. And considering City’s struggles in the Champions League this season, De Bruyne’s ingenuity in centre of the pitch and in the final third could be very useful.
As for the player himself, a strong performance against the Ukrainian side could give him a much-needed boost as he looks ahead to the rest of the campaign.
Christian Eriksen – Tottenham Hotspur
Much like the Belgian, Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino also chose to leave out star man Christian Eriksen from the starting lineup in their narrow win over West Ham United. The Danish international spent four weeks on the sidelines with an injury but the international break allowed him to speed up his recovery and he is now available for selection.
Eriksen is arguably the most important player for Tottenham in the final third, having made the second most number of chances in the team, despite missing out on the action for four weeks.
And with Dele Alli sidelined with an injury, his presence could prove to be valuable against PSV Eindhoven this week, in what will be a must-win game for the Lilywhites, especially after tasting defeat in their first two matches.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
