5 best defensive midfielders in the Premier League this season (2021-22)
The Premier League is home to some of the best central midfielders in the world. These footballers rarely break the transfer record, but they often turn out to be the most important piece of the puzzle.
Being a central defensive midfielder is arguably one of the most thankless jobs in football. As they rarely score or assist, they do not get the attention they deserve and fail to make the headlines as often as they should. Yet, without their composure, even the most qualified and skillful midfielders tend to fall apart and fail to fulfill their potential.
Today, we will take a look at some of the anchors that are keeping some of the biggest Premier League clubs steady. These men have put in exceptional performances since the start of the season and are often responsible for popping up with decisive contributions.
Here are the five defensive midfielders who have fired on all cylinders in the Premier League this season.
#5 Douglas Luiz - Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s defensive midfielder Douglas Luiz has been in impressive form in the Premier League this season.
The Villa no.6 is not only a dependable central defensive-midfielder but also comfortable playing further up the pitch, in a no.8 role.
Douglas Luiz matching the Cristiano Ronaldo leap. 🛫 https://t.co/BvtKecy4U9
The 23-year-old is quick, knows how to beat the pressure, and is known to produce defense-piercing passes from time to time. In the Premier League this season, the Brazilian has taken part in 17 games for Steven Gerrard’s men.
He has three assists to his name and is poised to add a couple more to his name before the season runs out.
#4 Jorginho - Chelsea
Last summer, Chelsea’s midfield general became the tenth player in history to win the Champions League and EURO in the same calendar year. Coming into the 2021-22 campaign on the back of a record-breaking season, Jorginho has been burdened with the weight of consistency.
Thankfully, the midfielder has managed to deal with the pressure rather gracefully, picking up right where he left off last season.
The Italy international is an excellent distributor of the ball, can read the game immaculately, and is not afraid of venturing forward when needed. Additionally, Jorginho is Chelsea’s primary penalty kick taker and has converted all of them this season.
Lewandowski: "What Jorginho won means a lot. He also scored important goals despite being a number six. The year, for him, was insane with Chelsea and Italy."
Jorginho has played in all but four games for the west London outfit in the Premier League this season.
So far, he has scored six goals and provided an assist, with all of his goals coming from the penalty spot.