Bukayo Saka: He tackles, he shoots, he creates, he is the identikit winger. It helps when you've been behind enemy lines as a full-back.
Bukayo Saka is the only player from the top five leagues across Europe who has created more than 20 chances and made more than 20 tackles. Let that sink in for a moment and then appreciate how valuable such a player would be to any manager.
Saka has made more tackles in the attacking third than any other Premier League player this season and it’s not even close, which is astonishing for a player in a successful, front-foot, possession-based side. Behind him are players from Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Burnley. Just beyond them is Salah, proving that pressing is still a pre-requisite at Liverpool, even when you are a 31-year-old superstar.
Is he a once-in-a-generation footballer like Jude Bellingham? No but they are rare; the clue is in the description. But he is damned close. You get the feeling that when Spurs inevitably hit a bump in the road that will throw James Maddison from his throne, it will be Saka who emerges as the player of the season, even if