Josh Warner’s Premier League Team of the Season

As the Premier League season has officially reached it’s conclusion, the writers of The Boar Sport are putting their heads together to create the best XI based upon this campaign.

Every few days, a new writer will have their chance to pitch what they believe to be the ultimate side, culminating in a final Boar Sport XI next month.

The third contributor to this series is our very own cycling expert, Josh Warner!

GK: David de Gea
Manchester United have undoubtedly had a torrid season, but without the goalkeeping antics of David de Gea, they would surely be looking at the Europa Conference League place, or even further down the table. Two penalty saves and strong performances against the likes of West Ham and Chelsea ensure the Spanish shot-stopper squeaks into this team ahead of other choices.

RB: Reece James
14 goal contributions in 26 games is staggering for a defensive player, and with brilliant defensive numbers being put up as well, Reece James takes the right-back spot ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

CB: Virgil van Dijk
Van Dijk walked into the team as the best centre back in the world. The difference between the Liverpool team of last season, where injury kept him out, and this season, where he’s played 34 games, is night and day.

CB: Ruben Dias
With the equal joint-best defensive record in the league, it’s hard to leave Dias out after another fantastic season with the Premier League champions. He has been central to a defence that has kept 21 clean sheets across the course of the campaign.

LB: Joao Cancelo
Dias’ City and Portugal teammate Cancelo has been in imperious form, with attacking and defensive numbers being amongst the best in the league. He has been integral to the way that Manchester City have played this season.

The number 9 has quietly scored 15 times in just 20 starts during an injury-ravaged campaign

CDM: Declan Rice
Rice has dominated the West Ham midfield whenever he’s played, propelling his team to a seventh-placed finish. He adds a bit of bite in the middle of the park to complement the attacking talent ahead of him.

CDM: Yves Bissouma
For any club not wishing to pay the reported £150 million for Rice, they would not go too far wrong with Bissouma instead. The Brighton and Hove Albion player has commanded the midfield and helped push the South Coast outfit up to an impressive top half finish, just five points off European competition.

CM: Kevin de Bruyne
The Belgian was the first name in my XI. He can pick out passes no other player in the world can even spot. At his best, he is unstoppable, scoring and assisting with both feet; his four-goal haul against Wolverhampton – including a 25 minute ‘weak foot’ hat-trick – was the highlight for the supremely talented playmaker.

RW: Mohamed Salah
Salah’s inclusion needs little justification. He has contributed 36 goals in 35 appearances and, despite a slight drop off in the second half of the season, still claimed the Premier League golden boot. The ‘Egyptian King’ remains integral to how Liverpool play.

ST: Jamie Vardy
Although much of the attention has been on the other side of the Vardy household, Leicester’s number 9 has quietly scored 15 times in just 20 starts during an injury-ravaged campaign. His absence with a knee problem unsurprisingly coincided with the Foxes’ lack of mid-season form. Had he stayed fit, he would surely have taken the golden boot at the age of 35.

LW: Son Heung-Min
As with Salah, this pick needs no great explanation. Son shared the golden boot with Salah during a topsy-turvy season for Spurs, outshining his partner, Harry Kane, who usually takes all the plaudits for the North London club. Son can feel extremely hard done by for not even being nominated for Player of the Year.