Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer pick their top 10 Premier League players who ‘burst onto the scene’… but where does fellow pundit Micah Richards rank against a Man City Treble-winner, Leicester Premier League champion and ex-Liverpool star?
- Match of the Day pundits discussed the top ten stars who had best debut season
- Haaland was an obvious pick but Micah Richards argued he should be above him
- Trent and Bellingham can play together but can’t get in each other’s way – IAKO
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have named their top ten Premier League players who ‘burst onto the scene’ in the latest Match of the Day ranking – while Micah Richards did his best to argue why he should top the list.
The pundits have been sorting through their top ten lists in football in their newest podcast on BBC Sounds called Match of the Day: Top 10 – having waded through the best midfield partnerships last week.
This time the trio were discussing the young players who enjoyed the best debut seasons in the English top flight – debating who should be included among the likes of Fernando Torres, Kevin Phillips and N’Golo Kante.
Shearer went first – brutally sorting ‘Big Meeks’ Richards at the back of the pile at No 10, before naming Man United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy at number nine, former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres at eight, while Mohamed Salah and Leicester City title-winner N’Golo Kante all finished outside his top five.
He then named ex-Man United defender Jaap Stam at five, followed by ex-Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips at four, Sergio Aguero at three, Andy Cole at 2 and Erling Haaland as No 1.
Match of the Day pundits Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker sorted through their top ten Premier League players who burst onto the scene
Micah Richards also picked his list – but argued that he should be placed towards the top end after his impressive first season
The Newcastle legend then raved about Frenchman Kante being one of the best signings ever.
‘It will have to go down as one of the the best bargains ever. What a player at £5.5m,’ Shearer said.
Lineker – a huge Leicester fan – added: I kept telling people, “you have no idea how good this guy is. He’s way better than you think”. I just kept thinking, “My god, what have we got here?” The amount of grass he covered. At the end of the game, he could run another 90 minutes.’
Shearer then heaped praise on the natural goalscoring ability of Phillips after ranking him fourth.
‘He had that brilliant partnership – him and Quinn. Big man, little man and it worked perfectly for him. Newcastle fans hated him for a reason, because he was a brilliant goalscorer’
Former Leicester title winner N’Golo Kante was included after his remarkable debut season in 2015-16
After putting Cole at number two, he said: ’34 goals, 40 games. That partnership with Beardsley. The standard of his finishing was ridiculously good. That season – left foot, right foot.’
Richards’ ranking led to chaos in the studio, with both Lineker and Shearer sent into fits of laughter as he continued to leave himself out of the bottom half of the table – teasing that he had inevitably named himself towards the top.
The former Man City defender had Torres at 10 followed by Van Nistelrooy. Aguero, Phillips and Cole before ranking Salah at five, Kante at four, Stam at three and Haaland at two.
Despite naming him at No 10, Richards said Torres – who scored 24 times in his first 33 Premier League games in the 2007-08 season – was one of the hardest he had played against.
‘His movement, his pace, his timing of his runs. Just when you think you’ve got him – he pulled to the back of me. He was amazing. When he went to Chelsea, I couldn’t believe it. They sucked all the power out of him.’
Fernando Torres (L) and Andy Cole were hailed for their amazing first seasons in the Premier League
The pundits were then left in stitches as Richards confirmed he had placed himself first, with the Sky Sports presenter arguing his case.
Richards said: ‘Name a player who was doing what I was doing at 17 or 18! Debut for Man City, scoring in the FA Cup to get a replay. (laughter) England debut at 18. Within that season, getting nominated as player of the year for England, all in a year.
‘Man City were already winning leagues before Haaland. He came from Dortmund, he was scoring goals in the Champions League, ripping up the Bundesliga, it was expected. You’ve got Kevin De Bruyne behind you, you’ve got Rodri, you’ve got Mahrez, Bernardo. Threading them passes through – he was bound to score.’
Moving on from the hilarity, Shearer and Lineker went on to rave about Haaland’s impact on the Premier League since his arrival last season – having netted a record 36 goals in just 35 games.
The pundits – with the exception of Richards – agreed Erling Haaland should be ranked at No 1 after his incredible first campaign saw him score a record 36 goals in 35 games
SHEARER’S TOP 10
10 Micah Richards
9 Ruud van Nistelrooy
8 Fernando Torres
7 Mohamed Salah
6 N’Golo Kante
5 Jaap Stam
4 Kevin Phillips
3 Sergio Aguero
2 Andy Cole
1 Erling Haaland
RICHARDS’ TOP TEN
10 Fernando Torres
9 Ruud Van Nistelrooy
8 Sergio Aguero
7 Kevin Phillips
6 Andy Cole
5 Mohamed Salah
4 N’Golo Kante
3 Jaap Stam
2 Erling Haaland
1 Micah Richards
‘Haaland’s debut season was utterly extraordinary,’ Lineker said.
‘It didn’t surprise me. The way City play – I’ve never seen a team get to the byline as much as City do and get crosses into the six yard box. I thought if they got under Pep a player in his prime, a true six yard box player that they would score. Obviously they had Aguero before that before the team has moved on and he’s a presence, quick, big.
Shearer added: ‘If you’re building the perfect centre forward then he is it. There’s nothing he’s not good at. He’s got it all, he’s quick, good in the air, good touch, link-up play, finishing is unbelievable and 36 goals to break the record. And the treble – which is what they brought him in to do. He delivered on all fronts.’
Lineker had the final job of deciding who should be ranked at No 1 from both lists – eventually opting for Haaland – but not before teasing Richards along the way.
Lineker had Richards in hysterics after jokingly naming the ex-defender at No 1 in his list
‘Haaland is incredible, what he’s done, what he’s achieved in his first season. But he was already established and Big Meeks was the only one on that list who has burst through on the scene as a youngster, so I’m going to go with… Erling Haaland!’
As the trio began cackling again, Lineker offered an ‘alternative finish’ to his rankings to send Richards into delirium.
‘Here’s an alternative finish – I’ve taken it all into consideration and Haaland was already established – we knew what we were gonna get. So I’m gonna go with Big Meeks!’
Richards lifted his arms aloft and cheered as he said: ‘I haven’t just made the list, I’ve topped the list!’
IT’S ALL KICKING OFF!
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.
It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify
Your browser does not support iframes.
Source: Read Full Article