With the Premier League making a long-awaited return to our screens this Wednesday, we take a look at some of the players who have a point to prove in the remainder of the season.
Reasons for this may differ, but a host of footballing stars will be chomping at the bit for the return of the Premier League, in order to prove their doubters wrong. These may include onlookers such as the player’s manager, club supporters, fellow teammates and the media.
So with only nine matchdays left in the 2019/20 campaign, who has a point to prove?
Three Premier League Players With a Point to Prove
Naby Keita
Liverpool’s number eight joined the Reds in the summer of 2018 for a cool fee of £52.75 million, with supporters of the club hoping that the Guinea international would add some more creative spark in the midfield. And even though we have seen some small glimpses of his abilities, there is no doubt that he has been somewhat underwhelming at Anfield so far.
The 25-year-old has so far made 51 appearances for the Premier League leaders, scoring six goals. However, Keita has struggled for consistency during his time in the North-West and has suffered a number of injury blows which has stuttered his progress.
However, Keita is currently injury-free, and Liverpool fans are excited to see the midfielder return to the middle three, as the Reds look to seal their first-ever Premier League crown. It’s also the perfect opportunity for Keita to impress, and after a glamorous performance in the 6-0 friendly win over Blackburn Rovers last week, supporters will be hoping to see him deliver once again in the upcoming Merseyside Derby.
Christian Pulisic
Another high-money signing, Pulisic has also shown flashes of quality during his maiden campaign in England. The United States international notched a hat-trick away to Burnley in late-October, before netting against both Watford and Crystal Palace in the following games.
The £57.6 million signing clearly has enormous potential, but he struggled to continue that impressive goal-scoring form, going on a run of seven games without a goal. The 21-year-old was then plagued with a muscle injury, which kept him out of contention up until the Premier League suspension.
However, Pulisic has since returned to fitness and will be looking to impress boss Frank Lampard as Chelsea look towards a top-four finish. Whilst there is no doubt that the midfielder has a bright future at Stamford Bridge, with the arrival of Hakim Ziyech in the summer, as well as potential incomers such as Timo Werner and Jadon Sancho, Pulisic’s game time may be limited next season,
Therefore, now is the perfect time for the American to stake his place in Lampard’s first-team plans, so keep an eye out for him when Chelsea return to action against Aston Villa next Sunday.
Sebastien Haller
West Ham United’s club-record signing hasn’t exactly lit up the London Stadium since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer. The Hammers have struggled to find a consistent goalscorer over the past couple of years but thought they had hit the jackpot when Haller decided to move over from the Bundesliga.
The striker started off well at his new club, grabbing three goals in his first three appearances. However, the Frenchman’s form has gone downhill ever since, only scoring three in his last 20 Premier League appearances.
Despite the poor return, West Ham supporters still remain hopeful that Haller can become their leading frontman for years to come. And the potential is definitely there, as the forward likes to use his tall frame to his advantage, bullying other defenders as well as linking up well with his teammates.
Furthermore, with West Ham facing the dreaded drop, Haller has the chance to make himself a hero in East London. To do this, however, his goal-scoring contributions need to go up, so it will be interesting to see how Haller performs from now until the end of the season.
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