Onana to Delap: a Premier League eleven with the surprises of this season so far | first division

André Onana (Manchester United)

The Cameroonian had a debut season to forget in England. A series of errors during a nightmare Champions League campaign helped contribute to the elimination of Manchester United in the group stagewhile high-profile errors on the home front raised serious doubts about his future. Onana has made a much better start this time around, making no notable errors and keeping five clean sheets in 11 games, the most for any goalkeeper. He's a top performer in shot-stopping metrics and boasts a completion rate that's on pace to be higher than last season. An unexpectedly calming presence during another period of early season turmoil at Old Trafford.

Aina Wave (Nottingham Forest)

Aina, who received a one-year contract extension last summer after a stop-start first season at Forest marked by a trip to the African Cup of Nations and an injury, has played well enough in the last three months for the Those responsible for this parsimony repent. their reluctance to offer him a longer deal. After starting the season at left-back, the Nigerian international moved to the right after three games and has thrived. The strict control that maintained Luis Díaz during Forest's victory over Liverpool It was one of the best defensive performances by any player this season.

Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest)

In a feature that could have been made up exclusively of Forest players, the Serbia captain is a notable inclusion as first division success story since his £12m summer arrival from Fiorentina. Drafted into a team that haemorrhaged goals from set pieces last season, Milenkovic needed little or no time to acclimatise as he helped transform Nuno Espirito Santo's defense into the second best in the top flight. While Forest's scattershot approach to the transfer business has been mocked, the excellent partnership forged between Milenkovic and his central defensive partner Murillo is a major contributing factor to the club's unexpectedly exalted league position.

Michael Keane (Everton)

Michael Keane, a peripheral figure who only played nine league games last season, has already equaled that total with 11 appearances this campaign. Almost certainly one of the four or five unnamed players who Sean Dyche admitted Everton fans did not want to see in their team, the 31-year-old is unlikely to retain his place now that Jarrad Branthwaite has returned to fitness. , but he was a decent deputy, even scoring two goals. Their choice? A left-footed screamer into the roof of the net from a tight angle against Ipswich that would have had even his most vocal detractors on their feet.

Antonee Robinson (Fulham)

While Robinson's improvement season on season will come as no surprise to Fulham fans, his remarkable form has caught the eye of those less used to seeing him play. Third among Premier League defenders in terms of tackles and interceptions, he has excelled in the future in a Fulham team that performed well above expectations. The speedy US international has been racking up frequent flyer points with his regular overlapping sprints down the left wing and no top-class defender has surpassed his three assists. As it stands, Robinson is arguably the best left-back in the top flight and the strength is largely with the 27-year-old known as Jedi.

Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)

Gravenberch, a player in Jürgen Klopp's team, has needed just 11 games to become the outstanding defensive midfielder that many Liverpool fans did not know their club already had on the books. The young Dutchman is thriving in his deep-lying midfield role sitting in the double pivot favored by Arne Slot, a position he previously played in for Ajax. “This season my goal is to play even more than last season and I'm on the right track,” said the midfielder who has started each of Liverpool's 11 Premier League games and has failed to finish only one of them.

Pape Sarr (Tottenham)

When Tottenham Hotspur came back to demolish Aston Villa after being a goal behind, their standout player was Sarr. The 22-year-old Senegalese international won the ball nine times in midfield and his direct run towards the visitors led to two of his team's four goals. A seemingly tireless athlete whose excellent partnership alongside Dejan Kulusevski in Ange Postecoglou's midfield has left James Maddison on the sidelines even though the England international has done little wrong. With more questions asked of the following Australians Defeat at Spurs' home against Ipswichwill hope Sarr's work ethic will help him keep his job.

Matheus Nunes (Manchester City)

A secondary player last season after his pass from wolvesNunes has taken advantage of the additional responsibilities entrusted to him by Pep Guardiola due to the club's injury crisis. Nunes, a central midfielder by trade, has played on the left and in all competitions has scored three goals, provided four assists and created seven great chances. With reports suggesting Nunes has done enough to earn a place in his favored position following the return of Jack Grealish and Jérémy Doku from the treatment room, the 26-year-old could yet enjoy a lengthy career in the team.

Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester)

On loan from Brighton, this teenage Argentine winger joined a promoted team that always struggled and made an immediate impact. A first-team staple despite the stellar contributions of Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Madvididi to Leicester's promotion cause last season, Buonanotte has already equaled last season's tally of three top-flight goals and provided two assists. Always willing to take on defenders on the edge of his own area, he is equally keen when it comes to getting his hands dirty and is happy to do his fair share of defensive work.

Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)

Few expected this return of the thirty-something to affect the Golden Boot standings, but there he is with eight goals, rubbing shoulders with Mo Salah and Bryan Mbeumo, with only Erling Haaland ahead of him. The only forward at the top of Nuno Espirito Santo's 4-2-3-1, Wood's physicality makes him a problem, while he also benefits from the excellent service provided by Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson. Odoi. Not as good in the air as he should be, the big Kiwi is an important goal scorer, and each of his eight contributed to the points tally that puts Forest in fifth place.

Liam Delap (Ipswich)

Despite being only 21 years old, Delap had something to prove when he moved to Ipswich after three rather disappointing loan spells from Manchester City at various Championship clubs. Thrown into the deep end as Ipswich failed to secure other summer goals, he scored a wonderful solo goal. against Fulham and has since added five more. Quick, fond of passing, a tormentor of central defenders and blessed with the ability to hit the ball with the power of 10,000 soles, he is on his way to repaying the faith in him shown by Kieran McKenna.