Before we get things going on August 16 for the much-awaited season opener of the Premier League, I’d like to introduce you to some hotshots that you may or may not know of—although I have a strong gut feeling that you do know them.
But if, for some reason, these names have escaped your minds, then allow us here at SBOTOP to refresh your memories—for these certified and absolute magicians of the ball aren’t ones you should be forgetting.
Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
The Red Devils were nowhere near where they wanted to be for almost the entirety of the 2023/24 season. They finished eighth in the league—their worst in the club’s otherwise astounding history. They also suffered horrible and embarrassing defeats against Crystal Palace, Fulham and Newcastle United, amongst others.
Highlights were few and far between, but their abysmal Premier League 2024 results were salvaged by winning the FA Cup against their noisy neighbours, and by discovering a hidden gem in the form of a 19-year-old wonderkid from Stockport.
Go ahead and ask any United fan who felt the excruciating pain of last season what their feelings are towards Mainoo. You will hear nothing but praise.
A few would even anoint him as the best thing since sliced bread! Overreacting or not, it’s fairly easy to see why the midfielder is highly rated, not just in what he showed in United colours last season, but during his England stint at the Euros as well.
Mature beyond his years, and one who can change a game’s momentum by creating chances and chasing the ball, Mainoo scored five goals in his first senior year with the Red Devils.
Who can forget his goals against Liverpool and Wolves? Against the Merseyside club, Mainoo calmly received a pass with his weak foot, and whilst swarmed with defenders inside the box, he then turned and coolly hit a well-placed shot that was far from the keeper’s reach.
Versus the Wolves, Mainoo dissected Maximilian Kilman before slotting a knuckleball past Jose Sa in the seventh minute of injury time to give the Red Devils a late winner.
And of course, he was also the scorer of United’s second goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, which eventually gave Erik Ten Hag the winning trophy—the Dutch manager’s saving grace.
Mainoo’s skills have led to comparisons with the likes of Paul Pogba and Luka Modric. Add to that the fact that he had a solid outing in the Euros despite the lack of stats, which shows you that this is one effective player. It’ll be extremely surprising if he doesn’t excel in the next season.
Harvey Elliott (Liverpool)
Harvey Elliott is the perfect player any manager would want coming off the bench. He’s a clinical midfielder, capable of making decisions that can seal the game or change the tide of a match.
Deemed as a ‘supersub’ last season, he was a substitute in 23 out of the 34 appearances he had in the league. But trust me, he’s a starter for the majority of Premier League teams out there. If you’ve been watching him since his days at Blackburn, then you already know just how special the 21-year-old is.
He is dangerous out wide or on the right-hand side of the pitch, threatening to attack or send accurate crosses to his forwards. But if he won’t be playing on the right flank, then he’s also adept at being a number 10.
In a club friendly match against Arsenal, Elliott was scintillating as he pulled the strings in a 2-1 victory. And with new manager Arne Slot’s new style of football coming in at Anfield, perhaps Elliott could finally feature as a regular starter. If that turns out to be the case, consider Liverpool’s chances to be greater than what the current Premier League 2024 odds have to say.
Rodrigo Muniz
Fulham’s 2023/24 season started with Aleksandar Mitrovic leaving for Saudi Arabia and ended with Joao Palhinha packing his bags to play with Bayern. But in the midst of losing two of their best players, there was the rise of a Brazilian goal scorer.
Enter Rodrigo Muniz. The 23-year-old arrived from Flamengo to Fulham with high expectations surrounding him, yet for a relative period of time he remained a reliever to Mitrovic and was unable to crack into Marco Silva’s starting 11. But after the veteran scorer was sold to Al Hilal, Muniz made the forward position at Craven Cottage his very own.
He scored 10 goals in all competitions for Fulham last season, which included scoring eight goals in eight games and a Premier League Player of the Month award in March. Make no mistake, Fulham fans have something electric to look forward to next season.
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