Who are the most improved players in the Premier League?

Newcastle’s Almiron is in the form of his life, Granit Xhaka has won over Arsenal fans and Diogo Dalot is on course for a new Man United deal – but who else makes our list of the Premier League’s most-improved players?

• Miguel Almiron has emerged into a talisman for Newcastle so far this campaign
• Ivan Toney has taken his game to the next level with eight league goals to date
• Manchester United are set to offer in-form Diogo Dalot a lucrative new contract
• New fan favourite Granit Xhaka has driven Arsenal to the summit of the table
• Sportsmail has selected the Premier League’s most improved players so far

After Riyad Mahrez was hooked off during Manchester City’s title-winning comeback against Aston Villa in May, Jack Grealish quipped that his out-of-sorts team-mate had ‘played like Almiron’.

Whether meant playfully or maliciously, Grealish had clearly identified the Newcastle winger as a poor Premier League player, some distance behind the standards he and Mahrez like to set at Manchester City.

But, since his mockery of Almiron, the England star has only scored once in six league appearances. By comparison, the Paraguayan has poetically hit the form of his life, netting six goals in Newcastle’s 12 matches so far.

Miguel Almiron scored his fifth goal of the month during Newcastle’s 2-1 victory against Spurs

Alongside a reformed Alex Iwobi and rejuvenated Granit Xhaka, Almiron is currently leading the Premier League’s most improved player race this campaign, emerging as a key talisman for the Magpies in recent weeks.

With less than a month to go before the World Cup break, Sportsmail has fashioned a list of 10 players who have each taken their game to the next level this season.

Miguel Almiron

At this rate, the Newcastle winger is on course to claim October’s Premier League Player of the Month prize.

The Paraguayan’s strike at Spurs took his monthly goal tally to five, after netting twice against Fulham and once against both Everton and Brentford.

Newcastle’s last six points have come from Almiron winners and Eddie Howe’s side have now broken into the Premier League’s top four, five points behind second-place Manchester City and seven behind league leaders Arsenal.

The Paraguayan has emerged as a key player for Newcastle while Allan Saint-Maximin is out

Only four players have netted more goals than Almiron’s six this season — Erling Haaland (17), Harry Kane (10), Aleksandar Mitrovic (9) and Ivan Toney (8). He has also hit the woodwork twice for Newcastle.

In contrast, the winger scored just once during 32 appearances in all competitions last campaign.

Almiron has also partnered his goal-scoring with excellent performances both on and off the ball, emerging as a talisman for Howe in the absence of star winger Allan Saint-Maximin. 

Granit Xhaka

It once looked like there was no way back for Xhaka at the Emirates when he appeared to swear at Arsenal fans while being substituted during the Gunners’ 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in 2019.

But the Swiss midfielder has gradually repaired his relationship with the supporters under the reign of Mikel Arteta, carving out reliable and important performances in the engine room.

However, this season Xhaka has notably taken his game to the next level, not only spearheading the young team with leadership and passion, but also providing more goals and assists from the base of midfield.

Granit Xhaka has fixed his relationship with the Arsenal supporters and is now a fan favourite

The 30-year-old’s early strike at Southampton on Sunday added to his 70th minute winner against PSV Eindhoven in midweek and marked his fourth goal in all competitions this campaign.

Despite the draw at St Mary’s, Arsenal remain at the summit of the Premier League with a two point lead over the champions.

Xhaka’s midfield performances have built a solid foundation for the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus to express themselves freely up front in pursuit of goals.

Alex Iwobi

Formerly ostracised by Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez at Goodison Park, Iwobi appeared to have amounted to nothing more than a utility player at Everton.

But since earning regular starts under Frank Lampard, the Nigerian has emerged as a pivotal part of the Toffees’ system this season, offering an abundance of energy in midfield.

No longer a winger or playmaker, Iwobi is now viewed as a hard-working, box-to-box midfielder under Lampard and has helped Everton climb to 11th in the table.

Alex Iwobi’s hard-working role in the engine room has helped boost Everton’s defensive record

The 26-year-old, who is tasked with breaking up play and tracking runners in midfield, has contributed to the Toffees’ superb defensive record so far this season, which is the best among teams outside the top five (Arsenal, Man City, Spurs, Newcastle and Chelsea).

Attributing Iwobi’s resurgence to Lampard’s belief in him, team-mate Andros Townsend said: ‘Rafa used to have this fitness test and Alex was always the fittest. But he didn’t believe it. 

‘It was only when Frank Lampard came in and said “I believe in you”. Now you’re starting to see Alex as the specimen he is.’

Eric Dier

Aware that no Antonio Conte system is complete without a resilient defence, Eric Dier has elevated his game to the next level this season and emerged as the manager’s first-choice centre-half.

Although team-mate Cristian Romero rightly grabbed the headlines last campaign, Dier has been arguably Tottenham’s strongest and most reliable defender since the summer, featuring for Conte in all 12 of Spurs’ Premier League matches so far.

With two goals from defence and six clean sheets in all competitions, the 28-year-old has forced his way back into the England squad and looks set to start under Gareth Southgate at the World Cup in Qatar.

Eric Dier’s superb form for Tottenham is likely to land him a starting spot for England in Qatar

Despite two disappointing defeats by Manchester United and Newcastle, Dier has marshalled Tottenham to third in the league table and top of their Champions League group with Marseille, Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting Lisbon.

Aside from defending, the England star has also improved in possession, sitting fourth-highest in the league for completed passes behind Rodri, Virgil van Dijk and Ruben Dias.

Diogo Dalot

Manchester United’s apparent crisis at right-back was well documented ahead of the summer, with £50million signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka struggling to exit a woeful trough of form. 

While Diogo Dalot had shown flashes of promise, several Red Devils fans had concerns over the Portuguese full-back’s defending, especially off the back of United’s leakiest ever Premier League campaign.

But Dalot has fast become one of Erik ten Hag’s most reliable performers at Old Trafford, admirably shutting out left winger Son Heung-min during the 2-0 win against Tottenham last week.

In-form right-back Diogo Dalot is on course for a lucrative new contract at Manchester United

With more pressing issues to solve in the January transfer window — namely the exit of frustrated wantaway Cristiano Ronaldo and pursuit of fresh attackers to Ten Hag’s front line — the 23-year-old is on course for a lucrative new deal at Manchester United.

His impressive performances of late have reportedly riveted the gaze of several interested suitors across Europe, including Champions League winners Real Madrid. 

Joelinton

Not too long ago, Joelinton was viewed as one of the least productive strikers in the Premier League in terms of goals and assists.

Little did everyone know at the time that the Brazilian was secretly a midfielder.

Since Howe made the brave move to turn the £40m signing into a box-to-box midfielder last season, Joelinton has revolutionised his output at Newcastle, emerging as a crucial enforcer in the manager’s engine room.

And although the 26-year-old scooped the Magpies’ Player of the Year gong for 2021-22, he has made even more success out of the position this campaign, pioneering his side to a Champions League spot so far.

Newcastle have benefitted immensely from Joelinton’s hard-working performances in midfield

Despite failing to open his account in the league this season, Joelinton has hit the woodwork three times — more than any other player in the top flight — and has significantly improved his passing in the centre of the park.

But most importantly, the bedrock of Newcastle’s success this season has come from a sturdy defence. 

Joelinton’s work-rate and disruptive tackling has given the back four a significant boost as they continue to carve out clean sheets, holding the best defensive record in the league to date.

Ivan Toney

Brentford’s talisman was excellent during the Bees’ debut campaign in the top flight last season, but Toney has pushed on to become one of the Premier League’s most highly-regarded strikers.

Of course, the hitman has a way to go to reach the heights of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, but fewer strikers in the league are playing as well as Toney at this moment in time.

Excluding the two aforementioned forwards, only Mitrovic has netted more than the 26-year-old in the Premier League this season, and Toney’s eight goals have contributed to 44 per cent of Brentford’s overall tally.

Only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Aleksandar Mitrovic have scored more than Ivan Toney

Whereas last season, Toney would have been seen as an unlikely bet for the England squad, the Bees star has launched himself into the conversation for Qatar, sitting in pole position to deputise for Kane at the World Cup.

With exceptional hold-up play, instinctive finishing and a frightening penalty record from the spot, there are few players Gareth Southgate could trust more to bring off the bench for the Three Lions next month. 

Fabian Schar

The third Newcastle player on the list, Fabian Schar has made significant improvements to his game this season, leading the Premier League’s best defence statistically.

Since netting Newcastle’s opening goal of the season, Schar has become a pivotal aspect of Howe’s back line, featuring in all but one of the Magpies’ league matches this season.

The Swiss defender was benched during Newcastle’s only defeat of the season against Liverpool and has since taken the team on a seven match unbeaten run.

Fourth-placed Newcastle have not lost a single match this season with Fabian Schar in defence

Gabriel Martinelli

With four goals and two assists in 11 appearances so far, Gabriel Martinelli has become a regular under Arteta this season thanks to a handful of match-winning performances for the league leaders.

His goal and assist against Liverpool earlier this month in particular inspired the Gunners to a crucial 3-2 win at the Emirates, and he has started every single Premier League match on the left flank for Arsenal this campaign.

Martinelli has epitomised Arsenal’s youthful fearlessness and is benefitting immensely from a long period of time in the team without injury, having struggled with knee problems in the past.

Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli has netted four times this season for league leaders Arsenal

Eberechi Eze 

Having journeyed back from the disappointment of rupturing his Achilles ahead of Euro 2020, Eberechi Eze has reminded everyone of his talents at Selhurst Park this season and could be in with a shot at a surprise England call-up next month.

Although at one stage it looked as though he would struggle to reach the heights he once displayed before the hefty setback, the midfielder has dazzled defences with exceptional dribbling and neat passing with Crystal Palace.

Eze has scored two and created two of Palace’s 12 goals so far and has won the backing of manager Patrick Vieira, who backed him for a place in Southgate’s World Cup squad.

Vieira told The Athletic last week: ‘I always believe that when you’re building a group for a World Cup, you always have one or two surprises, and he can be one of them.’

Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has recovered brilliantly from his ruptured Achilles

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