Football Features

    Ranked: Every ‘No.7’ in the Premier League right now

    By Muhammad Butt

    Published: 17:45, 4 September 2020

    The No.7 is an instantly iconic number in English football.

    Whereas the No.10 is more revered in other parts of the world, in England it’s the 7 that seems reserved for the side’s most dynamic player, the biggest maverick. Think of Eric Cantona, Matt Le Tissier, David Beckham, Robert Pires, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suárez… these are some of the most electric names in Premier League history.

    And the most recent talent to join these ranks is Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, who has announced he will be wearing the number from this point on. Obviously the teenager has a long way to go in order to match the magic of the players above, but where does he rank amongst the league’s current No.7’s? Manchester United don’t have one — and we are not including the newly-promoted clubs (Leeds United, West Brom and Fulham) — but we’ve ranked the rest taking into account overall quality and form last season.

    Disagree with any of our picks? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!

    16. Max Meyer (Crystal Palace)

    Minutes: 650
    Goals: 0
    Assists: 0
    Tackles: 19
    Take-ons completed: 6

    The German is a magnificent talent and was one of the brightest prospects in the Bundesliga for years, but his move to South London has not worked out. He’s barely seen the field this season.

    15. Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Burnley)

    Minutes: 622
    Goals: 1
    Assists: 1
    Tackles: 4
    Take-ons completed: 5

    Gudmundsson’s season was heavily disrupted by thigh problems, which unfortunately has pushed him down this list.

    14. Andy Carroll (Newcastle United)

    Minutes: 618
    Goals: 0
    Assists: 4
    Tackles: 5
    Take-ons completed: 6

    Andrew Thomas Carroll has the most interesting facial hair in the division. In terms of his impact as an actual player though he’s been useful in spurts but sadly injury has prevented him from being the towering presence he used to be.

    13. Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham)

    Minutes: 988
    Goals: 5
    Assists: 1
    Tackles: 13
    Take-ons completed: 10

    Yarmolenko is an absolute dynamo when he’s fit and in form. Unfortunately, he’s not really been either last vseason. Still, his goals have helped West Ham win key points, especially his sublime strike against Chelsea.

    12. Demarai Gray (Leicester City)

    Minutes: 607
    Goals: 2
    Assists: 3
    Tackles: 12
    Take-ons completed: 10

    A perennial supersub, Gray never touches on pure genius but he consistently useful for a Leicester side that for the vast majority of last season was the second or third-best team in the division.

    11. Shane Long (Southampton)

    Minutes: 1399
    Goals: 2
    Assists: 2
    Tackles: 19
    Take-ons completed: 6

    Ralph Hasenhuttl has managed Shane Long’s workload superbly, keeping him fit through most of last season by using him as a late-game supersub. Not quite starter calibre, but still a most useful mammal.

    10. James Milner (Liverpool)

    Minutes: 926
    Goals: 2
    Assists: 2
    Tackles: 16
    Take-ons completed: 10

    On the field, it was James Milner’s least productive season for a while as age does finally seem to be catching up with him, but some things cannot be measured in on-field stats and Milner’s incredible leadership and professionalism played a big part in Liverpool’s unassailable march towards Premier League domination.

    9. John Lundstram (Sheffield United)

    Minutes: 2455
    Goals: 5
    Assists: 3
    Tackles: 46
    Take-ons completed: 18

    Fantasy Premier League hero John Lundstrum hasn’t been as impressive as many would have wanted in the second half of the 2019/20 season, especially since Sander Berge joined the Blades mid-season.

     8. Pedro Neto (Wolves)

    Minutes: 928
    Goals: 3
    Assists: 3
    Tackles: 9
    Take-ons completed: 32

    Wolves’ cup regular Neto hasn’t always played in the Premier League, and will forever curse VAR for denying him killer goals, but he’s always given his all and added pace and thrust when he has played.

    7. John McGinn (Aston Villa)

    Minutes: 2316
    Goals: 3
    Assists: 3
    Tackles: 53
    Take-ons completed: 53

    John McGinn is a throwback box-to-box midfielder who can do a bit of everything. His goals, tackling and dribbling are so fundamental to Villa in the middle of the pitch that when he was injured you could see the energy drain out the heart of Villa’s midfield.

    6. Aaron Connolly (Brighton)

    Minutes: 1261
    Goals: 3
    Assists: 1
    Tackles: 7
    Take-ons completed: 6

    Brighton have long had trouble scoring goals, but bringing through Aaron Connolly — who inherited the number 7 jersey this summer from Neal Maupay — alleviated those concerns. Brighton haven’t been at their best last season, but Connolly’s goals have been the difference between survival and relegation.

    5. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

    Minutes: 1753
    Goals: 1
    Assists: 5
    Tackles: 36
    Take-ons completed: 32

    A teenage winger breaks into Arsenal’s first-team, looks good, gets moved to left-back, looks just as good, and then gets moved back to wing and handed the No.7 shirt. If that isn’t an incredible debut season, then nothing is. Saka is a ferociously talented young man who looks capable of anything.

    4. N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea)

    N'Golo Kante

    Minutes: 1733
    Goals: 3
    Assists: 0
    Tackles: 44
    Take-ons completed: 24

    As much as this list favours productivity over the previous season, there has to be something said for genuine legends of the game. N’Golo Kanté was far from his best but is still one of the most revered and respected midfield presences in the league. It is his tremendous misfortune that Frank Lampard cannot find a way to make use of his tremendous skill-set.

    3. Richarlison (Everton)

    Minutes: 3081
    Goals: 13
    Assists: 3
    Tackles: 70
    Take-ons completed: 61

    Richarlison is a genuine wonder of a player. Big, strong, fast, skilful and displaying an ever-expanding repertoire of goals; there would seem to be no upper limit to his potential if he were given the right kind of stage to shine on. For now he has to settle for being Everton’s best player, but rest assured that he can do so much more.

    2. Heung-min Son (Spurs)

    Minutes: 2485
    Goals: 11
    Assists: 10
    Tackles: 23
    Take-ons completed: 62

    Heung-min Son is magnificent. A top-class footballer who is a genuine threat whether on or off the ball. His movement and runs are deadly but put him in possession and he can beat you with a dribble or thunder a supreme shot into the back of the net. Son was Spurs’ best forward last season and is one of only three Premier League players to bag a ‘double-double’ (double figures for goals and assists) in 2019/20.

    1. Raheem Sterling (Man City)

    Minutes: 2660
    Goals: 20
    Assists: 1
    Tackles: 27
    Take-ons completed: 55

    While Manchester United don’t even have a No.7, Manchester City have the best one in the league. Raheem Sterling is truly world-class, a miraculous forward who takes a complete and key role in City’s attack. Pep Guardiola has placed a massive amount of trust in Sterling’s ability to threaten opponents off the dribble or taking a shot, and Sterling nearly always repays that faith.

    Twenty goals in 33 league games is impressive, especially when you realise that, discounting penalties, only Danny Ings scored more than Sterling last season. He’d subsequently finish the 2019/20 campaign by achieving his first-ever 30-goal season. You wouldn’t bet against him scoring even more in 2020/21. He’s that good.

    Unquestionably the Premier League’s supreme No.7.

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