David James surprised many with his selection for the Premier League’s standout player this season.
While the consistent performances of Bukayo Saka, Mohamed Salah, and Son Heung-min have been widely acknowledged throughout the term, James opted for a different choice.
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Among the unexpected stars of this campaign are Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who could be contenders for end-of-season accolades if they sustain their current form.
However, departing from the expected, former Liverpool and England goalkeeper James singled out Dominik Szoboszlai as the top player in the Premier League, despite the Hungarian’s struggles with injuries.
Speaking to GGRecon, James said: “I think Dominic Solanke has been amazing.
“Phil Foden has been doing very well this season, but Manchester City aren’t top of the table so they’ve not been the best team like many expected them to be.
“Erling Haaland has scored the most goals again so far, so maybe he should be the player of the year, but with Dominic Solanke, I think he’s had an incredible season.
“As much as I don’t think Arsenal are going to win the Premier League title this year, I think Martin Ødegaard has been fantastic.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai have also been fantastic, so I think we’ve been blessed with some really decent performances this season, but if I had to go for one person then I would go with Dominik Szoboszlai.”
Szoboszlai made the switch to Liverpool from RB Leipzig in the summer and has netted five goals in 28 appearances for the club.
However, his time at Liverpool has been plagued by injury setbacks, notably a hamstring injury suffered against Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
After recently returning from this injury, Szoboszlai was notably absent from the Liverpool squad in their defeat to Arsenal on February 4. Reports indicated he could be sidelined for up to seven weeks.
