It has been an unforgettable decade in the Premier League – from Sergio Aguero’s last-minute title winner to Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, from Leicester’s fairytale season in 2015/16 to Pep Guardiola’s Centurions. With two rounds of fixtures to go until 2020 dawns, Express Sport writers have taken into account the 3,774 games and 10,323 goals scored to select their best Premier League XI of the decade…
Matthew Dunn
De Gea; Walker, Van Dijk, Kompany, Evra; D Silva, Kante, De Bruyne; Sterling, Aguero, Hazard.
Imagine having Harry Kane sat there ready to come off the bench!
He is certainly the most controversial omission from my team – Aguero’s title-winning goal hauls earning him the nod.
Steven Gerrard can also feel himself unlucky to de discarded, although he did only play in the first half of the decade.
Full backs were the hardest to fix upon with Liverpool pair Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson making a late run for selection, although a special mention should go to Tottenham stalwart Jan Vertonghen.
And the manager should be Mauricio Pochettino – partly in recognition of his work at Southampton and Spurs but also, if he can’t win trophies with this team, he is not going to do it with anyone.
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Jim Holden
De Gea; Azpilicueta, Kompany, Van Dijk, Milner; De Bruyne, Kante, Hazard; Sterling, Aguero, Vardy.
This is not a team you would pick to play together; it’s slightly too unbalanced for that. But it does represent the very best performers across the decade.
De Gea has been a fabulous keeper, almost single-handedly at times preserving the reputation and league position of Manchester United in their decline post Sir Alex Ferguson.
Kompany was the heartbeat of Manchester City through several regimes, and Van Dijk has been simply the best defender. Milner may not be the finest pure left back, but his enduring excellence and intelligence demands acknowledgment.
Leicester’s fairytale title victory was founded on the brilliance of Kante and Vardy. They could not be ignored.
Aguero scored a mountain of goals throughout the decade, winning several titles, and creating the single most memorable moment with his injury time goal to clinch City’s first Premier League crown.
De Bruyne, Hazard and Sterling get the nod for the sheer quality of their football; dazzling with ball at feet, seeing the game in a way others cannot, and scoring stupendous goals. They have all been a joy to watch.
Luke Gardener
De Gea; Zabaleta, Kompany, Van Dijk, Evra; Silva, Kante, Toure; Hazard, Aguero, Kane.
My team is dominated by Manchester City who were by far and away the best side between 2010 and 2019 in the Premier League.
Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero all make it in with Kevin de Bruyne coming very close to being included as well.
Eden Hazard and Harry Kane take the other spots in attack for their consistent displays and match-winning performances in the big matches.
N’Golo Kante simply had to be in the team for being the key player in back-to-back Premier League successes for Leicester and Chelsea.
Virgil van Dijk is perhaps a surprise inclusion but his towering performances for Liverpool in the last couple of seasons have edged him in.
David De Gea has to be in goal – I don’t think anyone comes close to what the Spaniard has done at Old Trafford over the last 10 years.
And left-back was the weakest position by a stretch. Patrice Evra goes in ahead of Leighton Baines and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Matt Atherton
Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Van Dijk, Baines; Kante, Yaya Toure; De Bruyne, Silva, Hazard; Aguero.
I’ve gone with Joe Hart in goal, because he was superb at Man City before his dramatic fall from grace.
Bacary Sagna got the nod ahead of Pablo Zabaleta and Branislav Ivanovic, seeing as he was excellent with two of the league’s top teams.
Vincent Kompany was the first name on the team sheet, and Virgil van Dijk makes the team, despite only entering the frame within the past few years. Left-back was tough, but I’ve gone with Leighton Baines for his consistency at the top level.
N’Golo Kante has revolutionised the iconic ‘Makelele role’, and his defensive acumen will allow Yaya Toure to run forward.
An attacking three will include – arguably – the Premier League’s greatest ever playmaker, David Silva, along with Eden Hazard and assist King, Kevin De Bruyne.
Sergio Aguero features ahead of Harry Kane, purely based on his ability to press and drop deeper. His defending from the front would allow Hazard and De Bruyne to push forward, creating gaps in the opposition defence.
