7 Most Surprising Premier League Stars This Season
With 10 games now gone in the Premier League season, the table is starting to take shape, and the cream is beginning to rise to the top.
The likes of Sergio Aguero, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas are firing on all cylinders—just like many expected.
However, as is always the case, there are a number of Premier League stars that have surprised us all with their exceptional form.
It could be a youngster who has broken through into the first team or a new signing that has far exceeded the expectations placed on them.
So without further ado, here are the seven biggest surprise packages we've seen so far in the Premier League in 2014/15.
Stewart Downing (West Ham United)
1 of 7
English football's renaissance man is at it again.
So often, Stewart Downing has a negative reputation attached to him, but then, he goes and proves people wrong with some sparkling performances.
And after a sluggish season with West Ham United last year, Downing has improved massively in 2014/15, becoming one of the Hammers' key men so far this campaign.
He has two goals and four assists to his name already, having played in every minute of West Ham's league games so far.
If he keeps going like this, could an England recall be on the cards?
Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)
2 of 7
Much is being made out of the impact Cesc Fabregas is having on Chelsea since he joined them at the start of this season—and rightly so, given how he already has nine assists to his name.
But just behind him in the assist rankings is Swansea City's Gylfi Sigurdsson, who already has seven himself in just 10 games.
The 25-year-old was equally as impressive during his first spell with the Swans, as seven goals in just 18 appearances saw him snapped up by Tottenham.
However, he failed to produce the same kind of form at White Hart Lane, and a move back to the Liberty Stadium seems to be bringing the best out of Sigurdsson once again.
He is thriving in a much more important role under Garry Monk, and he's been a huge part of Swansea's early-season success.
Diafra Sakho (West Ham United)
3 of 7
When Andy Carroll didn't play last season, goals were very hard to come by for West Ham United.
The pressure was on Sam Allardyce this year to bring in strikers that could support the side while Carroll was out injured, and Diafra Sakho is certainly making his mark at Upton Park.
The Senegalese international scored an impressive 20 goals in 37 games for FC Metz in Ligue 2 last season, but since his move to the Premier League, his form has gotten even better.
Six goals in as many starts is a great return from Sakho, with only four players having scored more so far this season. Incidentally, all four of those have played in more games than Sakho, too.
He is expected to be back for the Hammers' game against Aston Villa this weekend: If that does turn out to be the case, then expect his blistering form to continue.
Calum Chambers (Arsenal)
4 of 7
The inclusion of Calum Chambers on this list is not perhaps due to his talent—that was there for all to see during his time at Southampton.
However, it's more due to the fact that Chambers has been so good in an Arsenal shirt—that he's become one of their most important defenders already.
Chambers has only missed one of Arsenal's 10 league games so far this season, and he has quickly established himself as a mainstay of their back four in no time.
England honours have followed, too, leaving no one in doubt that Chambers is a star of the present, as well as the future.
And with a goal and an assist to his name already, Chambers is becoming a menace in the opposition box, as well as his own.
Graziano Pelle (Southampton)
5 of 7
Fans of Dutch football may have been aware that it was going to play out like this for Graziano Pelle at Southampton.
He'd already established a bit of a reputation as a prolific striker with Feyenoord, scoring 50 goals in just 57 appearances across two seasons with the club.
But he was coming into a Southampton side that were supposed to be relegation certainties, following the losses of several key players—as well as boss Mauricio Pochettino.
How wrong we all were—Pelle's goals have fired the Saints into the top four with just over a quarter of the season gone, and if his form continues on this trend, there's every chance the Saints could still be there in May.
Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion)
6 of 7
Saido Berahino had shown us a glimpse his talent last season at West Bromwich Albion, but this season, things have really taken off.
Now a firm regular in the England under-21 side—as well as the linchpin of Alan Irvine's team at The Hawthorns—Berahino is clearly destined for big things in the future.
Seven goals in just 10 appearances is blistering form, with some of his finishes out of the very top drawer.
As his form continues, talk of a move to a top club will undoubtedly grow and grow. But if the Baggies can keep hold of Berahino for the foreseeable future, then they will be very much looking up, rather than down.
Dusan Tadic (Southampton)
7 of 7
Of all the players that have impressed this season for Southampton, Dusan Tadic has perhaps stood out more than any other.
Sure, there's been the goals of Pelle that have grabbed a fair old chunk of the headlines, but Tadic's creative influence from midfield should not be underestimated.
The Serbian has one goal and six assists to his name already—just three fewer than Chelsea's Fabregas, which isn't bad going.
Three of those assists came in Southampton's 8-0 win against Sunderland, when Tadic was arguably the best player on the pitch by some distance.
If the Saints are to launch an unlikely assault on the top four under Ronald Koeman, then the signing of Tadic will forever be regarded as a masterstroke.
Stats via WhoScored unless otherwise noted.
