Give them some credit...
Everyone knows that Raheem Sterling and Mohamed Salah are brilliant. Superstars of their ilk are never short of recognition, be it from fans of their own club or a wider audience.
But which Premier League players deserve more praise than they usually receive? In this slideshow, we've picked out the most underrated operator from each club in the division...
Arsenal: Rob Holding
Rob Holding has only play 31 Premier League games in his career and yet, somehow, still remains Arsenal's best centre-back. The defender showed considerable signs of promise in the first half of 2018/19, before an anterior cruciate ligament injury cut his season short in December. Arsenal fell short of a top-four finish last season, but with Holding back in the starting XI there is just cause for optimism at Arsenal; despite David Luiz's best attempts to dampen spirits.
A £2m bargain buy from Bolton in 2016, Holding is composed with the ball and intelligent without it. He's not the most powerful of centre-backs, but his anticipation and positioning more than make up for that.
Aston Villa: Conor Hourihane
With John McGinn and Jack Grealish always keen to break forward and join the attack, Hourihane has an integral role to play at the base of Villa's midfield. Having previously fulfilled box-to-box functions, the Republic of Ireland international is much more a sitter in Dean Smith's 4-3-3 formation, screening the back four and orchestrating moves from deep.
Hourihane possesses a fine range of passing and is also adept at sniffing out danger, making him well equipped for that position just in front of the defence.
Bournemouth: Steve Cook
Now into his ninth season at the club, Cook is a real Bournemouth stalwart. The central defender made his Cherries debut in League One and has helped to establish Eddie Howe's side in the top flight over recent years – a magnificent achievement for a club of their size.
Cook will eventually get phased out, but at 28 he still has plenty to offer. The former Brighton man is strong in the air and accomplished in possession, while he also has a useful propensity to chip in with goals at the other end of the field: he's scored in every season since 2011/12.
Brighton: Shane Duffy
Brighton's 3-0 victory over Watford on the opening weekend showed that the team's style of play is going to evolve under Graham Potter, but the former Swansea boss won't want to lose the defensive resolve that was present for most of Chris Hughton's tenure.
Lewis Dunk is the most heralded member of Brighton's backline, but Duffy is arguably just as important as the Englishman. The Republic of Ireland international is rarely caught out of position and frequently finds himself in the right place at the right time when defending his own penalty box - and that's not a coincidence.
Burnley: Jack Cork
Perenially underrated, Cork continues to go under the radar despite delivering consistently good performances season after season. He played every minute of every game as Burnley qualified for the Europa League in 2017/18, and missed only one match when Sean Dyche's men avoided relegation last term.
Dyche loves Cork's energy and hard running, but he's a tidy distributor of the ball too. A midfield all-rounder who's also homegrown, it's somewhat surprising that the Chelsea youth product still doesn't get the credit he deserves.
Chelsea: Jorginho
When Frank Lampard replaced Maurizio Sarri in the Stamford Bridge dugout this summer, it was widely felt that Jorginho would follow his former Napoli manager back to Italy. Yet Lampard was quick to praise Jorginho in pre-season, publicly stating that he had been impressed by the midfielder's attitude and work ethic in training.
The Brazil-born Italy international has started both of Chelsea's competitive games under Lampard thus far, and looks set to show his quality in a slightly more liberated role this season. A terrific passer who also receives the ball well, Jorginho would surely have provided several assists in 2018/19 had his team-mates been less profligate in front of goal.
Crystal Palace: Luka Milivojević
Palace aren't known for their ability to score freely - just ask Christian Benteke - but when Wilfried Zaha is in your team you're almost guaranteed penalties. What Luka Milivojević offers is a man so composed that a goal seems like the only possible outcome. The big Serbian is also a tireless workhorse who unselfishly chugs around the pitch breaking up play and picking up cards.
He may be decidedly unremarkable but those within the club know his worth. A fine reader of the game, tough in the tackle and an aerial threat in both boxes, Milivojević will be crucial to the Eagles' fortunes this term.
Everton: Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The acquisitions of Moise Kean from Juventus was one of the best signings a Premier League club made this summer. The Italian teenager scored eight goals in 12 appearances for the Bianconeri last time out and will no doubt make an impression in England once he's settled.
In Calvert-Lewin, though, Everton have another promising young attacker who does his best work through the middle. The 22-year-old routinely makes clever runs off the ball and links the play well, although he must now start scoring more goals to take his game to the next level.
Leicester: Jonny Evans
After selling Harry Maguire to Manchester United for £80m, Leicester were linked with a host of centre-backs in the final few days of the summer transfer window. Instead they stayed out of a bidding war and kept faith with those defenders already at the club, and the early signs in Sunday's goalless draw with Wolves were positive.
Evans and Caglar Soyuncu both performed well in that game, and the Northern Irishman could have a big role to play this term. Evans has been underrated for some time now; it's no surprise that Pep Guardiola was sniffing around before he left West Brom.
Liverpool: Jordan Henderson
Henderson is not the most technically gifted of Liverpool's midfielders, but there's a reason Jurgen Klopp starts him more often than not. The England international's energy and drive is crucial to the way the German's team play, and his range of passing - while not quite Andrea Pirlo-esque - is underappreciated.
Having spent much of Klopp's tenure as the deepest member of a midfield three, Henderson excelled in a box-to-box role towards the end of last term. That versatility is another reason why his manager is such a big fan.
Manchester City: Oleksandr Zinchenko
After amassing 198 points over the last two seasons, most Manchester City players have received ample credit for their part in such an unprecedented achievement. However, Zinchenko arguably hasn't been heralded as much as he might have.
Not only is the Ukrainian just 22 years old, he's actually a No.10 by trade - he was the most creative player on the pitch when his country lost to Poland at Euro 2016. The fact he hasn't looked out of place as City's starting left-back is testament to his quality.
Manchester United: Victor Lindelof
Harry Maguire was deservedly named man of the match after United’s 4-0 thumping of Chelsea on Sunday, and Lindelof might have to get used to his centre-back partner generating more headlines than him this term.
However, the Swede proved himself to be a highly capable defender last season: he was probably the team's standout performer under Jose Mourinho, and definitely their strongest centre-back throughout the campaign. Expect him to receive more credit as this season progresses - but perhaps not as much as the £80m man beside him.
Newcastle: Fabian Schar
Newcastle conceded fewer goals than Arsenal and Manchester United last season, with Schar - rather than the more heralded Jamaal Lascelles - their key man at the back. Signed for just £3m from Hoffenheim in summer 2018, the Swiss stopper is already worth a great deal more 12 months on.
Schar is fantastic in possession, both in his passing ability and willingness to carry the ball into midfield. He can sometimes be a little rash in the tackle - as evidenced by 15 yellow cards for club and country in 2018/19 - but the 28-year-old remains one of the best centre-backs outside the top six.
Norwich: Jamal Lewis
There were several signs of promise in Norwich's opening encounter despite a 4-1 loss to Liverpool. Lewis was one of the visiting players who impressed at Anfield, particularly when surging down the flank to join the attack from left-back.
Daniel Farke likes his full-backs - Lewis on the left, Max Aarons on the right - to push forward at every opportunity, and there's every chance that the speedy, athletic Northern Ireland international won't be underrated come the end of the campaign.
Sheffield United: John Fleck
Chris Wilder's innovative approach of encouraging his centre-backs to overlap and put crosses into the box is sure to capture plenty of attention following Sheffield United's return to the Premier League. The roles of Jack O'Connell and Chris Basham, the outside defenders in Wilder's back three, have already received focus, but Fleck is crucial to the system too.
The central midfielder contributes to both the attacking and defensive phases of play, and he also takes a mean set-piece. Fleck played 45 of 46 league games last term and is likely to be ever-present whenever fit this season.
Southampton: Jan Bednarek
Yann Valery was a strong contender for the Southampton crown, but Bednarek just edges him out. The Pole fell out of favour under Mark Hughes but was restored to the side when Ralph Hasenhuttl took charge, and it wasn't a coincidence that Saints' form soon picked up.
Bednarek is a tremendous penalty-box defender, always getting his body in the right place to block shots and make clearances. He's strong in the air too, and has a useful knack for raising his game in the biggest matches.
Tottenham: Harry Winks
Tottenham's midfield this season will have a very different feel to it: Mousa Dembele has departed, Eric Dier will probably be a back-up and Victor Wanyama has also been pushed down the pecking order. Spurs splashed the cash to bring in Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso this summer, and both men will expect to become regular starters as the season goes on.
In Winks, though, there should be one constant between this term and last in the centre of the park. Most onlookers appreciate the England international's ability to control Tottenham's passing tempo and start attacks, but his importance to the team is still a little underestimated.
Watford: Craig Cathcart
Watford are famed for the extensiveness of their scouting policy, which regularly results in them picking up talented players from all four corners of the globe. Yet despite such an approach, Cathcart started 40 games in all competitions last season as the Hornets posted their best finish of the Premier League era and reached the FA Cup final.
The Northern Irishman is astute positionally and reads the game well, while he rarely lets his performance levels dip. He'll be essential if Watford are to push for a top-half finish this campaign.
West Ham: Fabian Balbuena
A 5-0 thumping by Manchester City didn't represent the best start to the new season for West Ham, but getting demolished by Pep Guardiola's men at the London Stadium is nothing new. The defeat did, however, raise further question marks about the team's defensive capabilities, which could be their main weakness this term.
Yet despite those legitimate doubts, a centre-back partnership of Issa Diop and Balbuena is a good one. The Paraguayan adapted well to his first season in England in 2018/19 and looks well positioned to build on that promise this term - just not against City, perhaps.
Wolves: Diogo Jota
When Wolves went through a sticky patch last season, Nuno Espirito Santo was quick to act. The former Porto boss shifted from a 3-4-3 formation to a 3-5-2, adding an extra midfielder to the team and moving Jota from the wing to the centre of the attack alongside Raul Jimenez.
The Portuguese excelled, ending the season with nine goals and five assists to his name, but didn't receive the same widespread recognition as his strike partner. That will surely change if Jota reaches double figures this season.
