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As you stay home to battle Covid-19, let's take a look at five players who lit up the world's most popular league - the English Premiership

Published: Tue 5 May 2020, 12:31 AM

SUAREZ, THE EL PISTOLERO

(2013-14 season)
Luis Suarez, the Uruguayan marksman, fired up the Premiership in the 2013-14 season with Liverpool, plundering an astonishing 31 goals. And what was even more frightening was all those 31 came in open play and not one from the penalty spot. Added to that, Suarez also came up with 12 assists and created 22 chances, going on to show he was the perfect team man at Anfield. His influence not just in front of goal but the whole team was such that Liverpool almost wrested the title from Manchester City. It was a valiant effort as Liverpool racked up 101 goals, the highest number of goals scored by a runner-up, as they finished two points behind City. Come to think of it, Suarez had missed the first five fixtures of this season through suspension.

HENRY, THE EL DOCTOR

(2002-03 season)

There was Arsene Wenger and there was Thierry Henry. The two Frenchmen were the two pillars of Arsenal back in the day as the Gunners made a fight for the Premiership. Wenger, the mastermind and Henry, his disciple, plotted Arsenal's rise to the top, with the latter, an influential figure in front of goal. Henry, who joined the Gunners from Serie A side Juventus, enjoyed a stellar season in 2002-03. Henry was in the 'zone,' so to speak, bludgeoning 20 goals. What was even more remarkable was that the Frenchman also came up with 20 assists in that same season, just going on to reinforce the massive part he played in Arsenal finishing runner-up. Henry scored 24 goals and had 20 assists during that campaign, the first and still the only one to do so as the Gunners finished five points behind champions Manchester United.

CR7 IN HEAVEN

(2007-08 season)

The Premier League returned to the top of UEFA's official ranking list, overtaking La Liga in that 2007-08 season. And that perhaps had to do with Manchester United winning the League, the Red Devils then contesting the Champions League, making it an all-English affair. But it was not just Sir Alex Ferguson's men who played a part but also a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, that the Premier League needed to thank. The Portuguese, who was the heir to George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham's iconic No.7 jersey, put the building blocks to what has been a remarkable career so far. Ronaldo had a trophy-laden career at the Theatre of Dreams and enjoyed one of his best seasons pumping in 31 goals and recorded six assists. He picked up six individual awards, including the Golden Boot.

SALAH, THE EGYPTIAN KING

(2017-18 season)

After a not so memorable stint with Chelsea, Mohamed Salah spent season-long loan spells with Fiorentina and AS Roma in the Serie A. There too, he was unsettled even after a permanent move to Roma. With Philippe Coutinho's departure to FC Barcelona gathering speed, Liverpool took a punt on Salah. There were critics who questioned the move but now we all know how that worked out in the end. Salah's acquisition worked like a charm and the world finally got to see the dominant presence of the Egyptian King. Liverpool spent 50 million Euros and it was money well spent as Mo not just ignited The Reds but also inspired the Anfield faithful - The Kop. Mo had more than his laces on his boots on as he mesmerised defences and sent every record to oblivion. Mo fired 32 goals and conjured 10 assists that season.

BALE, THE CANNON

(2012-13 season)

Prior to becoming a Galactico at Real Madrid, the seeds for that were sown by the Welshman at White Hart Lane. Bale had a stupendous season with Tottenham Hotspurs where his turn of pace as well as killer instinct left backlines collapsing like a house of cards, in his wake. Bale was so magical that every time he had the ball at his feet, he looked so dangerous and threatening and quite literally had the world at his feet. Bale was the leader of the attack, a role that he cherished. Bale was single-handedly responsible for the Spurs ending fifth that season. His 21 goals during the campaign was perhaps the perfect audition for making his case to join the Los Blancos in the Spanish capital, for a then world record fee of 85.3 million pounds.