We're shining a light on the Premier League players who perhaps haven't had the praise they deserve for their 2019/20 season performances.
Monday 20 April 2020 08:53, UK
Burnley currently sit 10th in the Premier League, only four points behind Wolves in sixth, and have given themselves a fantastic chance of registering another top-half finish under Sean Dyche.
When talking about the Clarets' strengths it is easy to praise the defensive solidity of Ben Mee and James Tarkowski, or the physicality and goalscoring of Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood, but there is another member of the side who arguably has had more of an impact.
On the final day of the 2017/18 season Dwight McNeil made his senior debut as an injury-time substitute against Bournemouth and since then has been a near-permanent fixture in the Burnley squad.
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The 20-year-old winger has made a career-best 29 Premier League appearances this season, making him one of only four players to start every league game for Dyche this season, the others being stalwarts Nick Pope, Mee and Tarkowski.
McNeil is the youngest player to have started every Premier League game for their club this season and his 2,534 minutes of game time is the third-most of any player aged 21 or younger. Only England stars Declan Rice (2,610) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (2,550) have more and both are a year older.
Being a Premier League regular before hitting 21 has naturally resulted in McNeil winning England U20 and U21 caps and recently there have been rumours of a move back to Manchester United, the club that released him aged 14 in 2014.
For this season at least, McNeil will be staying at Burnley and Dyche's trust in his young star has been repaid fully with the Rochdale-born wideman providing five Premier League assists and creating 43 chances, the most of any Burnley player.
McNeil has also attempted most dribbles for the Clarets, and only four players in the whole of the Premier League have made more open play crosses.
Six of McNeil's 10 career Premier League assists have been from crosses and although a cross accuracy of 20 per cent this season may not sound that impressive it is the second-best of any player to have made 100 or more open play crosses, bettered only by Wolves' Adama Traore (22 per cent).
