James Maddison got more points this weekend than the other top 19 midfielders combined
Sponsored by
Leicester's 3-0 victory over Brighton at the King Power was amplified by a number of factors.
- It came after Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and both Manchester clubs had all failed to win.
- It occurred while Arsenal were simultaneously folding to a 1-0 defeat at home to Burnley, increasing the ridiculousness of the fact there is a group dubbed the 'big six' that features the Gunners but not the Foxes.
- The style with which Brendan Rodgers' sides played to wrap the game up by half time.
James Maddison (£3.5m) was at the heart of Leicester's swaggering exhibition, scoring two goals in a Star Man showing that earned him 18 Dream Team points.
His second strike - a surefire Goal of the Month contender - was a glowing reminder of the 24-year-old's talent that has been evident since he came through at Coventry.
It wasn't long ago that Maddison was being touted as the front-runner for Gareth Southgate's playmaker, before an untimely string of injuries coincided with many of his peers' purple patches.
Jack Grealish (£4.6m), Phil Foden (£3.9m) and Mason Mount (£2.8m) have all impressed the England boss in recent months with arguably the best football of their respective careers.
But with Maddison seemingly back to full fitness, the conversation regarding the Three Lions' creative midfielder (if Southgate actually picks one) will surely expand to a four-way contest.
The fact the ex-Norwich midfielder scored such a pleasing goal with his weaker foot on Sunday night is an indicator of one of the his strongest attributes, that he is comfortable shooting, crossing and passing with both feet — something that is expected of Premier League players but not always evident.
At his best, Maddison's chance creation is among the best in the league.
Last season he only registered three assists in the league but a closer look reveals he was somewhat let down by his team-mates.
Just four players created more chances than Maddison in 2019/20 and only Kevin De Bruyne (£6.6m) completed more throughballs — the Belgian famously equalled Thierry Henry's record for most assists in a Premier League campaign.
Maddison's 18-point haul was the largest of the weekend and would have acted as a beacon for Dream Team bosses since the other 19 top midfielders in Dream Team combined for just 16 points.
The Englishman's brace catapulted him into the top ten midfielders, putting him one point above Riyad Mahrez (£4.0m), Wilfried Zaha (£3.5m) and Ferran Torres (£3.2m).
With an ownership of 6.3%, Maddison remains less popular than Willian (£2.4m), Adama Traore (£3.1m) and Christian Pulisic (£4.2m) — a trio who have amassed 52 points between them, five fewer than the Leicester No10.
BET £10 GET £10 - AD
- Stake £10 with Betway and get another £10 free
- New customers only. Min Deposit: £10. First deposit matched up to £10. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card & PayPal deposits only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Terms apply. 18+ Begambleaware.org