Nine clubs represented in Premier League young team of the season

With the Premier League season now done and dusted we look back at some of the top performing youngsters of the campaign in a best XI of those aged 21 or under back on the very first day in August.

Players must have made at least ten appearances with the exception of the goalkeeper, with just one eligible applicant under the aforementioned age restrictions.

Mark Travers (Bournemouth) - 7.08 rating

Having only been brought into the Cherries side for the final two games of the season, the fans will have been wondering why it took so long for the teenager to get his chance following said matches.

Travers made a string of superb saves as Bournemouth kept out Spurs and while he would ship five at Palace the very next week, the youngster still pulled off a couple of excellent stops in a bizarre end of season encounter.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - 7.36 rating

Before we can discuss Alexander-Arnold’s exceptional season there is one man that must get a mention here having missed out. Aaron Wan-Bissaka earned the second highest rating of those eligible to make the XI but was beaten to the lineup by a spectacular end to the season from the Reds right-back.

Indeed, the 20-year-old registered six assists in his last six league appearances of the campaign to not only double his tally but break the record for the most in a single season by a Premier League defender, with 12. With figures of 2.2 tackles and 1.8 key passes per 90 minutes, the England international is already among the best full-backs in the top-flight.

Issa Diop (West Ham) - 6.88 rating

A mainstay in the Hammers XI and big hit with the fans, Diop has developed into one of the best young defenders in the league following a difficult debut at Arsenal. Comfortable in possession and displaying excellent timing in the challenge, the Frenchman produced four tackles and interceptions combined per game.

Juan Foyth (Tottenham) - 6.93 rating

Having not played a single league game in his first season at Tottenham, many expected Foyth to be shipped out on loan but the Argentine has proven to be a very useful player to Pochettino this time around. Many now feel the 21-year-old could be a first team regular before long, playing on the front foot to boast an impressive 3.1 tackles and 1.9 dribbles per 90 from the back.

Ben Chilwell (Leicester) - 7.04 rating

Such is the maturity with which Chilwell plays that you could easily be forgiven for overlooking the fact that the left-back qualifies for such a lineup. The man to beat as things stand in claiming that berth for England, Chilwell has become a first team regular for both club and country. Strong in the air and willing to take risks in possession, the youngster averaged 1.3 key passes and 1.4 dribbles per 90 over 36 league appearances.

Richarlison (Everton) - 6.89 rating

Much like he did at Watford, Richarlison made a superb start to his Everton career and while his early season form tailed off the Brazilian is the top scorer eligible for this XI. Ending the campaign with 13 league goals, the 21-year-old was the Toffees joint top scorer and chipped in with 1.6 tackles per 90 to boot.

Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester) - 7.22 rating

Another player that is younger than most would perhaps expect, the ease with which Ndidi has made the grade in England has seen the Nigerian go under the radar. A prolific ball winner both on the deck and in the air, the 22-year-old deserves far more recognition than he receives and finished the season top for tackles (144) and third in interceptions (83).

James Maddison (Leicester) - 7.20 rating

The third and final representative from the Foxes in this lineup - highlighting the bright future that the club could have - Maddison looked at home all season long in the top-flight. Tallies of seven goals and seven assists ranked second and first respectively for the former champions, with the midfielder the only player in the entire league to create 100 chances for teammates.

Dwight McNeil (Burnley) - 7.03 rating

Arguably the best breakthrough act of the 2018/19 campaign having not played a single minute of top-flight football prior to the season, McNeil quickly established himself as a pivotal player for the Clarets. His emergence in the lineup came at a time - ahead of the New Year - when Burnley looked set for a relegation battle, but the 19-year-old injected some much needed energy into a stagnating side and steered the club well clear of the drop, contributing with three goals and five assists.

Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) - 6.95 rating

A player whose fortunes aligned almost perfectly to that of his team this season, Rashford proved that when he is on form that he will be pivotal to the club moving forwards. For a month either side of the New Year the 21-year-old was in superb form but both beforehand and after he and United fell flat. Ten goals and six assists were both league highs in his career so far but for a player that scored five in 11 appearances back in 2015/16, it certainly isn’t the level of progress so many had understandably expected.

Diogo Jota (Wolves) - 6.89 rating

It was a difficult start to the Premier League campaign for Jota, failing to score or nail down a place in his first 13 appearances but since the start of December the Portuguese forward has been fantastic. Nine goals and five assists have come in the 20 matches since, and the youngster has forged an excellent understanding with Raul Jimenez up front, while averaging 2.2 dribbles per 90 minutes.