Onana, Mount lead Premier League’s disappointing XI for 2023

The end of 2023 and the start of 2024 cannot come soon enough for some of the Premier League's best players. A loss of form or failure at a new club after a big transfer made 2023 a year to forget. But for others, seemingly endless injury problems have prevented them from rediscovering their best form and winning back a first-team place.

So as 2023 draws to a close, which players make the disappointing team of the year? And no, they don't all play for Chelsea.

Andre Onana, Manchester United

It's been a strange year for the Manchester United goalkeeper. He shone for Inter Milan en route to the Champions League final last season and secured a £43.8million move to Old Trafford. However, since replacing David de Gea – whose mistakes led to his departure from United, Onana has made a series of calamitous errors which contributed to their dismal first half of the season.

There have been a few highs – notably a stoppage-time penalty save to seal a Champions League win over FC Copenhagen – but overall no goalkeeper has been as unreliable as Onana .

Reece James, Chelsea

The Chelsea defender has had no less than seven dismissals this year due to injury or illness, having also missed the England squad for the World Cup a year ago due to a knee injury. James' year of oblivion was not due to a loss of form.

The 24-year-old endured a miserable 12 months because he simply couldn't overcome his injuries. At his best, James is Chelsea's first-choice right-back and captain, but his latest injury – a hamstring – will likely delay his 2024 start until March.

Eric Dier, Tottenham

Dier played for England at the World Cup last December, but a year later he can't even play a match for Tottenham.

The 29-year-old has only made two Premier League appearances under new manager Ange Postecoglou, starting just once, despite being able to play in defense and midfield. He started 31 Premier League games last season, but with Postecoglou making it clear he does not fit his plans, 2024 will likely start with Dier seeking a transfer.

Joško Gvardiol, Manchester City

Manchester City have signed one of Europe's most sought-after defensive talents by completing a £77.6million deal for the RB Leipzig player this summer. But despite the Croatia international's strong pedigree, Gvardiol has struggled to adapt to the pace and intensity of the Premier League, and his attempts to return to form have been hampered by manager Pep Guardiola selecting him regularly to play at left back.

Gvardiol made his name as a centre-back, but with Rúben Dias, Manuel Akanji and John Stones all ahead of him in that position at the Etihad, it was a tough start at City for the 21-year-old.

Marc CucurellaChelsea

Cucurella must often wonder how his career would have progressed if Chelsea had not derailed a transfer from Brighton to Manchester City in August 2022 by offering almost double the offer made by City to sign the left-back for 60 million pound sterling.

Since then, nothing has gone well for Cucurella at Chelsea. He is now on his fourth manager at Stamford Bridge in less than 18 months and Mauricio Pochettino is the latest to have obvious doubts about the 25-year-old's qualities. In a recent defeat at Manchester United, Cucurella was played out of position at right-back and was replaced at half-time.

Chelsea locked down a loan move to Old Trafford in August and while that may not have worked out for Cucurella either, he clearly needs a change of scenery.

Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea

Through no fault of his own, Fernandez became the most expensive player in Premier League history when he joined Chelsea from Benfica for £105million in January.

Fernandez's contribution to Argentina's World Cup triumph at Qarar a month earlier had inflated his valuation, but having only joined Benfica from River Plate for an initial fee of £8.8 million in August 2022 , Chelsea inexplicably valued the midfielder at over £100 million when they made their decision. the 22 year old.

Fernandez clearly has exceptional talent, but the constant upheaval from Chelsea's players and coaches hasn't helped him settle and he's had a difficult year because of it.

Kalvin PhillipsManchester City

The Manchester City midfielder started four matches last season and finished with winners' medals in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. So far this season, the former Leeds player has only started one match in all competitions.

Despite failing to convince Guardiola of his merits at City, Phillips retained his England place and made six appearances for manager Gareth Southgate's side in 2023, becoming a rare case of a player appearing more often for his country than his club.

With the January transfer window set to open, Guardiola has made it clear that Phillips could leave City if he can find a new club.

Mount Mason, Manchester United

Mount was Manchester United's first summer signing, arriving at Old Trafford in a £55 million move from Chelsea, but nothing went well for the Old Trafford midfielder.

The 24-year-old has managed just eight appearances in all competitions for United, and having failed to start a match at Chelsea since March due to a pelvis injury, further injury problems at United have left him turned down the chance to impress manager Erik Ten. Old witch. Due to his fitness issues and loss of form, Mount has been out of the England squad for all of 2023.

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Ogden: Antony 'simply not good enough' for Manchester United

Mark Ogden explains why Man United forwards Marcus Rashford and Antony had to be in his most disappointing XI.

Antoine, Manchester United

Antony has not recorded a goal or assist for Manchester United so far this season and is proving to be a costly mistake after being signed in an £85 million move from Ajax in August 2022.

A spectacular goal in a Europa League win over Barcelona in February showed what Antony was expected to achieve on a regular basis, but he managed just two goals and two assists in the Premier League all year.

The Brazil international is also one-footed and one-paced, making it difficult to see how he can make 2024 better than 2023 at United.

Marcus Rashford, Manchester United

Rashford has scored 14 goals in his first 16 games of 2023 and helped Manchester United end a six-year trophy drought by scoring in the 2-0 Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle.

But since this hot streak in January and February, the 26-year-old has had a nightmare year and thus lost his starting place at United. Since helping United win the Carabao Cup, Rashford entered the Christmas matches with just eight goals in 40 appearances for the club and with a reputation as a top striker.

Mykhailo Mudryk, Chelsea

Just like Fernandez and Cucurella, Mudryk is paying the price for his arrival at Chelsea for an amount much higher than his true value.

The Ukrainian winger spent most of January encouraging a move to Arsenal, but Chelsea came late with an £88 million offer that was too much for Shakhtar Donetsk to refuse.

Since then, Mudryk has been on the lookout for much of his time at Chelsea, but perhaps his late equalizer in the Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Newcastle this month could be the spark that will finally ignite in his career at Stamford Bridge.