Will Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante Outperform Liverpool’s Naby Keita This Season?

In the first two games so far, Kante has played 180 minutes and scored one goal. He had 4 shots, with one of them on target. He touched the ball 140 times and completed 115 passes. He had 3 interceptions and 4 tackles, conceding 2 fouls.

Keita played 177 minutes, without scoring, but he also had 4 shots, with 2 of them on target. He had 164 touches on the ball, completing 132 passes. He even attempted a through ball.

He had 2 interceptions, 6 tackles and committed 1 foul. Keita, at the start of the season, has matched Kante in every aspect, though missing out on the goal. However, it won’t be long before he gets his name on the scoresheet.

But it is not by mere coincidence that Kante has been sitting on top of the midfield pile for the last few years in the Premier League. He has overcome some stellar challenges from some very capable challengers to be the epitome of a perfect midfielder.

Kante has been in the top of the interceptions list among the midfielders in the 2015/16 season as well as last season. In the 2016/17 season, he was narrowly beaten to the top by Romeu.

In the list of most tackles by midfielders in the league season, Kante has been in the top 3 in every season since he joined the Premier League. He gives away very few fouls, which is the reason for his high tackle success rate.

Under Maurizio Sarri, Kante is rediscovering himself in a more advanced position, with Jorginho playing the deeper midfield role. Kante does not seem to mind and, in reality, he has the abilities to succeed higher up in the field.

For the sceptics, it makes his role similar to Keita now, where he is more involved in the offensive side of the game and, as a result, should still strongly influence the game. He has already scored a goal and should score a few more till the end of the season.

Last season, Kante averaged 3.4 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per 90 minutes, while Keita averaged 3.0 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per 90 minutes. Keita will give Kante tough competition this season, but it is a battle that should bring the best out of the Frenchman.

He is, after all, a World Cup winner now. Only time will tell who comes out on top, but for now, the Premier League is blessed to have two world-class central midfielders running the show. It is only going to get better from here.

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