Top 10 Utility Men

This top 10 might as well be called versatile players because utility men are players who are versatile and the Premier League has seen many of them.

Every player as we all know has one set position on a football pitch, but they may also be asked to play in more than one position because of a certain player being injured.

Whilst some players may find their new position unsuited to them, some step up and relish their new position because of their attitude and willingness to perform for their team.

What makes a player able to play in a different position is that they might have the attributes to play that role like a winger playing as a striker because of his pace, a defensive midfielder playing centre back because he's a good reader of the game, a centre midfielder playing full back because of the energy they have, and a centre back playing full back because of the defensive security they bring to the role.

All the players in the list have at least one of those attributes with one or two of them playing in more than two positions.

Now here is the list:

Mikel Merino

Joe Gomez

Phil Jones

James Milner

John Stones

Cesar Azpilicueta

Dominik Szoboszlai

Fernandinho

Heung Min Son

Bernardo Silva

10. Phil Jones

Jones played at both centre back and right back during his early days at Man United with centre back of course being his preferred position.

But he could also play in midfield as he did so at times during his first season at United and also in the odd game for England as well.

He had such an exciting start to his Man United career and a lot of people were hoping that he was going to go on and have a great career.

But it wasn't to be due to injuries and loss of form which saw him drop down the Man United pecking order.

That is why I have him in tenth alongside the fact that he wasn't as versatile as he was in his first season at United as was for the rest of his time there.

9. Mikel Merino

Merino has had to play a number of games at centre forward since he's been at Arsenal and he has delivered whenever he's been asked to play that role by scoring a number of important goals.

He first played in that position during the latter stages of last season when Arsenal had no recognised centre forward available and has had to play up there at times this season for the same reason.

His ability to step up in that role has made him a valuable squad player at Arsenal as he always seems to step up whenever he's been asked to play in that position.

He of course prefers to play in midfield as that is his position but when asked to play up front, he willingly steps up by scoring crucial goals.

8. Dominik Szoboszlai

Szoboszlai has been by far Liverpool's best and most consistent performer this season as he's worked his socks off and put in several good performances whenever and wherever he's played.

He's had to fill in at right back a lot this season because of the reds lacking an out and out player in that position and whenever he's been asked to play there, he's always stepped up because of his energy and ability to get forward.

He was a versatile player before he joined Liverpool as he played as both centrally and out wide when he was at RB Leipzig and he's done the same at Liverpool as he's played as an 8, 10, deeper and out wide with the no.8 role being his preferred position.

I have him quite low down as he hasn't played in the Premier League for very long but he could be a lot higher up the list in a few years time.

7. Joe Gomez

Gomez has played everywhere across the backline since he's been at Liverpool and has delivered wherever he's been asked to play.

Centre back is of course his preferred position because he's good in the air and is the position that suits him best.

But he's also more than capable of playing in both full back positions as he has shown plenty of times over the last few seasons.

He has had his fair share of injuries since he's been at Liverpool, but when he's been fit he's shown how good a defender he is.

6. John Stones

Stones has played right back, centre back and even in central midfield since he's been at Man City and he played in the latter during City's treble winning season in 2023 in a hybrid role.

He's relished playing in midfield because he's comfortable with the ball at his feet and it enabled him to carry the ball up the pitch.

He's grown into an assured defender since he's been at City and he's been perfect to how they want to play because of how good he is on the ball.

He has had a lot of injuries over the last few seasons but when he's been fit, he's shown how good a defender and player he is.

He recently returned from a lengthy lay off and will be hoping to stay fit for the remainder of the season so he can keep his place in the England team for the World Cup.

5. Bernardo Silva

Silva has played in a variety of positions since he's been at Man City including out wide, as a no.10, no.8, in a deeper role and even as a false 9.

He joined City as a winger but has probably played most games in central midfield which is arguably his best position because of his energy and work rate off the ball.

He's stepped up wherever he's been asked to play by working hard out of possession and chipping in with crucial goals and assists.

Him playing those variety of roles have made him an important player for City throughout his time at the club and he's still proving it today even though he may not be the player he once was.

4. Cesar Azpilicueta

Azpilicueta played everywhere across the backline when he was at Chelsea and he put in solid performances wherever he was asked to play.

He first showed his versatility during Chelsea's title wining season in 2017 under Antonio Conte where he played on the right side of a back three and he was excellent there throughout that season.

He was one of the unsung heroes of that Chelsea side and he was an unsung hero throughout his time with the blues as he didn't always get the credit he deserved.

He won everything on offer at Chelsea and his versatility played a key part in that as well as his solid performances as a defender.

3. Heung Min Son

Son played everywhere across the frontline when he was at Spurs including both wide positions and as a centre forward.

He played in the centre forward position whenever Harry Kane was unavailable and he stepped up almost every time by scoring lots of important goals.

Spurs were always a better team when he was available because of his energy and work rate from the front as well as his ability to score goals.

Kane might've been Spurs talisman because of the goals he scored, but Son was the player that made the biggest difference because of his work rate and energy from the front.

2. Fernandinho

Fernandinho played both as a central midfielder and a centre back during his time at Man City and he looked at home in both positions.

He played at centre back for most of the 2019/20 season because of City having players in that department out injured and despite the struggles they had defensively that season, he stepped up delivered good performances week in week out.

What made him effective at centre back was his ability to read the game and make vital interventions both of which he excelled at when playing in that deep lying midfield role.

He started out as a box-to-box midfielder before he joined City at it was at City where he turned into a defensive midfielder and one of the best the Premier League has ever seen.

1. James Milner

Milner had to be my no.1 because he's probably the most versatile player I've seen as he could play as central midfielder, out wide, both full back positions and even as a striker.

He showed how versatile a player he was at Liverpool by filling in both full back positions and putting in top performances whenever he played there despite it not being his preferred position.

He's probably the most professional player to play the game because he just gets on with his job wherever he's asked to play.

He's incredibly still playing at the age of 40 and recently broke the record for Premier League appearances overtaking Gareth Barry in the all-time charts.

MY TOP 10:

1. James Milner

2. Fernandinho

3. Heung Min Son

4. Cesar Azpilicueta

5. Bernardo Silva

6. John Stones

7. Joe Gomez

8. Dominik Szoboszlai

9. Mikel Merino

10. Phil Jones