Top Six: The Premier League’s most irreplaceable players

Jermain Defoe – Sunderland

Sunderland have been diabolical this season. Other than himself and Jordan Pickford, amongst Sunderland’s ranks consists of a bunch of average players.

Therefore they find themselves rock-bottom in the Premier League, with 19 points from 27 games.

But one of their shining lights this season has been Defoe. The Beckton-born striker has scored goals wherever he has played in the past. West Ham United, AFC Bournemouth, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Toronto and now Sunderland – it doesn’t matter where he goes, he still scores goals.

At 34-years-old, he may be past his best, but despite his old age, he is still considered as one of the most lethal finishers in the Premier League. Admittedly, Defoe doesn’t do much on a football pitch. He’s not very quick anymore and he lacks the physical presence to hold the ball up for midfield runners.

But what he does do, and what makes him so irreplaceable, is that he scores goals.

He has pretty much won the vast majority of their 19 points through his goals alone. Of the 24 strikes that Sunderland have scored, 14 have been netted by Defoe.

That means Defoe alone has contributed 60 per cent of Sunderland’s overall tally. That is a remarkable statistic and proves Defoe’s status of irreplaceable.

It can be said in great confidence that without goalkeeper Pickford, and more importantly without Defoe, The Black Cats would already be relegated.