Premier League this season

Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi played the full 90 minutes as Leicester City were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United while Victor Moses and Isaac Success could only manage few minutes in Chelsea and Watford’s games respectively.

Alex Iwobi and Leon Balogun watched from the bench in their own sides respective games.

With the transfer season over in England, there is a little chance of these players leaving their clubs-unless a foreign club comes for Moses.

We take a look at how much impact Nigerians can be this season in the Premier League.

Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City)

After a full season and a half in the Premier League, Wilfred Ndidi has made his name as one of the most solid midfielders in English top flight.

A consistent performer for Leicester City, Ndidi finished last season with the topmost tackles in England and the whole of Europe. An incredible feat for the 21-year-old who only joined the Premier League in January 2017.

This season, he is set for another big season and is expected to play a huge part in Leicester City season.

He has had a fine start already, putting in a solid shift in Leicester City’s 1-2 loss away at Manchester United on the opening day of the 2018/2019 season.

Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City)

Deemed not good enough at Manchester City, Leicester City splashed £25m on Iheanacho but his debut season with the Foxes was underwhelming.

With an injury in early 2017/2018 season, Iheanacho struggled for form and game time and only got his chances in cup games.

The  21-year-old only started showing glimpses of his promises late in the season.

He played in Leicester City’s last six Premier League games of the season and he was on from the start in four of them.

He also caught the eye with goals against Arsenal and Tottenham as the season ended on the high for him.

Ahead of the season, Iheanacho was brilliant for Leicester City in pre-season, a form Claude Puel will be pleased with.

However, it wasn't a good start to him as he fluffed his lines and missed several chances in Leicester City’s 1-2 loss to Manchester United on the opening night of the 2018/2019 Premier League season.

Although might could continue to get the games, he has to come good or risk being dropped.

Alex Iwobi (Arsenal)

Even with the coming in of a new manager Unai Emery, Iwobi’s future has been tied to Arsenal as he was recently given a new contract.

Since his breakout year in the 2016/2017 season, Iwobi has failed to take his game to the next level.

Indeed he could hide under the putrid state of Arsenal in Wenger’s last years, but the optimism around the club has been lifted by Unai’s arrival.

In the new era, Iwobi has to step up and deliver more consistent performances for Arsenal this season.

Last season, Iwobi could only manage 5 goals in 26 Premier League with just five assists.

He will be expected to play a huge role albeit from the bench this season and he is expected to be more influential and grow to become one of the starters on the long term.

The huge season ahead for the 22-year-old.

Victor Moses (Chelsea)

After two seasons as a regular starter for Chelsea, Victor Moses is expected to play a bit-part role at the club this season.

This is as a result of the change in the manager who plays a totally different formation to the former coach.

Moses was one of the beneficiaries of Antonio Conte’s favoured three-man defence, picking up a regular and important role as a wing-back.

After three seasons away from Chelsea on-loan, Conte gave Moses a lifeline on the wing-back in his three-man defence system and the Nigerian grabbed it with both hands.

Moses was impressive in wingback making 22 consecutive starts and playing in 28 games as Chelsea went on to win the Premier League title in 2017.

Even the arrival of Davide Zappacosta, injuries and loss of form didn’t stop him from being one of Conte’s favourite players.

But with Conte gone, so also is the three-man defence system that gave him a career at Chelsea.

Under Maurizio Sarri’s 4-3-3 player so far, Moses has been a bit-part player and only a move away to a foreign club can help.

Isaac Success (Watford)

Nigerian forward Success has been at Watford for two seasons now-although he spent the second half of the 2017-2018 season on loan at Malaga.

But injuries, disciplinary problems have marred Success so far at the Hornets. He started just two leagues games for Watford in this first season in England and didn’t play in any game before his loan move to Malaga in January.

Now back with the Hornets, he seems like a new man and under a new coach, the forward could get his chances. His season will depend on how well he will use it.

Leon Balogun (Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.)

Moving to the fast-paced Premier Leagueat the age of 30 raised eyebrows so the jury is out on how Leon Balogun will cope in England.

Injuries disrupted his last season at Bundesliga club Mainz where he struggled for game time and it’s not looking like he will be a starter either at Brighton.

After joining on a free transfer, Balogun was on the bench all through as  Brighton were beaten 2-0 away at Watford, a glimpse of what is expected of his role this season.