N’Golo Kante has settled unbelievably quickly at Chelsea this season. The Blues are becoming more and more reliant on the diminutive Frenchman. His consistently high-level performances have led to some considering him to be one of the very best midfielders in the world. Since his arrival at Leicester in 2015 he has barely put a foot wrong.
Last Monday’s FA Cup match against Manchester United was further evidence of Kante’s world-class ability, although the Red Devil’s did impress after a questionable second yellow card for Ander Herrera. It wasn’t just the referee who was a thorn in the side of United that night, Kante was too. The Frenchman dominated his compatriot Paul Pogba, the most expensive player in football history. Kante scored the only goal of the match with a perfect low drive into the bottom corner. This was his second goal against United this season, following his tidy finish in the 4-0 victory back in October.
The footballing world is really starting to sit up and take notice of Kante, who convinced Antonio Conte to start him from the outset this season. Despite the Italian taking some time to settle on his preferred formation, which has paid real dividends, Kante has always been at the heart of each one. With the help of his main summer recruit, the Italian has transformed Chelsea.
The most important attribute Kante has to offer is his ability to make his teammates perform better. Nemanja Matic already has 7 assists this season, compare this with a measly 2 last season, and a total of 8 in Chelsea’s title winning 2014-15 campaign. Hazard too has flourished, he can now move around the pitch in total freedom, without having to come back and defend. With this responsibility lifted by Conte’s formation and Kante’s energy, the Belgian has looked back to his deadly self after a dreadful season last time out
So can Kante win the Premier League two years running? It sure looks that way. The Frenchman is a strong favourite to win the PFA Player’s Player of the Year award too. He deserves all the plaudits coming his way, and you would think that if he maintains his form it’s just a matter of time before he gets his name on the World XI team-sheet.