The first international break is already upon us, and the top Premier League players are now away with their respective countries. The likes of Lucas Digne, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Raheem Sterling, Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Teemu Pukki have enjoyed superb starts to the season.
However, the same cannot be said for several other top players.
We take a look at five stars who need to do more for their clubs once they return from international duty.
1. Manchester United – Jesse Lingard
Lingard’s call up to the England squad came as a surprise after an abysmal start to the season. The 26-year-old has played in all four of United’s league games, but he has failed to hit the back of the net or pick up any assists this season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer dropped him to the bench for last week’s game against Southampton, but the United coach is still looking to offer him a new deal.
Lingard has been given a central role this season, but he has struggled to get involved in the club’s first few games of the campaign.
2. Brighton – Glenn Murray
The 35-year-old has been Brighton’s star man in recent years, but his position is under threat from summer signing Neal Maupay.
Murray has failed to score in the first four league games, but it is Maupay’s impact off the bench that has raised eyebrows.
The former Crystal Palace ace has now enjoyed three spells at Brighton, but he needs to turn his form around quickly to make sure he keeps his place.
3. Wolves – Diogo Jota
The Portuguese winger has been a revelation since he joined the club on loan in 2017 and he made his move permanent after netting 17 goals in the Championship.
Jota was one of the club’s most attacking weapons last season, but he has fallen short of those standards in the Premier League.
His form in the Europa League could not be any different as he helped the club reach the group stages of the competition.
However, Wolves are dropping closer towards the relegation zone, and Jota’s form needs to improve domestically.
4. Crystal Palace – Wilfried Zaha
The Ivory Coast international had to stay put at Selhurst Park in the summer, with Roy Hodgson once again refusing to sell him.
Zaha had been linked with Arsenal, Everton and moves abroad but he remains in London until the window reopens in January.
While Palace have won two games this season, Zaha has failed to register an assist or a goal, while he has also been unable to create any significant chances.
5. Watford – Gerard Deulofeu
The Hornets have endured a miserable start to the season, and Javi Gracia’s troops sit rock bottom of the table.
Deulofeu’s form is always crucial to their hopes, but he has started slowly during the first month. The Spaniard did have an injury to contend with during pre-season, but he will need to regroup during the next 10 days before Watford fans start to panic about their fortunes.
