Fabian Schar has made a very good start to the season, despite barely being mentioned during the first three games of the campaign.
With much of the early focus being on Steve Bruce and the new signings, Schar has quietly gone about his business, and although largely unnoticed, has developed into one of our most dependable players.
Well that work has gained some recognition, with the Swiss defender making it into the top 25 of the Sky Sports Premier League Power Rankings.
The rankings are calculated by awarding players points based on various aspects of their all-round play from their last five games. Points for previous games receive 20 per cent fewer than the latest game.
Each position receives different points totals for different achievements, such as goal scoring, saves, shots blocked, etc.
Teemu Pukki is ranked number one – largely due to his hat-trick against Newcastle – with Raheem Sterling, Ashley Barnes and Sergio Aguero, second, third and fourth respectively. Chelsea’s young starlet Mason Mount rounds out the top five.
Fabian Schar has been impressive during Newcastle’s early games
Schar had a solid debut season on Tyneside, and scored some great goals during it. But his defensive work at the start of this season has been outstanding, and he must now be one of the first names on the team-sheet.
Schar’s Power Ranking sees him as the fifth highest rated centre back, behind Leicester’s Caglar Soyuncu (9th), Liverpool duo Joel Matip (13th) and Virgil Van Dijk (23rd), and Tyrone Mings (20th).
But if Schar keeps performing to the standard he has been, his stock will continue to rise, and when Florian Lejeune is fit again, Steve Bruce will have to consider who, out of the rest, will partner the Swiss international.
It will be a welcome dilemma for the manager, and testament to how important a player Schar has become for the Magpies.
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