John McGinn

McGinn runs the same lines from box to box for the entire match, arriving late into the penalty area when defenders have switched their focus elsewhere. His low centre of gravity lets him shield the ball under pressure, turning defenders who expect to win it back easily. From distance he is genuinely dangerous, shooting the moment a yard of space opens outside the box.

As captain he sets a tone through effort rather than instruction, a leader whose example drags teammates along simply by refusing to slow down. That relentless engine has kept him central to Villa's midfield through several different managers. Watch how much ground he covers late in a match, because that is usually when his energy tells against a tired opponent. That balance of relentless running and genuine leadership is precisely what has kept him first choice under every manager since.