This has been a strange first half to the 2019-20 Premier League campaign. After last year's exhilarating two-club race for the title, Liverpool have dropped two points and are 13 points clear of second-place Leicester with a game in hand. FiveThirtyEight gives Jurgen Klopp's side a 96% chance of winning their first Premier League title, and they've played only 20 of 38 games. The rest of the top flight are struggling to catch up.

Six sides have sacked their respective managers after West Ham dismissed Manuel Pellegrini last weekend, which ties the league record for the most firings before Jan. 1. Over the first 20 years of the Premier League, there was not a single season in which four or more managers were sacked by the new year. Over the past seven seasons, that's happened five times, including 16 sackings over the past three years. It's one thing when relegation candidates make changes, but most of the sackings this season have been by clubs who expected to contend for places in the top four, such as Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham.

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The days of the Big Six, at least for now, are numbered; there's a "Big Two" with Liverpool and City, and a huge swath of clubs below them. It has made for an entertaining first half, and today, I'm going to hand out awards for the best and worst of the Premier League campaign so far.

Jump to: Best signing | Worst signing | Best goal | Young newcomer | Best XI | Best player

Best signing of the season

Spoiler alert: Pulisic features prominently in one of Bill Barnwell's awards. Getty

This award honors the best transfers involving a player who is new to his club. That means no players who were on loan last season before completing a permanent transfer (such as Raul Jimenez of Wolves or Leicester's Youri Tielemans) or players returning from loan, like most of Chelsea's new faces. The size of the fee also matters: acquiring a starting center-back for £3 million is naturally much better business than signing one of similar caliber for £75 million.

Frankly, it was a struggle to find many great transfers for Premier League clubs this season. The summer was not an impressive window, with several major clubs idle while investments made by sides such as Arsenal and Spurs have generally failed to deliver early returns. (Editor's note: All transfer figures are the listed prices at Transfermarkt.)

5. Allan Saint-Maximin, FW, Nice to Newcastle United (£16.2 million): Although Saint-Maximin will miss several weeks with a hamstring injury and has one goal in 823 minutes for a struggling Newcastle side, his breathtaking pace on the left wing has made him a critical part of his new team's counterattacks this season. The highlight of Saint-Maximin's season was likely giving Kyle Walker fits in the 2-2 draw vs. Manchester City in November. He's averaging 4.5 successful dribbles per game, the third-best mark in the Premier League this season behind Adama Traore and Wilfried Zaha.

4. Rodri, MF, Atletico Madrid to Manchester City (£63 million): It's incredible to see how far the Spanish international has come in a short amount of time, given that he became a first-team regular at Villarreal only two years ago. Consecutive breakout seasons in Spain with Villarreal and Atletico Madrid led Rodri to become City's record signing. While he was realistically signed as a long-term replacement for Fernandinho as City's holding midfielder, he also has been used as a makeshift central defender alongside the 34-year-old Brazilian, who is expected to leave after the season.

Rodri has slotted in seamlessly at Manchester City and become one of Pep Guardiola's trusted players in less than half a season. Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Unsurprisingly, Rodri has racked up gobs of passing volume during his debut season at the Etihad. The 23-year-old is averaging 86.2 pass attempts and 79.6 completed passes per 90 minutes, which tops all Premier League midfielders. Teammates Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ilkay Gundogan are right behind him, which is a reminder of just how significantly City dominate possession, but Rodri has stepped into the starting XI for one of the most demanding, impatient clubs on the planet and looks like he belongs. While he's not a bargain, Rodri could be a long-term building block.

3. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, DF, Crystal Palace to Manchester United (£49.5 million): While United have been a work in progress this season, Wan-Bissaka has shown up and delivered exactly what United would have hoped for when they signed him this summer: tackles, tackles and more tackles. The 22-year-old hasn't contributed much as an attacker, but he's neck-and-neck with Leicester's Ricardo Pereira in averaging 4.1 tackles per 90 minutes. Wan-Bissaka ranks in the top four among right-backs in both tackle percentage and successful duel percentage this season. He hasn't had to defend as frequently as he did while playing for a more conservative Palace side last season, but Wan-Bissaka is still the best defensive right-back in the division.

2. Neal Maupay, FW, Brentford to Brighton, (£19.8 million): After a slow start to his career with the Seagulls, Maupay has hit a rich vein of form since the start of December. Maupay contributed three goals and an assist across six starts; by using TruMedia's post-shot expected goals on target model, he has been worth 4.0 xG since matchday 15, which ranks fourth in the division. The 23-year-old tends to score in bunches -- he knocked home nine goals in his first six matches with Brentford in the Championship last season -- and has already expressed his desire to play alongside Kylian Mbappe in France's Olympic team this summer. On this form, he has a right to be in Tokyo.

Henderson has been superb between the posts for Sheffield United, helping the newly promoted team remain firmly in the top half of the Premier League. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

1. Dean Henderson, GK, Manchester United to Sheffield United (loan): While Henderson was on loan with Sheffield United last year and helped them get promoted to the Premier League, the 22-year-old returned to his parent club and signed a new long-term deal before going back on loan to the top-flight newcomers this summer. His form for Sheffield has been good enough for some United fans to call for Henderson's return to the club as a replacement for David De Gea.

Henderson himself has made the odd mistake here and there, but he has been a crucial part of the league's third-stingiest defense behind Liverpool and Leicester City. His 75.0 save percentage ranks him third in the Premier League behind Alisson and Hugo Lloris, while Henderson has forced opposing attacks to underperform their expected goals mark by 7.2 xG this season, which tops all keepers in the division.

Worst signing of the season

Likewise, this list considers both a player's performance and how much was spent to acquire him. I've generally tried to avoid signings who have been dealing with injuries, such as Arsenal's Kieran Tierney, Everton's Jean-Philippe Gbamin or Tottenham's Tanguy Ndombele.

5. Albian Ajeti, FW, Basel to West Ham (£7.8 million): Truth be told, it wasn't easy to narrow down the many disappointing West Ham summer transfers to the two who make it onto this list. While Pablo Fornals has looked more impressive in recent weeks and Sebastian Haller has scored six goals, Ajeti has barely looked playable when West Ham have brought him onto the pitch.

In 122 minutes as a substitute behind Haller, Ajeti has taken one shot and contributed 0.1 xG for the Hammers. Pellegrini didn't seem to even trust Ajeti as a backup by the time he was sacked, while David Moyes didn't bring Ajeti on during Wednesday's 4-0 win over Bournemouth. Rumors are already circulating that the club would love to sell in the summer.

4. Nicolas Pepe, FW, Lille to Arsenal (£72 million): I'll be the first to say that it's too early to judge whether he'll ever live up to his club-record transfer fee. At 24, though, Pepe isn't one for the future. The winger was supposed to make an immediate impact after arriving from France, yet recently deposed Arsenal skipper Unai Emery didn't seem to trust Pepe as a regular starter. The Ivory Coast international was anonymous for most of Emery's final few months with the club, contributing one goal and two assists across his first 13 appearances.

With Mikel Arteta taking over for Emery, the hope is naturally that he'll get the most out of Pepe. While Arteta initially gave Reiss Nelson opportunities on the wing, Pepe promptly delivered his best performance of the season on New Year's Day, scoring the first goal in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Manchester United and being named man of the match. A few more performances like that will turn the tide for Pepe, who needs to get regular minutes to prove what he can do.

Joelinton has been a disappointment for Newcastle, scoring one goal so far this season. Getty

3. Joelinton, FW, Hoffenheim to Newcastle (£39.6 million): Getting Newcastle owner Mike Ashley to spend has been virtually impossible, which led manager Rafa Benitez to quit the club in June. While Newcastle spent about £30 million more than they recouped on player sales last summer, their biggest move seems bizarre. Of all the players Newcastle could have chosen to sign to keep Benitez happy, the striker they chose to add after Rafa's departure for a club-record fee of £40 million is a guy who scored seven goals in 2,136 minutes as a Bundesliga player last season.

There's more to Joelinton's game than scoring goals, but on a club that's trying to play counterattacking soccer under Steve Bruce, the Brazilian rarely even comes close to looking like he's going to score. The 23-year-old has one goal and two assists in just over 1,600 minutes played this season, and while he's second on the club with 22 chances created, Joelinton hasn't made enough impact as either a goal scorer or a creative force.

Bruce has shifted former record signing Miguel Almiron to the right side to clear out space for Joelinton's frequent forays back into center midfield, which has neutered the former Atlanta United star's effectiveness after a wildly promising debut half-season. Expected goals suggest Joelinton has been more valuable than his solitary goal indicates, but this has still been a very disappointing signing given the outlay for a club that has scored 20 times in 21 games.

2. Roberto, GK, Espanyol to West Ham (free): While free transfers can be only so harmful, few signings seem to directly result in both a manager and a director of football leaving the club. When 2018-19 keeper of the year Lukasz Fabianski went down with a torn hip muscle, the Hammers were forced to turn to Roberto, who was signed from Malaga over the summer at the behest of their director of football, Mario Husillos.

Outside of an Ali Dia-style interloper, it's hard to remember a player who was shown to be out of his element faster than the former Atletico keeper. West Ham players reportedly questioned Roberto's aptitude after his first practice session. Roberto started seven matches and lost six of them, allowing 16 goals in the process. I have some sympathy for the Spanish veteran, who made three saves in one-on-one situations and was working behind an attack that generated only seven goals in those seven matches, but one of the key reasons Husillos was fired was Roberto's subpar performance. It's unlikely he'll ever make another appearance for the Hammers.

Moise Kean is still only 19, but his struggles since making a high-profile move to Everton have caused some fans to lose faith. Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images

1. Moise Kean, FW, Juventus to Everton (£24.8 million): Has a universally lauded signing ever gone south so quickly? Kean was seen as a huge coup for Everton when director of football Marcel Brands landed the 19-year-old from Juventus last summer. While Kean wasn't expected to start every match as part of a deep Everton attack under then manager Marco Silva, the Italian international was supposed to further his development within Everton's ambitions to play in the Champions League. Instead, Silva has been sacked, Everton are battling relegation and Kean has played a full 90 minutes once during his time on Merseyside.

Kean has started three times and contributed a lone assist across 458 Premier League minutes this season. Along the way, he was dropped from the squad altogether for disciplinary reasons. After taking over as manager, countryman Carlo Ancelotti might coax something better out of Kean, but it seems more likely that Kean will leave England to further his career. He has become the scapegoat for owner Farhad Moshiri's disappointing new era in Everton.

Goal of the season

5. Andre Gray, Watford vs. Norwich, Nov. 8: Watford didn't have many bright moments under Quique Sanchez Flores' brief second stint with the club, but their first win of the year included an absolutely sublime finish from their English international. Gray has contributed only two goals in a disappointing season, and he has been exclusively used as a substitute over the past month, but few strikers have the sort of running, jumping back-heel in their locker that Gray used to score against Norwich.

4. Tammy Abraham, Chelsea vs. Southampton, Oct. 6: This brilliant chip from Chelsea's leading striker is almost a mirror for a goal Jamie Vardy scored against Bournemouth in August. Vardy was on the run and found himself with a keeper desperately stranded in no man's land, but I love watching Abraham's rainbow of a chip just that much more. There's virtually no window for Abraham to even attempt this, let alone lob a sumptuous strike over Angus Gunn. Defender Maya Yoshida is back to clear the ball off the line, but Abraham was so inch-perfect with his finish that he rendered Yoshida irrelevant.

Jahanbakhsh has taken time to settle in the Premier League, but his goal on Jan. 1 was worth the wait. Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

3. Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Brighton vs. Chelsea, Jan. 1: Brighton have been waiting for their Iranian attacker to get going after a wildly disappointing start in England. After he failed to tally a goal or an assist during his debut season in the Premier League, new manager Graham Potter and a hamstring injury kept Jahanbakhsh out of the team for the skipper's first three months at the club.

With the holiday fixtures forcing Potter to rotate his team, he finally gave the former AZ star a chance to impress and Jahanbakhsh has responded with goals in two of his first three appearances this season. The 26-year-old will likely get more opportunities to make his mark in the new year, but he's unlikely to score a better goal than his overhead equalizer vs. Chelsea on New Year's Day.

2. Moussa Djenepo, Southampton vs. Sheffield United, Sept. 14: The hope at Southampton is Djenepo emerges as the worthy replacement for another former winger at the club in Sadio Mane. It's obviously way too early to make those sort of comparisons, but Djenepo's second Premier League goal in two matches was one the Liverpool star would have been proud to score.

It's a wonderful combination of balance and vision; Djenepo shows incredible strength on the ball for a 143-pound winger in fending off a foul from Oliver Norwood immediately after winning the ball. Djenepo then shakes himself away from Norwood, takes John Egan and Jack O'Connell both out of the play with feints, and delivers a perfect finish past Henderson into the far corner.

Son danced through virtually the entire Burnley XI to score the goal of the season so far. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

1. Son Heung-Min, Tottenham vs. Burnley, Dec. 7: It has been an emotionally exhausting few months for the South Korean international; Son was sent off after accidentally breaking Andre Gomes' ankle with a challenge in September, and while that red card was rescinded, the 27-year-old was again red-carded for kicking out at Antonio Rudiger just before Christmas.

In between those moments, Son has scored a series of absolute blinders for an oft-frustrating Spurs side. The pick of the bunch is his instant classic of a goal against Burnley, with the club's reigning Player of the Season dribbling all the way from the edge of his own 18-yard box into Burnley's before summoning a controlled finish into the corner. It's the sort of goal that might inspire your grandmother to insist on a marriage proposal.

Young newcomer of the season

I put this award together last year to try to create a better version of Young Player of the Year, which inevitably goes to players who have already established themselves as Premier League stars. In an attempt to develop something closer to the traditional American Rookie of the Year awards, players are eligible for this award only if they're 23 or younger at the beginning of the season and haven't played 1,000 or more minutes at this level before the 2019-20 campaign. The latter rule notably eliminates Tammy Abraham from consideration, although plenty of other Chelsea players are candidates. In fact, three Chelsea players unsurprisingly make this list, starting with ...