JOE COLE claimed Olivier Giroud is one of the most underrated Premier League players after his match winner for Chelsea on Tuesday night.

The Frenchman came off the bench to replace fellow striker Tammy Abraham with 20 minutes to go.

And in injury time he rose highest to head home the winner in Rennes to book Chelsea's spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Former Blues man Cole said on Giroud: "I think he's one of the Premier League's most underrated players, he consistently performs whether it be for Arsenal or Chelsea.

"It's not just moments like today such as getting the winning goal, it's his general demeanour around the place, he's a good player in the dressing room.

"There's a reason why Didier Deschamps relies on him for France. Frank will not want Giroud walking out of the door in January."

Here are our seven most underrated players currently in the Premier League…

Olivier Giroud

As Cole said, the Frenchman delivers time and time again whether it was at Arsenal, with Chelsea or on international duty for France.

Not many No9s can claim to have had a good tournament with no shots on target in seven matches – but that's what Giroud did as he enabled the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann to do the damage for France at the last World Cup.

Giroud, 34, is just seven goals behind Thierry Henry's Les Bleus record and has two goals in 178 minutes for Chelsea this season – one every 89 minutes, improving on his ratio of 140 minutes per goal last term.

James Milner

It could be argued that Milner is so known for being underrated that he is no longer underrated.

However, the guy is the ultimate squad player and any manager's dream.

Out wide? No problem. Central midfield? No problem. Emergency full-back? No problem. Last-minute penalty? No problem.

As he proved at the weekend against Leicester, with Trent Alexander-Arnold out, the 34-year-old can still perform more than capably at right-back, keeping Harvey Barnes quiet at Anfield.

Jonny Evans

He may have moved into joint-fourth on the all-time Premier League own goals list with his sixth at Anfield but that should take nothing away from the quality of Evans.

To spend seven seasons as a regular in the Manchester United defence must not be overlooked and the fact he played all 38 matches for Leicester last season when he turned 32 proves his worth.

The Northern Irishman reads the game well and has been ideal for the likes of Caglar Soyuncu and Wesley Fofana to settle into the Leicester team. £3.5million well spent by the Foxes.

Moussa Sissoko

With a £30m price tag, it is easy to lose sight of the importance and quality Sissoko, 31, brings to Tottenham.

He struggled initially in North London but is now into his fifth season and is a mainstay under Jose Mourinho, operating in midfield.

And his influence off the pitch was made clear for all during Amazon's All or Nothing documentary proving a player's impact is not just about his performances on a Saturday.

James Ward-Prowse

Yes, everyone knows about his free-kicks now and he's an England interanational.

But does he get the recognition he deserves for quite how good he really is?

The midfielder, 26, has racked up 240 Premier League appearances including at least 30 in five of the last seven seasons – and all 38 in 2019/20.

He joined Southampton aged eight in 2003, came all the way through the academy, has never played for anyone else – even on loan – worked his way up the England youth teams and is now the club captain.

Leander Dendoncker

In a Wolves team full of Portuguese stars brought in by Jorge Mendes, it is easy to give the attention to Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves and Nelson Semedo as well as other stars such as Conor Coady and Adama Traore.

But one man who goes about his business quietly but very effectively is Belgian Dendoncker.

Since establishing himself in the Wolves side in January 2019 the 25-year-old has played in 87 of their 91 matches, including 57 last season – deployed either in central midfield or the back three.

The four he has missed were a FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury in February 2019, the two Carabao Cup matches last season and, notably, the 4-0 thumping by West Ham early in this campaign.

Seamus Coleman

Coleman, 32, has 20 goals, 22 assists and 78 clean sheets in a 280-match Premier League career spanning 12 seasons since his arrival at Everton in 2009.

That transfer from Irish side Sligo Rovers cost the Toffees just £60,000 but looks like one of the greatest bargains in a long time.

Similar to Dendoncker, many of the others get the plaudits especially in attack but an Everton side without their influential captain and right-back is certainly a weaker Everton side.

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