Premier League Player Rankings After Weekend of November 8-9
Welcome to the 11th edition of our Premier League player rankings, continuing for another season in its mission to quantify the form of England's top-tier players.
We pick the top 20 players on the basis of form and performances in league games only. Chelsea and Southampton once again dominate the standings as both sides claimed yet another victory, and we have three new additions!
The rankings are formed based on the player's last four games, with slightly more emphasis placed on their most recent outing.
Only Premier League performances are counted, and one-week wonders do not find their way in by default (see: David de Gea did not qualify in Week 7 for one great showing but now has after consistently strong form).
Take a look and see if you agree with our selections, and if you feel like we've missed anyone, let us know in the comments below.
Dropping out
1 of 21
Hugo Lloris, Tottenham Hotspur
Diafra Sakho, West Ham
Enner Valencia, West Ham
20. Joe Hart, Manchester City
2 of 21
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Joe Hart has been in sensational form over the past two weeks, and he's played a big role in securing Manchester City four points from their last possible six.
He was brilliant against Manchester United, keeping out effort after effort, and saved Manuel Pellegrini's blushes against Queens Park Rangers.
Would you want to play behind Eliaquim Mangala?
19. Leighton Baines, Everton
3 of 21
Last Week: 18
Differential: -1
None of Everton's players, barring perhaps James McCarthy, played too well in their draw against Sunderland this weekend.
Leighton Baines' saving grace in our rankings, though, is the fact that he scored the equalising penalty. He's always been very assured from the spot and had no qualms tucking it away past Costel Pantilimon.
18. Victor Wanyama, Southampton
4 of 21
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Cast your minds back to the very first Premier League player ranking of the season. Who was top?
Victor Wanyama put on a clinic against Liverpool at Anfield despite the loss, but Ronald Koeman dropped him from the lineup after seeing a few issues with his game.
Over the past few weeks, he's become a superbly rounded player—detailed here in style—and on Saturday he was incredible. Last week, he scored a 40-yard winner against Hull City, too, making the Kenyan one of the form players of the last few weeks.
"Wanyama v Leicester Passes Completed: 60/63 Take-Ons: 4/4 Tackles: 7/8 Ball Recoveries: 10 Assists: 1 #saintsfc pic.twitter.com/VYrpyXIbH4
— Southampton Saints (@SaintsRelated) November 8, 2014"
17. David De Gea, Manchester United
5 of 21
Last Week: 17
Differential: -
David De Gea continued his strong vein of form by securing a much-needed clean sheet. Paddy McNair, Daley Blind and Michael Carrick were impressive ahead of him, but he was still called into action a few times.
WhoScored credits the Spaniard with just 2.5 percent of the overall game possession—a very, very low cut that signifies an easy day.
16. Charlie Austin, Queens Park Rangers
6 of 21
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Charlie Austin is on fire up front for Queens Park Rangers, scoring four goals in three games. He bagged a brace against Aston Villa in a must-win game then notched against Chelsea and Manchester City in consecutive battles.
Now, we're at the point where Sky Sports' panel are debating whether or not he should be called up for England.
15. Saido Berahino, West Brom
7 of 21
Last Week: 14
Differential: -1
West Brom manager Alan Irvine told reporters (h/t Here Is The City) on Saturday that Saido Berahino had just played his "poorest game" for the club.
"He probably had his poorest game but people have poor games," said Irvine. "Everybody, including myself, will probably go away asking ‘Is it because of what has just happened to him during the week?’"
It's a road bump for England's latest savior (sarcasm) but a natural one in fairness.
14. Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea
8 of 21
Last Week: 12
Differential: -2
Bar an initial early spell of Emre Can surging through midfield and firing off deflected shots, Liverpool didn't test Chelsea that heavily on Saturday—and in particular, they didn't test the flanks.
Branislav Ivanovic, therefore, had a quiet day in general and rarely matched up vs. Liverpool's tricky wingers throughout.
13. Nathaniel Clyne, Southampton
9 of 21
Last Week: 20
Differential: +7
Nathaniel Clyne is now showing immense consistency, something he perhaps didn't do under Mauricio Pochettino, but then again, he did come in and out of the XI when rotating with Calum Chambers.
He's a full-back who will really put the frights up a marker, and now that he's honed his defensive craft, he's the complete package on the right-hand side.
12. Stewart Downing, West Ham
10 of 21
Last Week: 7
Differential: -5
Stewart Downing takes a hit this week after failing to breach a typically suspect Aston Villa defence. He gained effectiveness late on when switched wide, skinning Matthew Lowton a couple of times to fire in dangerous balls, but his 90-minute performance was a little disappointing.
Not the celebration he had in mind for his England call-up.
11. Diego Costa, Chelsea
11 of 21
Last Week: 13
Differential: +2
Diego Costa returned to goalscoring ways on Saturday, smashing a fierce shot into the net (via the ground) to give Chelsea the win at Anfield.
He was trouble throughout—he and Martin Skrtel had a proper, old-school tussle of physicality and nerve—but lacked finesse and efficiency until his goal.
10. Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
12 of 21
Last Week: 9
Differential: -1
The entire Arsenal team bar Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played sub-par football on Sunday, losing 2-1 to Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
Alexis Sanchez had flashes of brilliance—notably his goal assisted by Danny Welbeck and the pass he put through for Theo Walcott at the death—but didn't exactly "turn it on" at any point.
9. Graziano Pelle, Southampton
13 of 21
Last Week: 10
Differential: +1
Graziano Pelle was boxed out against Leicester City's sheer numbers but provided an assist for the opener with a lovely bit of play.
He took a longer pass in to his feet with superb technique, held off the burly Wes Morgan and teed up Shane Long for the strike. He was quiet all game but popped up when his team needed him the most.
8. Oscar, Chelsea
14 of 21
Last Week: 11
Differential: +3
Oscar had a quieter day than usual on Saturday but celebrated his side's 2-1 victory over Liverpool by signing a new five-year deal at Chelsea.
He told Chelseafc.com: "I am so happy because I love playing for Chelsea and living in England. I have enjoyed playing here for two years, and now I have five more, so I am very happy."
In short, he's happy.
7. Fraser Forster, Southampton
15 of 21
Last Week: 8
Differential: -1
We're in a real bind when it comes to Fraser Forster. He does literally nothing all game because Southampton's defence is so good, but can we really criticise him when he keeps so many clean sheets?
As of this weekend, the Englishman has kept seven clean sheets in 11 games. That's an absurd ratio well clear of the likes of Hugo Lloris, Thibaut Courtois and Wojciech Szczesny.
The Leicester City fans ironically cheered when their team managed a shot in the second half on Saturday; Forster must have been bored out of his mind.
6. Dusan Tadic, Southampton
16 of 21
Last Week: 5
Differential: -1
Dusan Tadic falls for the second consecutive week as he fails to display his uber-talents on a consistent basis.
Leicester City frustrated Southampton, and these are the situations in which the Serbian's wonderful class and deliveries should create goalscoring chances. Instead, Sadio Mane was the key man creatively, and Shane Long did the damage.
It will go unnoticed because the Saints won again, but Tadic hasn't played well in two straight games.
5. Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea
17 of 21
Last Week: 2
Differential: -3
After Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Liverpool this weekend, Jose Mourinho outlined to MailOnline that he has been taking risks with Cesc Fabregas' health.
It could explain why he's been lackluster over the past week or so, as he's played almost every game possible in such a short space of time.
Ineffective against the Reds, he drops.
4. Eden Hazard, Chelsea
18 of 21
Last Week: 3
Differential: -1
Eden Hazard was a little quiet against Liverpool, popping up to see two dangerous shots blocked but otherwise not pulling the strings.
The Belgian was magnificent in midweek against Maribor and may have been a little tired, but Jose Mourinho is committed to using his key players in every big game.
3. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City
19 of 21
Last Week: 6
Differential: +3
Sergio Aguero carried Manchester City through yet another fixture, notching two sublime goals as his side was held at Loftus Road.
There was a hint of handball for his first but take nothing away from the move, and his second saw him at his tricky, agile best in beating Rob Green.
By a distance, Aguero is City's best player so far this season.
2. Morgan Schneiderlin, Southampton
20 of 21
Last Week: 1
Differential: -1
Morgan Schneiderlin didn't have a lot to do against Leicester City on Saturday, as the Foxes essentially refused to attack.
Nigel Pearson set up deep banks of four and barely troubled Schneiderlin, whose passing range was on show, granted, but not a lot else had to be done.
It's tough to gauge a player who wasn't called into action.
1. Nemanja Matic, Chelsea
21 of 21
Last Week: 4
Differential: +3
Nemanja Matic entered beast mode on Saturday, tackling everything that moved bar a few slips against Philippe Coutinho in the middle.
He grabbed a rather hollow assist for Gary Cahill's equaliser—a moment that perhaps pads his stats—but make no mistake, the Serbian was in seriously impressive form at Anfield.
