Premier League Player Rankings After Jan 31-Feb 1 Fixtures: Kane, Coutinho Star
Welcome to the latest edition of our 2014-15 Premier League player rankings, continuing for another season in its mission to quantify the form of England's top-tier players.
We have four new additions as another four drop out—some due to form, some to injury and one to a three-game ban (guess who?). Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are well-represented after their spurts of good form; Aston Villa, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion are not.
The rankings are formed based on the players' last four games, with slightly more emphasis placed on their most recent outings.
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.
Honourable Mentions / Dropping out
1 of 21
Dropping Out
Diego Costa: The Chelsea striker sat out the first of a three-game ban against Manchester City this weekend. He had just reached No. 1 in the power rankings as well.
Bojan: Bojan suffered a torn ACL during Stoke City's FA Cup action last week. He's out for the season.
George Boyd: Boyd was the first one substituted when Burnley flinched and switched this weekend. Disappointing from him.
Oscar: Reintroduced to the top 20 last round, Oscar drops out after an average showing vs. Manchester City.
Honourable Mentions
Philipp Wollscheid: Wollscheid's impressive start to Premier League life was crowned by the forcing out of Robert Huth on deadline day to Leicester City.
Lucas Leiva: A system player, perhaps, but Leiva is playing well in midfield for Liverpool.
Francis Coquelin: See Lucas Leiva. It is yet to be determined whether Coquelin is excellent or he's thriving because Arsenal have decided to play proper defensive football.
Raheem Sterling: Sterling is impressing and growing into the striker's role, but Daniel Sturridge is back now. How will he settle back in with a deeper role?
20. Danny Ings, Burnley
2 of 21
Last Week: 17
Differential: -3
Danny Ings clings to the bottom rung of the ladder after a disappointing performance this weekend against Sunderland.
He was substituted and didn't react kindly to it—perhaps suggesting a slight sense of entitlement?—and the rumours linking him to Liverpool, via the Daily Mail, could provide some answers.
19. Jan Vertonghen, Tottenham Hotspur
3 of 21
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
It's amazing what a difference motivation can make. Jan Vertonghen looked distinctly uninterested early in the season but has transformed his attitude and looks a real, formidable centre-half once again.
He's played well alongside Federico Fazio and Eric Dier, leading the line and becoming a goal threat once again. He was strong against West Bromwich Albion this weekend and even stronger against Sunderland two weeks before.
18. John Terry, Chelsea
4 of 21
Last Week: 18
Differential: None
John Terry put in a good performance against Manchester City on Saturday, leading from the back and defending stoutly. He helped Kurt Zouma—the more impressive central defender on the day—through an examining challenge.
Holding Sergio Aguero and Co. to one goal is a good result; Terry's understated (yet strong) season continues.
17. David Silva, Manchester City
5 of 21
Last Week: 14
Differential: -3
David Silva was less influential than Manchester City fans would have hoped on Saturday, failing to grab the game at Stamford Bridge by the scruff of the neck.
He was on hand to divert an Aguero shot into the net and past the helpless Branislav Ivanovic on the stretch, but it was one of the few shining moments from the Spaniard.
16. Laurent Koscielny, Arsenal
6 of 21
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Laurent Koscielny's influence on Arsenal's back line cannot be doubted. Since he's returned to the XI following an Achilles problem, he's recorded three clean sheets in a row.
He scored against Stoke City, beginning the battering, and pocketed Aguero with ease against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium a week later. Another clean day against Aston Villa elevates him into our top 20.
15. Emre Can, Liverpool
7 of 21
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Emre Can had an excellent January in the Premier League and stood up well to the elbow-inspired battering Andy Carroll gave him on Saturday when Liverpool beat West Ham United.
He's found a temporary home at centre-back, and his surges forward with the ball can be Gerard Pique-esque at times. Until he takes a natural role in holding midfield, this will do just fine for the German.
14. Christian Eriksen, Tottenham Hotspur
8 of 21
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Christian Eriksen really should have entered the top 20 earlier in January, but just as he was on the cusp, iffy showings held him back. He wasn't brilliant in Tottenham Hotsur's 5-3 win over Chelsea, and he struggled in the loss to Crystal Palace.
But he wasn't to be held back any longer; the Dane's great showing against West Bromwich Albion caps off a strong week or two for him. He's turning into a bit of a goal machine, scoring his ninth in the league on Saturday, per WhoScored.
13. Graziano Pelle, Southampton
9 of 21
Last Week: 13
Differential: None
Graziano Pelle played well on Sunday but couldn't provide the finishing touch when his team needed him the most. He does like to take too many touches in the box, and with Swansea City defending like Trojans, they swamped him out at every chance.
Ashley Williams stood up to Pelle physically and matched him, which was impressive. The Italian fired a late, late chance well over the bar off-balance, causing audible groans from the crowd.
12. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
10 of 21
Last Week: 16
Differential: +4
Harry Kane scored a brace on Saturday, helping his side to a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, then rested Sunday. On Monday, he signed a new five-and-a-half-year deal to tie himself to the club until 2020, per BBC Sport.
Not a bad three days, right?
One of his goals at the Hawthorns was simply sublime, too, showcasing once again how deft and clever he can be with the ball in tight spaces.
11. Hugo Lloris, Tottenham Hotspur
11 of 21
Last Week: 15
Differential: +4
Hugo Lloris' Tottenham Hotspur may have won 3-0 at the Hawthorns, but they were hard-pushed to prove they deserved the points. The Frenchman was called into action a number of times, with three remarkable saves denying West Bromwich Albion's comeback.
It doesn't matter how well Spurs play, they seem to give up shots. Fortunately, they have the second- or third-best goalkeeper in the Premier League on hand to help them out.
10. Stewart Downing, West Ham United
12 of 21
Last Week: 8
Differential: -2
An off-day for Stewart Downing, but was it his fault?
Sam Allardyce strayed away from the diamond West Ham United have been so efficient in recently for their trip to Anfield, instead preferring to play a more regular-looking 4-2-3-1.
Downing played flat central midfield alongside Alex Song, and the only notable thing he did was to give the ball away on the edge of his own box and set Lazar Markovic up for a shot on goal.
No Hammer played well.
9. Nathaniel Clyne, Southampton
13 of 21
Last Week: 10
Differential: +1
Southampton were rampant against Swansea City and dominated them all game, with Nathaniel Clyne in particular looking exceptionally dangerous in the final third.
The Englishman got forward and hit the byline regularly, firing a number of low balls across the box that, somehow, consistently evaded the toe of a fellow Saints man.
Play this game 10 times and Clyne gets 20 assists; unfortunately, this occasion was the anomaly.
8. Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool
14 of 21
Last Week: 11
Differential: +3
Philippe Coutinho was in sparkling form to end January—a month he has, simply put, excelled in.
Liverpool looked a little rough in the first half against West Ham, but this Brazilian playmaker continued to dribble, slice and create with all his heart. It came good for him in the second period, as he picked up two assists for Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge strikes.
The dinked pass in behind the defence for Sterling was a thing of beauty.
7. Santi Cazorla, Arsenal
15 of 21
Last Week: 9
Differential: +2
Santi Cazorla turned on the style again this weekend, helping Arsenal beat Aston Villa to within in an inch of their lives at the Emirates Stadium.
He recorded two assists and fired a late penalty home to boost his personal tally—though it was a weak strike, straight at the 'keeper, and Brad Guzan just punched it in.
6. Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea
16 of 21
Last Week: 7
Differential: +1
Branislav Ivanovic picked out the most wonderful pass in the build-up to Loic Remy's opener, finding Eden Hazard with a perfect weight and trajectory to allow the Belgian to cross first time.
Defensively he was OK—not spectacular, but better than he was against Liverpool's Alberto Moreno midweek in the cup—as James Milner's movement caused him some issues.
5. David de Gea, Manchester United
17 of 21
Last Week: 5
Differential: None
David de Gea does one week on, one week off. He did little of note against Leicester City because he didn't have to; his side, and in particular Daley Blind, throttled the Foxes with ease.
He did concede one goal, but that can hardly be designated his fault. While Manchester United fans love to see the Spaniard sprawling about in goal saving their skins—what a sight it is, truly!—it's better overall if he's doing nothing at all.
4. Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
18 of 21
Last Week: 3
Differential: -1
Alexis Sanchez missed Arsenal's victory over Aston Villa with a hamstring strain—not that they needed him. He's a doubt for the north London derby this weekend, per Arsenal's official website (h/t IBTimes.co.uk).
3. Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea
19 of 21
Last Week: 2
Differential: -1
Cesc Fabregas missed the top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City this weekend due to injury. He came off early against Liverpool midweek in the cup and sat this one out as a precaution.
2. Nemanja Matic, Chelsea
20 of 21
Last Week: 6
Differential: +4
Chelsea 1-1 Manchester City was a battle in the middle between two top sides, and while Fernandinho had the best of the opening exchanges, Nemanja Matic's skills came to the fore a little later on.
WhoScored clocked him at eight tackles, four successful dribbles and four aerials won as he took hold of the centre of the pitch. His trademark loping runs were difficult to stop.
1. Eden Hazard, Chelsea
21 of 21
Last Week: 2
Differential: +1
Chelsea didn't exactly click in attack against Manchester City, but Eden Hazard provided his usual goal threat from the left and picked up a lovely assist.
He pulled away from his marker and first-timed a Branislav Ivanovic pass into the path of Loic Remy, who slid home without hesitation to give his side the lead.
With Diego Costa dropping out due to a ban and both Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez injured, Hazard moves top of the rankings with little competition from elsewhere.
