Premier League Player Rankings: Alexis Struggles Again, Vertonghen Rises High
Putting together the Premier League player rankings was a strange task this week. With some clubs playing one game, some playing two and West Bromwich Albion, for some reason, playing zero, there's movement all over the place in part thanks to an imbalanced schedule.
Still, that at least creates plenty of excitement as players slide up and down. Tottenham Hotspur's defence dominated again, Diego Costa remembered how to play football and Liverpool's stars are trending downward after a poor home loss to Crystal Palace.
Ranking Criteria
- It's a season-long ranking based on performances over the entire campaign—no longer does it take into account a four-to-six-week period of form (like previous editions did). Therefore, whoever is No. 1 would effectively be our choice for Player of the Season if the campaign finished this week.
- Only Premier League form is considered—no Champions League, no domestic cups and no international football.
- We pore over hours of film to accurately grade the players on a weekly basis. All teams are covered properly, and experts are sought out for advice as and when required.
- Players are given a score after every performance, and those scores are averaged out over the course of the season to produce a grade.
- Performing well on a consistent basis is key. Players such as Dele Alli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who have endured poor patches spanning months this season, have had to play catchup in order to set the record straight.
- A player must have meaningfully participated (started or played in excess of 20 minutes) in more than 50 per cent of his team's games to be eligible for the ranking. You wouldn't christen anyone Player of the Season having played fewer than half the games.
40-36
1 of 16
40. Romelu Lukaku, Everton (-4)
Those who follow Lukaku closely will not have been surprised to see him do very, very little in yet another away game. It's not all his fault—the entire team has to do more—but the truth is the Belgian, this league's vaunted top-scorer, was bottled up by a committed James Collins. Completing just three passes in the first half is never a good look.
39. Fernandinho, Manchester City (-1)
Fernandinho was a combative presence in the Manchester derby without doing anything too impressive in either attack or defence.
38. Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace (-5)
A much-acquired presence in fantasy football this week due to Crystal Palace's double gameweek, Ivory Coast international Zaha disappointed with a miserly return. Not his best work despite his team's victory at Anfield.
37. Idrissa Gueye, Everton (-2)
Gueye was withdrawn at half-time for the second successive game. What didn't play in his favour was that Everton improved markedly in his absence.
36. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City (+1)
Argentinian Aguero didn't score in the Manchester derby but played well nonetheless. He scared the life out of Daley Blind at times, hit the post and delivered the cross for Gabriel Jesus' offside goal.
35-31
2 of 16
35. Oriol Romeu, Southampton (-1)
Returning from his two-match suspension, Romeu looked understandably rusty and put in an atypical performance: The Spaniard scored a goal (which is incredibly rare) but gave the ball away far too often in midfield. Opposite day.
34. Georginio Wijnaldum, Liverpool (-2)
In games against teams who only wish to defend, Liverpool's current midfield trio cannot succeed. They're only playing due to injuries wrecking the lineup, but it's probably on Wijnaldum—if it's on any of them—to offer more in these games.
33. Eric Bailly, Manchester United (+6)
Probably the best player on the pitch during the Manchester derby, Bailly passed well (despite looking awkward in the process) and defended strongly.
32. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester United (-1)
Zlatan's season is over. He landed awkwardly against Anderlecht and has sustained cruciate ligament damage in his knee. Let the post-mortem begin: Was this a successful maiden season in English football for the veteran striker?
31. Yaya Toure, Manchester City (-1)
Toure passed calmly, provided a strong outlet in midfield and tried his best to create amid great pressure in the centre.
30-26
3 of 16
30. Joel Matip, Liverpool (-6)
None of Liverpool's defenders can claim to have played well against Crystal Palace, and while Dejan Lovren took most of the flack, Matip should not be excused completely. Huge spaces opened up at times, and they all struggled with Christian Benteke's physicality.
29. Leroy Sane, Manchester City (New!)
Sane's been ineligible for the rankings for most of the season, but he has finally played enough meaningful games to enter. He starts at 29, which is a measure of just how fine a rookie season he's enjoyed.
28. Adam Lallana, Liverpool (Stay)
Lallana is closing in on that return. On Monday, May 1, Liverpool face Watford at Vicarage Road, and the Englishman could well play a part.
27. Virgil van Dijk, Southampton (-1)
Van Dijk's still injured and likely shut down for the season, but that hasn't stopped the rumour mill whirling. The Telegraph's Jason Burt reported this week that Arsenal have made a move for him.
26. Marcos Alonso, Chelsea (+1)
Every now and then, Alonso reminds us all he has plenty of uses in the locker; lots of different, bonus skills that come in handy. Against Southampton, it was his surprising aerial threat, where his keeping alive of stray balls led to a goal.
25-21
4 of 16
25. David Luiz, Chelsea (+4)
Luiz was about the only Chelsea defender who didn't hit the panic button in the first 30 minutes against Southampton. Stayed strong, cleared what needed to be cleared and calmly waited for his team-mates to regain composure.
24. Victor Moses, Chelsea (-2)
Moses had a so-so performance against Southampton. He had his work cut out with Sofiane Boufal's dribbling on his flank but came through better than Cesar Azpilicueta. He was partly responsible for the biggest roar of the evening...when he was withdrawn for John Terry's cameo.
23. Dele Alli, Tottenham Hotspur (+2)
He should have scored against Crystal Palace, but Alli generally played well and moves up another two spots in the rankings.
22. Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City (+1)
De Bruyne continued his upward curve in form, finding space to pass into good areas and delivering a great cross for Aguero to somehow strike the post from.
21. Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea (-1)
Azpilicueta had some rough moments early on against Southampton (he wasn't alone in this area) and struggled with Boufal's runs. Things got better as the game progressed, though, and he eventually settled down.
20-16
5 of 16
20. Roberto Firmino, Liverpool (-2)
Not a strong day for Brazilian Firmino, and that came as a surprise given his recent streak of excellence. He played wide due to injuries and couldn't really get the better of Crystal Palace's deep-set defence.
19. Pedro, Chelsea (Stay)
Pedro was a glamour substitute as Antonio Conte shuffled his deck expertly again. Did what you'd expect him to do in his 13 minutes on the pitch: run around lots.
18. Raheem Sterling, Manchester City (-1)
Sterling's excellent season is petering out a little, it must be said. Given the start against Manchester United due to David Silva's injury, he didn't do enough to give Pep Guardiola a selection headache for the next game.
17. Christian Eriksen, Tottenham (+6)
Eriksen was the saviour for Tottenham on Wednesday, as he so often has been of late. A wonder goal late on at Selhurst Park rescued three points for his side. The Dane has been so good in his last five games or so.
16. Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool (Stay)
Scored an absolute beauty of a free-kick and, generally speaking, looked Liverpool's most positive player in driving forward and attempting to "make things happen."
15-11
6 of 16
15. Diego Costa, Chelsea (Stay)
Where has this Costa been for the last three months? It's as if he awoke from a coma, bullying Jack Stephens and Maya Yoshida on the way to two goals and an assist. It's not enough to move him up, but it halts his rapid fall.
14. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur (-1)
Kane battled hard, but he got little out of Crystal Palace's Mamadou Sakho and Martin Kelly.
13. Kyle Walker, Tottenham Hotspur (+1)
Against Palace, Walker put in a typical Walker performance: Rampaging, athletic, defensively solid and offensively impactful. It was a relief, as he wasn't great at Wembley on Saturday and hasn't played that much of late.
12. Mousa Dembele, Tottenham Hotspur (-1)
Dembele looked a bit out of sorts at Selhurst Park on Wednesday and got frustrated with his team-mates when things weren't going Spurs' way.
11. Victor Wanyama, Tottenham Hotspur (-3)
Wanyama looked laggy following a recent return from injury (and intense performance at Wembley on Saturday), was booked early on and had to be withdrawn at half-time before the referee could show him another card.
10. Danny Rose, Tottenham Hotspur
7 of 16
Last Week: 9th
Movement: -1
Danny Rose is back in full training, according to the Evening Standard's Tom Collomosse, and could even feature in the squad for the Arsenal game this weekend.
9. Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
8 of 16
Last Week: 6th
Movement: -3
Alexis Sanchez drew the ire of every fanbase on Wednesday night.
Not only was his performance for Arsenal atypically poor, inclusive of wayward passing and a lack of attacking thrust, but he posted a picture of a small cut on his lip following a foul on the pitch, which encouraged a rather sarcastic response from everyone else.
His form has dipped of late, netting just once in his last five Premier League appearances, and that's reflected in his downward movement this week.
8. Jan Vertonghen, Tottenham Hotspur
9 of 16
Last Week: 12th
Movement: +4
Jan Vertonghen takes a big leap in the rankings this week, and it's a reward for outstanding recent form and eye-popping consistency over the course of the season.
Crystal Palace's attacking troika of Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend have presented teams plenty of problems of late, but Vertonghen took it all in his stride. Quick to recover, positive in stepping in front of his marker and alert to early balls forward, he nullified Benteke on the way to another clean sheet.
7. Toby Alderweireld, Tottenham Hotspur
10 of 16
Last Week: 10
Movement: +3
Three straight clean sheets for Tottenham Hotspur has helped aid a continued title challenge, allowing the club to eke out victories in tight spots. Toby Alderweireld, predictably, has been key to this resilience.
He and Vertonghen played well on Wednesday night, shackling the lively and in-form Benteke with consummate ease. Given the scoring run the striker's been on, and how physical and aggressive he's been of late, that's no mean feat.
6. Antonio Valencia, Manchester United
11 of 16
Last Week: 7th
Movement: +1
Antonio Valencia couldn't make Manchester United's win over Burnley due to injury issues. He's been battling them hard over the last few weeks as the games have piled up.
Returning for the Manchester derby, he worked hard on his flank to defend well and stymie the in-form, impressive Sane. Keeping a clean sheet against the Citizens at the Etihad Stadium is no mean feat, but Valencia and Co. managed it.
5. Sadio Mane, Liverpool
12 of 16
Last Week: 5th
Movement: None
It was all going so well for Liverpool sans Sadio Mane...until they met Crystal Palace, their new nemesis. A 2-1 loss damaged their Champions League hopes.
4. David Silva, Manchester City
13 of 16
Last Week: 3rd
Movement: -1
David Silva was forced off injured in the first half of Manchester City's FA Cup semi-final loss to Arsenal and couldn't make the Manchester derby.
3. Ander Herrera, Manchester United
14 of 16
Last Week: 4th
Movement: +1
Ander Herrera used his double gameweek well, playing superbly against Burnley and efficiently against Manchester City. It was enough to lift him into third place in the rankings.
Some have knocked his lack of assists this season, but he supplied his sixth of the campaign at Turf Moor. He'd have a lot more to his name if his colleagues hadn't missed a glut of chances week after week.
Against City, he was typically difficult to play against, adding an intensity to Manchester United's midfield and getting through a lot of running once the team were reduced to 10 men. He should have scored that header, though.
2. N'Golo Kante, Chelsea
15 of 16
Last Week: 2nd
Movement: None
N'Golo Kante was introduced to Stamford Bridge before Tuesday's kick-off as the newest PFA Player of the Year. A short, shy wave was all he gave the fans; he then immediately headed down the tunnel.
Most then expected him to pick up where he left off last game, but it took the Frenchman a good 30 minutes to configure his radar and start timing his tackles well. He committed a few eyebrow-raising fouls early on the way to a deserved yellow card.
But toward the end of the first half, he righted his focus, embarking on a dizzying run that produced the Blues' first good chance since Eden Hazard's opener. From there, it was business as usual.
1. Eden Hazard, Chelsea
16 of 16
Last Week: 1st
Movement: None
"I am angry at him tonight," Southampton manager Claude Puel joked of Eden Hazard after Saints fell 4-2 to Chelsea on Tuesday evening. The Belgian put in yet another sparkling performance to down yet another club en route to what seems certain to be a Blues title.
He scored a beauty in the fifth minute, sweeping a firm finish across goal to give Fraser Forster no hope. Admittedly, the defending was awful, but it was still a slick move topped by an instinctive, confident strike.
Unlike many other attackers, Hazard refuses to slow down when seasons wind to a close. He's looking as relentless and potent as ever, and that is what has kept Chelsea's silverware hopes alive.
All statistics via WhoScored.com
