The Premier League’s 15 best players in 2023/24 Based on Stats

Highlights

• James Maddison has been one of the signings of the season, making a huge impact since signing for Tottenham and recording an average rating of 7.46 during the 2023/24 season.
• Erling Haaland, despite being top of the Premier League scoring charts with 18 goals, is only the sixth highest-rated player in the Premier League this season.
• Virgil van Dijk has regained his form and is a crucial part of Liverpool’s defense, making 4.4 clearances per game on average. However, he is only the 11th highest-rated played this season.

Premier League action is hotting up as we approach the tail end of the 2023/24 campaign. Manchester City look to be making their typical title charge in the latter stages of the season following their 3-1 drubbing over arch-rivals Manchester United. As such, Erik ten Hag still finds himself under pressure with the Red Devils struggling to keep up in the race for the Champions League qualification spots. And Liverpool find themselves sitting a mere point clear at the top of the table, hoping to win a second top flight title under Jurgen Klopp.

As is the case with all teams, certain individuals have gone above and beyond with their performances. The likes of Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have unsurprisingly picked up where they left off every year – with them first and second, respectively, in the Premier League goalscoring charts this season. However, there are one or two faces that might surprise you with just how influential they have been this year.

The experts at WhoScored have compiled an average rating for each player based on their stats and performances. Here, we will list the top 15 who lead the way in what is arguably the most competitive league in the world.

1 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

WhoScored rating – 7.71

Arsenal fans will freely admit that, at some points during this campaign, their team hasn’t been playing at the level required to win a league title. Having been top of the table at Christmas, they now find themselves third. But while Bukayo Saka might not be playing at his highest level presently, don’t let that detract from the excellent season he has been having.

In 2023/24, the winger has 20 goal contributions in 25 Premier League games and was a major reason why the Gunners were even in a title race in the first place, with him averaging 3 shots per game and 2.5 key passes a game. Also excelling in the Champions League and rated the fifth-best player in the competition based on stats, Saka’s performances will be crucial to Arsenal’s pursual of the English top tier crown.

2 Rodri (Manchester City)

WhoScored rating – 7.59

Manchester City have several players who are integral to the way they play, but this man is arguably the most important piece of the puzzle. Rodri has brilliantly picked up the pieces that few thought would be possible when the Brazilian stalwart Fernandinho left the club. However, the Spaniard’s excellence has managed to propel the Cityzens to even greater heights.

His 92.4% pass accuracy and 2.1 tackles per game sum up exactly what his role in Guardiola’s system is. And he executes it perfectly. It’s not unfair to say they look like half the team in Rodri’s absence – and, as a result, they tend to lose more matches when he’s not present. The fact that he ranks so highly here, despite not frequently scoring or assisting, shows just how special he is.

3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

WhoScored rating – 7.48

Do we really need to explain for the umpteenth time just how excellent Mo Salah has been since he arrived at Merseyside? Ranked as the best African footballer to ever play in the Premier League, Liverpool’s Egyptian King has scored an insane 154 goals since his league debut. And he’s up to the same tricks this season again.

While it may no longer be Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane leading the line with the Egyptian, his 24 goal contributions in 21 games are certainly easing the pressure on the likes of Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, and Diogo Jota. The only surprise here is that he is only handed a bronze medal and not gold, despite his excellent season.

4 James Maddison (Tottenham)

WhoScored rating – 7.46

James Maddison’s quality is undeniable, and there was never any doubt that once Leicester had been relegated, a top club would seek the services of such a fantastic player. That said, we challenge anyone to find a Tottenham Hotspur fan who believed the former Norwich man would be this influential.

Three goals, seven assists, an 85.9% pass accuracy (which is remarkable for a creative midfielder), 2.6 key passes per game – it’s fair to say that he has fully embraced his new manager’s vision and stands as the shining example of just how much Tottenham has improved under Ange Postecoglou. It was no surprise to see Spurs drop off following an injury to their maestro in the engine room; but with him fully fit and firing again, Spurs could fly back up the table once again.

5 Phil Foden (Manchester City)

WhoScored rating – 7.45

With Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland in and out of the Manchester City team with respective injuries, their other stars had to step up in their place. And none have done so more effectively than English phenom Phil Foden – illustrated perfectly by his two-goal haul in the recent Manchester derby.

The talented creator has been at the forefront of everything good City have mustered this season, contributing with 11 goals and seven assists, the second most in the whole squad. Guardiola believes that the 23-year-old is playing the best football of his career right now since the duo started working together, and it’s hard to disagree based on his performances.

6 Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

WhoScored rating – 7.41

There are many certainties in life and one of them is that Haaland, the best starting striker from the traditional ‘top six’ clubs, will continue to score goals – typically at an ungodly rate. After breaking the record for the most goals in a Premier League season during his debut campaign, the Norwegian didn’t seem like he was slowing down this year before missing a five-game period via injury.

The striker stands at the summit of the Premier League scoring charts, leading Salah by two. Averaging 4.1 shots per game, it remains foolish to attempt to predict how many goals this man will have after 38 games. And with De Bruyne now firmly back in the fold for City, it is scary to think what the pair can conjure up between now and the end of the season.

7 Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

WhoScored rating – 7.41

With a spot as Harry Kane’s understudy up for grabs in the senior England set-up, Ollie Watkins is doing everything and more to ensure that he fulfils that role. Becoming the first player to hit double figures for both goals and assists this campaign, the talismanic centre forward has been at the heart of Aston Villa’s top four challenge.

Not only goals, but the former Brentford man brings an air of calmness to Unai Emery’s attack, averaging 3.1 shots and 1.4 key passes per game. Regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, Watkins has a strong chance of winning the Golden Boot this season – and there’s no surprise that interest in his signature has been circling.

8 Son Heung-Min (Tottenham)

WhoScored rating – 7.35

Ample pressure was on the seasoned South Korea international when he was handed the captaincy in north London following Harry Kane’s departure. This came after Son Heung-min had a stuttering 2022/2023 season where he wasn’t at his best.

As they say, form is temporary, class is permanent, and the number seven has demonstrated this with his dazzling displays this season. With 13 goals in 23 domestic outings and an additional five assists to boot, he has forged a lethal partnership with new signing Maddison. His departure for the Asia Cup was a huge loss for Postecoglou and – in his absence – his importance shone through.

9 Declan Rice (Arsenal)

WhoScored rating – 7.33

Eyebrows were raised when the Gunners parted ways with north of £100 million to see Declan Rice switch east London for north – but, as we approach the end of the campaign, it seems like an absolute coup. Not only is the Englishman defensively astute, with two tackles per game, but he is also performing admirably further afield.

With four goals and five assists added to his CV, Rice has been applauded for his ability to pop up at opportune moments with a strike. It is, however, the intangible aspects of his game (his leadership and authority) that makes him stand out from the rest – with him ranked high among the current Premier League midfielders.

10 Pascal Groß (Brighton)

WhoScored rating – 7.30

One of the more unexpected names on this list, perhaps, but Brighton fans will tell you just how good Pascal Groß has been for them since his arrival in 2017. Capable of playing in midfield and defence, he has been one of their star players under multiple managers, with an engine which lets him get up and down the pitch with relative ease.

The 32-year-old is not just a work horse, though, chiming in with four goals and an eye-catching 10 assists for the Seagulls already this term. Roberto De Zerbi said in April 2023 that the German was “one of the best players I’ve had in my career”, and Groß is certainly approaching club icon status at the seaside club at this point.

11 Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool)

WhoScored rating – 7.29

Many were questioning whether Virgil Van Dijk was past his best after a shaky 2022/23 season. However, much like the rest of Jurgen Klopp’s men, the Dutchman seems to have once again found his groove, and the new club skipper has helped guide his side back to nearing the Premier League’s summit.

Averaging 4.4 clearances per game while also making important interceptions and tackles when required, he is a significant reason why Liverpool have conceded the second-fewest goals in the league, and his performances have seen him reclaim his spot as the best defender in English top flight. If Van Dijk can maintain this impressive form, there is every chance Liverpool could be collecting Premier League number two this year.

12 Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)

WhoScored rating – 7.29

A former Real Madrid prospect, Martin Odegaard, is starting to prove why there was so much clamour over his services when he was a fresh-faced youngster plying his trade for Los Blancos. While donning the captain’s armband, many of Arsenal’s attacking sequences are orchestrated by the Norwegian magician.

Considered one of the best loan signings in Premier League history, Odegaard has notched five goals and six assists thus far this season, all while taking 2.1 shots and completing 2.9 key passes per game. If Mikel Arteta’s side are able to get their hands on the title, the likes of the 25-year-old will be there to thank.

13 Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)

WhoScored rating – 7.26

When the 21-year-old Belgian joined Manchester City in the summer in a £55m move, few would’ve expected him to have such an immediate impact. After all, it often takes players time to adapt to the Premier League, let alone when you’re competing with the likes of Jack Grealish, Foden and Julian Alvarez for a place in the team.

Yet, despite that, Doku has managed to gain Pep Guardiola’s trust early on, and he has repaid him with some excellent performances. With 3.3 successful dribbles per game and seven goal contributions, the former Rennes star has made a positive start to his tenure in the blue half of Manchester. Even becoming only the ninth player to register four assists in one Premier League game, expectations will continue to grow the longer he is able to show this level of consistency.

14 Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

WhoScored rating – 7.25

Although Crystal Palace – as a whole – are not enjoying their best season, Eberechi Eze has always stood out for his excellent and persistent performances for the Eagles, notably alongside Michael Olise. Both are destined to reach the top of the game in the foreseeable future – but for not, the Englishman is averaging 1.9 key passes and 2.5 dribbles per game for the capital club.

Doubtlessly their creative hub, he is also relatively potent from a goalscoring perspective, with six goals to his name this season. With Euro 2024 around the corner, how Eze performs between now and the end of 23/24 could be the difference to whether Southgate gives him an opportunity or not.

15 Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

WhoScored rating – 7.25

Widely regarded as one of the best players at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Matheus Cunha has been at his free-scoring best since the campaign got underway. With the likes of Hwang Hee-chan and Pedro Neto spending time away from action, the 11-cap Brazilian has shouldered the majority of the goalscoring burden, notching nine goals in 24 league fixtures.

Taking 2.5 shots per game has helped Cunha boost his numbers this campaign – but his hard work and tenacity has guided the Old Gold into the top half of the table with 11 games remaining. If Gary O’Neil can finish the season strongly in his inaugural season in charge, he’ll have Cunha to thank.

All statistics per

WhoScored

– correct as of 04/02/24