The title race is … back on? The Premier League has three teams within four points of first.
And the race for the Champions League places is … bigger than ever? The gap between fifth and 13th is just seven points.
There might be a relegation race, too, after two wins from two has 18th-place West Ham united five points clear of 19th-place Burnley and five points back of 16th-place Nottingham Forest. But we’re not really worried about the bottom of the table today.
Or, well, maybe we are? We’re back with another edition of ESPN’s Premier League Top 50, our ranking of the best players in the league. While it used to be a relatively easy exercise — Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea players, mostly — the league is more bunched up and more competitive than ever before. The top teams still have tons of talent, but the average premier League team now has a roster equivalent to the average Champions League
His per-90 numbers look more like a slightly-above-average forward than a star. But he’s played a ton of minutes — there’s value in that — and he might be the best defensive forward in the league.
Per data from Gradient Sports, he has contributed 35 pressures that have led to the ball being won in a “dangerous position,” which thay define as “an area where the player could create a chance to score.” No one else in the league has even reached 30.
46. Matheus Cunha, forward, Manchester United
Table of Contents
- 46. Matheus Cunha, forward, Manchester United
- 45. Sandro Tonali,midfielder,Newcastle united
- 44. Daniel Muñoz, fullback, Crystal Palace
- 43. Reece James, midfielder/fullback, Chelsea
- 42. Cristian Romero, center back, Tottenham Hotspur
- 24. Adam wharton, midfielder, Crystal Palace
- 22. Marcos Senesi, center back, bournemouth
- 13. Bryan Mbeumo,forward,Manchester United
- 7. Bruno Guimarães, midfielder, Newcastle United
He might drop off the list if interim head coach Michael Carrick continues to not select him for United’s starting lineup. But United were also doing quite well before Carrick arrived and cunha was playing more often.
Sure, he scored an incredible goal to beat the best team in the world last weekend, but that’s not as critically important as this: Per Gradient, Cunha has completed 12 dribbles where he’s attempted some kind of “trick” — most in the league so far this campaign.
45. Sandro Tonali,midfielder,Newcastle united
44. Daniel Muñoz, fullback, Crystal Palace
43. Reece James, midfielder/fullback, Chelsea
42. Cristian Romero, center back, Tottenham Hotspur
England because he’s scored a bunch of goals this season, but what makes him a good player is all of the stuff he does before a shot is attempted or a chance is created.
He’s received 96 passes in dangerous positions, while no one else in the league is above 88.
25.Elliot Anderson, midfielder, Nottingham Forest
24. Adam wharton, midfielder, Crystal Palace
Both Anderson and Wharton could, and probably will, move for around $100 million in one of the next few transfer windows.
per Gradient,Anderson has completed the most passes breaking multiple opposition lines,while Wharton leads the league in passes breaking the midfield line. Anderson is first in xPV added from defensive actions, and Wharton is second. anderson is 23 years old,and Wharton is 21. England’s midfield is set, for a really long time.
22. Marcos Senesi, center back, bournemouth
Loose two center backs to Paris Saint-Germain and real Madrid, and what do you do? Replace them with a guy who’s an even better passer.
Gradient grades every pass that every player in the Premier League makes every weekend, on a scale of minus-2 to plus-2, in increments of 0.5.(And then they normalize each player’s overall grade for the season or game on a 0-to-100 scale.) Senesi has completed 16 passes with a grade of 1.0 or better, and only one other player in the league is even in double digits.
I don’t really think he’s to blame for any of Liverpool’s issues, since he’s doing everything he did last year — possibly at an even higher level.Per Gradient, he’s the highest-graded ball carrier in the league, and he’s the only player in the le
13. Bryan Mbeumo,forward,Manchester United
Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo’s recent performance has been hampered by a red card received during a match against Arsenal. Despite this setback, Mbeumo has demonstrated strong passing abilities, particularly under pressure.
Gradient data indicates Mbeumo currently holds the highest passing grade while under pressure among all midfielders in England. This highlights his composure and skill in distributing the ball even when facing defensive pressure.
7. Bruno Guimarães, midfielder, Newcastle United
Newcastle United is considered one of the top teams in the Premier League and is a potential contender for the Champions League title.
25.Elliot Anderson, midfielder, Nottingham Forest 24. Adam wharton, midfielder, Crystal Palace 22. Marcos Senesi, center back, bournemouth 13. Bryan Mbeumo,forward,Manchester United 7. Bruno Guimarães, midfielder, Newcastle United