Highly-rated Kevin’s simply De best so far
PLAYMAKER COMES OUT ON TOP FOR PLAYER STATS
IT is not a great surprise that Manchester City’s top performers this season have been their brilliant attacking players.
But the stats which determine the Blues’ stand-out men also glaringly highlight exactly why they have failed to keep pace with runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool.
The season has been placed on a pause by the coronavirus pandemic, with uncertainty over whether it will ever resume - it is currently suspended until April 30, but it is almost certain that date will be pushed back.
But the player ratings published by the Whoscored.com website, based on a player’s influence on games through a wide range of detailed statistics, pick out the best five performers - with one surprise in that top five.
But the fact that the only defenders to make the top ten are Joao Cancelo (8) and Aymeric Laporte (10) tells the story of the Blues’ season.
Cancelo has not been a regular in the team playing second fiddle to Kyle Walker at right back, and his future is in doubt after just one season.
And Laporte has missed the bulk of the season through injury, after damaging knee ligaments in September and then tweaking a hamstring last month. So who have been the top City performers, statistically speaking? In descending order, they read like this:
5. GABRIEL JESUS (7.19) -
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The striker has again been on the fringes for City this season largely kept out by Sergio Aguero, but he has made important contributions, not least his goal and man of the match display in the 2-1 win at Real Madrid.
But in just 18 starts and 12 sub appearances in Premier League and Champions League, he has piled up 15 goals and six assists.
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4. RAHEEM STERLING (7.19)
A dip in form in the latter part of the season does not hide the fact that he was sensational before Christmas.
The England man is City’s most valuable player and has chalked up 16 goals and three assists amongst some very impressive stats.
■ 3. SERGIO AGUERO (7.20)
The legendary Blues striker has continued to add to his long list of club records and was on course for his most prolific season to date.
The Argentine scored 23 goals in 30 appearances when things came to a halt.
■ 2. RIYAD MAHREZ (7.59)
Second only to the peerless De Bruyne when it comes to assists this season, with 12 in Premier League and Champions League.
He has also bagged nine goals and is again second only to De
Bruyne in terms of the number of key passes made.
■ 1. KEVIN DE BRUYNE (7.92)
The interruption of the season probably stopped him passing Thierry Henry’s record of 20 Premier League assists, in another stunning campaign.
His 18 assists and nine goals only tell half of the story.
He also has as many Premier League man of the match awards (7) as the next three City players in the list - Mahrez (3), Jesus (2) and Aguero (2) - put together.