Statistically the best Premier League eleven of last season? No Silva, Mane or Ronaldo

Selecting the best eleven of the season is a difficult and very tricky task. But if we set aside the emotional attachment to certain players and take into account only the numbers and numerical performance ratings produced by WhoScored, we get a line-up whose average match rating is easily the highest at that position among Premier League players. Here is the statistically ideal eleven of the past 2021/22 season.

Alisson

Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper proved once again that he has been one of the world’s top scorers for several years now. He held up when he needed to and time and time again helped his teammates with the millimetre-accurate crossing that is required of virtually all goalkeepers in modern football. But few have mastered this role with as much precision as the former AS Roma player, who achieved a rating of 6.87.

Trent-Alexander Arnold

The twenty-three-year-old Liverpool offspring is still honing the performance standard he set at a very young age, showing that he is already one of the mainstays and workhorses of Klopp’s squad. To his 12 league assists, the excellent executor of standard situations has added 2 goals. Breathtaking numbers for a right-back, albeit a very offensive one. He leaves this past PL season with an average rating of 7.51.

Joel Matip

Undoubtedly an unexpected name, but Van Dijk’s midfield partner had an even better rating than just his Dutch teammate and subtly claimed a place in the season’s best statistical lineup with his bravura performances. The Cameroonian international played 32 games in which he picked up just two yellow cards, which is a remarkable feat in itself. Undoubtedly one of the key names in Liverpool’s league squad. He has earned the number 7.35.

Virgil van Dijk

The Dutch wall at the heart of the Premier League runners-up’s defensive line only serves to reassure the footballing public of his not just defensive prowess. His speed, dominance in aerial duels and great reading of the game has helped him to have only 0.3 fouls per game, for example. It’s hard to imagine the Reds defensive line without the burly stopper from Breda. The 30-year-old Van Dijk is maturing like a wine and thanks to that he also takes home a solid 7.18.

João Cancelo

The fox Guardiola has brought out something new again. In previous seasons, it was already evident that he used Cancelo in interestingly different ways to other full-backs, but few probably expected the born right-back to play with such bravura through his leg on the opposite side of the pitch. And yet it happened. Cancelo passed for 7 goals during this PL season and it was often from his now left side that he created the crosses and chances for his teammates. A terrific season earned him a 7.43 rating.

Rodri

Manchester City again, but this time representing the Kingdom of Spain. The Madrid native has been one of Pep Guardiola’s busiest playmakers and he clearly knew why. Thanks to Rodri’s often under-appreciated black work, the offensive wizards De Bruyne, Silva or Foden were able to think blithely, especially going forward. The former Atlético Madrid or Villareal player earned a 7.43 rating.

Thiago

The Spanish maestro in Liverpool’s midfield may not have played as much as he and coach Klopp would have liked due to injury, but when he was on the pitch it showed. And it was especially noticeable going backwards and forwards. The action radius and deployment of the undersized Barcelona offspring worked exemplarily and Thiago was able to distribute passes and dictate the pace of Liverpool’s play. An average pass success rate of over 89 percent only illustrates the former Bayern Munich player’s precision. His rating has climbed to 7.44.

Kevin de Bruyne

One of the best midfielders in the Premier League in recent seasons, he has proven his brilliance time and time again, especially in the final third of the pitch, and it was no different this season. And while it’s certainly not the only benchmark, his 15 goals and 8 assists in 25 league games is quite simply a dream stat. He has 2.9 key passes per game on league turf. He controlled the Citizens game on the pitch and in the locker room. The 30-year-old Belgian has a rating of 7.88.

Heung-Min Son

The South Korean winger pulled the whole of Spurs together with Harry Kane and it almost seemed that without this offensive duo, Tottenham might not have won the Europa League. 23 goals and 7 assists in 35 games in England’s top league competition speaks for itself. The former Bayer Leverkusen player has been absolutely crucial to the running of the entire Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium team, and his performances have earned him a rating of 7.60.

Mohamed Salah

Along with Son, he shared the crown for the Premier League’s top scorer this season. With his performance, the Egyptian idol built on last seasons performance and confirmed time and time again that there aren’t many better players running around world football at the moment than the Nagrig native. To his 23 accurate shots, the quick-footed forward added 13 goal assists. That’s not the only reason he got a 7.70.

Harry Kane

The England captain did what he could to appease Tottenham supporters after his just-about-to-be-completed transfer to Manchester City. He scored 17 tries for the Premier League club and accurately passed to his teammates for another 9. The 28-year-old striker strolled to a 7.53 rating thanks to his excellent place selection and enviable technique.

WhoScored’s analysis of each team and player reflects in detail the defensive and offensive aspects of the game, including, for example, duels won, successful defensive interventions and successful dribbling. The line-up is logically dominated by Manchester City and Liverpool, who in a nerve-wracking finish to this year’s Premier League season were in contention for the top spot until the last day of play. The highest-rated player ever, according to WhoScored statistics, was Citizens’ splash man Kevin de Bruyne.

WhoScored, Transfermarkt