Want to be the pub/terrace know-all this weekend? Want to know who has committed the most fouls? Or who has covered the most ground and put in a true captain’s performance? Then read on and let the welcome return of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index arm you with enough stats to impress everyone but girly girls.
Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars with at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate team.
Sunderland vs Liverpool – Saturday 12:45
After a week without Premier League football, Sunderland return to action against Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool in this Saturday’s early kick off. The Black Cats will be looking to record their first win since their dramatic victory over Newcastle United in December.
Seb Larsson is yet again the player who dominates the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for Sunderland. The midfielder is the only player to have featured in every game for Sunderland this season, and as such has completed more passes in the opposition half than any other player in the squad. He has also covered more ground than any other Sunderland player 209.14km over the first 20 games. Larsson is 7/1 to score any time with 888sport.
It is Billy Jones, however, who has the best average distance per game. The fullback has recently seen himself recalled to the side, and has shown that he wants to earn his place in the team. In the five games he has played in this season, Jones has averaged 10.67km per game, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Costel Pantillimon has secured his place in Sunderland’s side and with good reason. Over his eleven games between the sticks, Pantillimon has the best saves per game ratio in the division of anyone who has played more than a game. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, Pantillimon has made 4.36 saves per game, a fair way ahead of Rob Green who is second with 3.74 saves per game.
Liverpool come in to this game having drawn their last Premier League match 2-2 against Leicester City. Though if they avoid defeat against Sunderland, it will result in a five match unbeaten streak, and can be used as a springboard to push on in the second half of the season.
Steven Gerrard this week announced his intentions to leave Liverpool and will sign for MLS side LA Galaxy in the summer. Only Raheem Sterling has made more appearances for Liverpool in the Premier League this season. In the 19 games in which Gerrard has featured, he has attempted 51 crosses, a squad best. With the imminent return of Daniel Sturridge, it could be a matter of time before these deliveries start to be rewarded with goals. Gerrard is 8/1 to score first with 888sport.
Jordan Henderson was announced as Gerrard’s heir to the captaincy and the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows Henderson to be a worthy successor. The midfielder has been committed in his performances this season, covering more ground than any other player in the side (204.82km), as well as completed the most successful tackles in the side with 46.
At the back, Martin Skrtel has been a regular for Liverpool this season and has recorded the sixth most clearances of any player in the division so far this season. Skrtel has cleared his lines on 182 occasions this season in just 17 games, averaging out at around 10.71 clearances per game (fifth best in the division) according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Chelsea vs Newcastle – Saturday 15:00
Chelsea host Newcastle United this weekend and will be looking to avenge their loss to Newcastle earlier in the season, that saw their unbeaten run come to an end. Chelsea are enduring a sticky patch to the season and have not won in either of their last two games, notably falling to a 5-3 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
With Sergio Aguero injured, Diego Costa has fought back in the race for the Golden Boot and now sits equal with him on fourteen goals, after scoring the opener against Spurs. The prolific Spaniard has a remarkable 70.73% of shots on target this season (29 out of 41), in comparison to Aguero’s 60.71% (34 out of 56), according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Costa is 5/2 to score first with 888sport.
Eden Hazard has excelled this season scoring eight goals for Chelsea over the course of the first 20 games. He has now completed 92 successful dribbles, averaging out at 4.6 per match, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, which ranks him as the top dribbler in the division, well ahead of second placed Raheem Sterling on 65. In addition, Hazard has completed the third most passes in opposition half (799), with only Cesc Fabregas and Yaya Toure topping him.
Fabregas himself has made an incredible 915 passes in the opposition half this season. Fabregas has made 1639 passes this season, the most in the league according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, which averages out at a pass every minute. Fabregas is clearly key to the Chelsea side and could well cause problems to the Newcastle defence from the middle of the park.
Newcastle head in to this game under the guidance of interim manager John Carver, after Alan Pardew left for Crystal Palace. Newcastle drew 3-3 last time out against Burnley and will be hoping for a repeat of their performance against Chelsea at home in order to get a result here.
Moussa Sissoko has been linked with a move away from Newcastle but should still be the player to pose the one of the biggest threats to Chelsea. Sissoko is the quickest player in the Premier League according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, having clocked a speed of 35.3km/h (21.93mph). Sissoko is 4/5 to remain at Newcastle this January with 888sport.
Jack Colback has been one of Newcastle’s best performers this year too, and has racked up some impressive statistics to back up his performances. The midfielder has covered the fifth most ground in the division, totaling 221.42km in 19 games. On average Colback covers 11.65km per game.
Daryl Janmaat has made the most tackles in the Newcastle squad, dispossessing the opponent on 54 separate occasions this season, ranking him twelfth in the division, according the the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The defender has also made the most interceptions in the Newcastle squad with 44.
Everton v Manchester City – Saturday 10th January 15:00
Everton continued their run of indifferent form on New Year’s Day as they went down 2-0 to Hull at the KC Stadium. First half goals from Nikica Jelavic and Ahmed Elmohamady were enough to see Roberto Martinez’s men leave with nothing to show for their efforts and they face a tough task at home to City this weekend.
Fullback Seamus Coleman may be more well known for his defensive ability and intelligent positioning, but his knack for getting into smart positions higher up the pitch is an impressive part of his overall game. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has the best shot accuracy rate of any player in the Toffees squad, hitting the target with 85.7% of his seven attempts. Coleman is 8/1 with 888sport.com to score at any time this weekend.
With so many of the plaudits being lauded on more attacking colleagues like Ross Barkley, it’s easy to underestimate the impact that James McCarthy has made since arriving from Wigan. His assured distribution and tireless defensive work has dovetailed nicely with the likes of Barkley and fellow holding man Gareth Barry to good effect. As well as breaking through the 100-barrier for total defensive contributions (block, interceptions, clearances, tackles won)(100) during the last round of fixtures, he’s also completed 369 passes in the opponent’s half, the fourth highest total in the Everton squad behind only Barry, Barkley and Leighton Baines.
It’s no surprise to see Gareth Barry’s stats putting him so prominently at the front of Everton’s efforts this season, anyone looking at the sheer amount of distance covered by the former Manchester City man would have expected such a result. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he’s covered more ground than any other Everton playing this season, racking up a total of 198,169m.
Manchester City had to work hard for their points against Sunderland in dismal conditions at the Etihad last time out in the league. They eventually came out on tope 3-2 thanks to goals from Yaya Toure, Stevan Jovetic and a winner from the ever-green Frank Lampard.
Midfield maestro David Silva looks as though he has been approaching some of his best form in recent weeks, a no doubt welcome sight for both Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City fans alike. He’s now completed 615 passes in the opponents half this season, at an average rate of one every 1.87 minutes he’s been on the pitch this term according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Silva is 13/5 with 888sport.com to get himself on the scoresheet at any time this weekend.
Despite an initially shaky start to life at the Etihad Stadium, Eliaquim Mangala has adapted quickly to the challenges of the Barclays Premier League to establish himself as, statistically speaking, one of Manchester City’s best defenders this season. He’s now won an excellent 77.1% of his 35 challenges, the best rate of any player in the City squad.
Midfield powerhouse Yaya Toure is another who has started to return form in recent fixtures, seeing his goal total rise to seven in the league for the season. According to his stats though, he is on the verge of going on a real scoring tear if he can improve his clinicalness in front of goal. He’s had the second highest number of attempts on goal (46), behind only Sergio Aeguero on 56, however he has been off target with 27 of those attempts. Clearly the big Ivorian is getting into plenty of good positions and should he start to test opposition ‘keepers more then goals will surely follow.
Leicester v Aston Villa – Saturday 9th January 15:00
Leciester claimed a vital point against Liverpool as they fought back from 2-0 to claim a 2-2 draw after two quickfire strikes from David Nugent and Jeffrey Schlupp. Nigel Pearson will no doubt be looking for his men to build on this confidence boosting result this weekend.
Midfielder Riyad Mahrez has been one of the standout players for Leicester so far this season, clearly relishing the chance to test out some of the Barclays Premier League’s best defences. Not only does he lead the Foxes squad for total dribbles (39), he’s also had the highest number of attempts on goal of any Leicester player (29), hitting the target with 58.6% of his total efforts according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Despite being known more for his efforts with the ball at his feet, Jamie Vardy has also compiled some impressive defensive statistics as a result of his tireless workrate and desire to help the team. He’s won a superb 90.9% of his 11 challenges so far this season. Vardy is 5/2 to score at any time this weekend with 888sport.com.
Defensive stalwart Wes Morgan has been leading by example from the back this term, racking up a standout collection of defensive statistics to his name in the process. He is the only Leicester City player to have made more than 200 total defensive contributions this season (248)(interceptions, blocks, clearances, tackles won), a total that also places him 7th overall in the Barclays Premier League according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Aston Villa could only claim a point in a stale 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day, in a result that left Villa just short of the top 10. Paul Lambert will no doubt be expecting a response from his side this weekend against the Foxes.
Although the spotlight is often shined on Christian Benteke, his forward partner Andreas Weimann is often the man to supply the never-ending workrate and stamina in chasing down loose balls and making intelligent runs that allows him to shine. No Villa player has completed more sprints than the Austrian international who has 1,096 to his name according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. This marks him out as the only Villa player to have surpassed the 1,000-sprint mark this season.
Midfielder Carlos Sanchez has seamlessly fitted into the Villa system since arrived in the summer, establishing himself as one of their most consistent performers. Not only has he attempted the second highest number of challenges of any Villa player this season (58 – winning 77.6%), behind only Tom Cleverley (69), he’s also completed a pass in the opponent’s half on average once every 3.5 minutes he’s been on the pitch this term.
Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has once again been showcasing his pace this season to great effect, enabling him to get in the position to score his three goals so far this term. Unsurprisingly, he has hit a higher top speed than any other Villa player this campaign, recording 34.8km/h against Southampton in late November. Agbonlahor is 57/17 to score at any time this weekend with 888sport.com.
Burnley v QPR – Saturday 9th January 15:00
Burnley will come into this weekend’s fixture with reason to be optimistic having remained unbeaten in their last two games, including picking up a valuable point against champions Manchester City. The Clarets will also receive a major boost in the knowledge that a win will take them out of the relegation zone, and help them to leap frog their opposition.
One man who will be crucial to this is their shot stopper Tom Heaton, who is going in search of his first clean sheet in five games. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that Heaton has already racked up 63 saves this season, making an average of 1.97 saves per goal conceded. He will be hoping that a strong display this weekend will help him to boost that ratio.
One man who has impressed the Burnley faithful this weekend is George Boyd, due to his incredible work rate. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that the Scotland international has covered a squad best 213.22 km already this season. He is the only Premier League player to cover over 13.2km in a game this season, which he has managed three times, including a best distance of 13.57km against Newcastle. All three of those performances were at Turf Moor, so expect a hard working performance from him tomorrow.
Up top, Burnley will hope that Danny Ings can keep up his good goal scoring form. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he has now racked up five goals and three assists, and a large part of this threat comes from his pace, having hit a top speed of 34km/h so far this campaign. He is 11/8 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
QPR will hope that they can continue their goof form against the sides at the lower end of the league having managed victories over Leicester, West Brom and Burnley in the month leading up to Christmas. The R’s have also drawn their last two matches, and will be hoping that they can go one better this weekend and capture all three points.
Much like Burnley, the Hoops will be looking for a big performance from their shot stopper, Rob Green. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can in fact reveal that the former England international has already racked up 71 saves this season, at an average of 2.03 saves per goal conceded. The R’s have only conceded once in their last two games, and will be hoping to deliver a second clean sheet in three.
In the middle of the park, the R’s will look to Leroy Fer to win the battle of the engine rooms. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index highlights that he has covered 179.22km already this term and will hope to out-run and out-perform his opponents. The box to box midfielder has won 38 tackles, made 18 clearances and racked up 20 interceptions in addition to his three goals.
Up top, Charlie Austin appears to single handedly be taking on opposition defences, and is now on 12 league goals for the season, just after the midway point in the season. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that pace and fitness play a large part to his form, having registered a top speed of 35.5km/h and covered 170.57km this term. He is 27/20 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
Swansea v West Ham – Saturday 9th January 15:00
This weekend sees ninth place Swansea host East Londoners West Ham at the Liberty Stadium, as the Swans look to move level on points with the Hammers with victory. Having been beaten 3-1 in the capital last month, the Swans will be looking to reverse that result to push on up the league.
Key to Swansea taking all three points this weekend will be the hard working midfielder Ki Sung-Yeung. The Korean international, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, has covered a squad best 220.75km this year. On top of this, the midfielder has also bagged three goals, and also racked up an impressive 50 tackles.
He will be more than adequately supported in the middle of the park by Icelandic international Gylfi Sigurdsson. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he has completed 597 passes with a completion rate of 85.65%. He will look to hurt West Ham with his distribution, and has proven himself more than capable in front of goal with four strikes this season. He is 13/5 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
Swansea will be hoping that they can keep West Ham at bay this weekend to help secure their third clean sheet in five games. Their number one shot stopper Lukasz Fabianski did not play in the reverse fixture when they shipped three goals, and has made 3.42 saves per goal conceded, as revealed by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
West Ham will come into this game full of confidence, having already picked up three points against the league’s only Wales-based side. West Ham have been having a great season so far, but have unfortunately only managed one victory in their last five fixtures. Victory this weekend could however see them leapfrog fellow Londoners Tottenham, which should be inspiration enough for the Irons.
Stewart Downing has been in fantastic form all season for West Ham and has showed no signs of slowing up. The England midfielder has already scored four times this term and, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, has also completed a squad best 25 crosses which has helped him on his way to racking up seven assists.
One man who will thrive off this service is West Ham striker Andy Carroll. Carroll has converted three times already this season, turning 33% of his shots on target into goals. In addition to his ability to score goals, his hold up and link play are second to none and he will have midfielders playing off him who will help add to his two assists. He is 9/4 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
At the other end of the pitch, Aaron Creswell has been West Ham’s star man at the back so far this season, as demonstrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The English left back is the only member of the West Ham squad to have played every minute of football for the Irons this season, scoring once and creating three further goals. He has won 68% of his 47 tackles this season, adding an impressive 81 blocks and 15 interceptions to that statistic. If he continues in the same vein, he will be a threat going forward and a rock at the back.
West Brom v Hull – Saturday 9th January 15:00
West Brom will come into this weekend’s fixture looking for their first win in five games, and will hope that their key players can deliver for them. West Brom will be hoping to keep their first clean sheet in five games as well, to help add to the current one point buffer between them and the relegation zone.
The main man this season for the Baggies has been Saido Berahino, as illustrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Berahino has scored eight times this season at an average of a goal every 186.6 minutes, converting just over 47% of his shots on target. Having hit a top speed of 33.7km/h so far this season, Berahino’s pace will prove a major threat and he is 31/20 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
Another potential threat to the Hull goal will be Stephane Sessegnon who is also having a fine season for the Baggies. The pairing has proved a major problem for opposition teams, as illustrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, with Sessegnon racking up four assists. He will hope to add to his one goal so far this season, and will need to keep up his good work in hitting the target with 60% of his 15 efforts.
At the other end of the pitch, West Brom will be relying on Ben Foster to keep Hull at bay, and will need to keep up his impressive form as reflected in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Foster has averaged two saves per goal conceded this season, and will look to further extend that ratio with another solid performance this weekend.
This weekend’s visitors to the Hawthornes come in the shape of Hull, who sit two positions and one point ahead of their hosts. Hull will come into the fixture with confidence though having picked up two wins from their last three games, and will want to make it nine points from a possible twelve on Saturday.
Jake Livermore will be key to this for Hull, and provides their engine in the middle of the park, as demonstrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The English centre midfielder has covered a squad best 218.22km, also winning a squad best 60 tackles, giving him an overall 75.9% tackle success rate.
Another Hull midfielder having a great season is Ahmed Elmohamady, as demonstrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has won 36 tackles, winning 81.8% of his attempted challenges, making 62 clearances and 40 interceptions. He has already scored once this season and is 13/1 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
At the back, James Chester has been in great form for Hull and will look to continue in that fashion this weekend to help deliver a clean sheet for his side. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index tells us that he has won 72.7% of his 44 tackles, made 69 clearances and totted up an impressive 35 interceptions to boot. He will be key to ensuring his side hold strong away form home this weekend.
Crystal Palace v Tottenham – Saturday 9th January 17:30
Crystal Palace will be looking to impress the Selhurst Park faithful this weekend by delivering them three points to give them some New Year cheer. Having slipped into the relegation zone, Palace will be looking for the three points that could help them climb four places into fourteenth in the league.
The Eagles will be hoping that their keeper Julian Speroni will be on top form to help them keep their third consecutive clean sheet. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that Speroni has averaged 1.53 saves per goal conceded this season. He will look to further improve on that ratio to help make it over 270 minutes since he last conceded in the Premier League.
At the back, Joel Ward will be instrumental at both ends of the pitch for Crystal Palace. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he has covered more ground than anybody else in the Palace squad, completing 205.29km already this season. He has also won 85% of his 60 tackles this season, made 83 clearances and 34 interceptions. It is these statistics that mean he is the only member of the squad to play every minute of football this season.
Up top, Frazier Campbell will prove a threat to the Spurs defence, as demonstrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has scored three times this season, converting 37.5% of his shots on target. If he continues to hit the target, he will certainly be one to watch out for and is 14/5 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
This weekend’s visitors come in the form of Tottenham Hotspur, who are making the journey across the river from North London. Spurs will come into this game full of confidence having remained unbeaten in their last six Premier League outings, picking up 14 points from a possible 18. They will expect to make it five wins from seven by continuing their strong form.
Key to this will be their keeper, and also the French international shot stopper, Hugo Lloris. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has made 65 saves already with an average of 2.4 saves made per goal conceded. If he continues in the same vein, Tottenham will have every chance of extending their unbeaten run to seven games.
The heartbeat of the Spurs side this season has been Christian Eriksen, as illustrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The Danish international midfielder has covered the third most ground of any Premier League player this season, with 222.77km already to his name this season. Combine the fact that he has two assists and seven goals to his name, and you realise what a threat Eriksen is going to pose.
Up top, Harry Kane is in phenomenal form at present and has taken his goal tally to the season to seven already. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows us that he has hit the target 16 times this season, converting just under half of those attempts. He is 32/25 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
Arsenal v Stoke – Sunday 10th January 13:30
There will be no lacking in spice when Arsenal meet Stoke this weekend, this fixture historically pitting the attractive, technical football of the Gunners against the direct, high-pressure game of Mark Hughes’ men. Arsenal’s players will no doubt be desperate to respond after a disappointing 2-0 defeat away to Southampton last time out in the league left them adrift of their accustomed top four spot.
Summer signing Alexis Sanchez has been the standout player for Arsenal this season, electrifying the Emirates with some incredible displays, both in the Barclays Premier League as well as European fixtures. In the league, his form in front of goal has been nothing short of incredible, his ten goals this term coming from a total of 38 attempts on goal, the highest in the Arsenal squad, with a current shot accuracy rate of 68.4% according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Defensive midfielder Mathieu Flamini has once again been showcasing the tireless work ethic that has become his trademark over the years this season. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he currently has the second highest average distance covered per 90 minutes total of any player in the Barclays Premier League to have played more than 1,000 minutes. The Frenchman ranks behind only Burnley’s George Boyd (11,983m), averaging 11,649 metres covered for every 90 minutes he has been on the pitch this season.
Forward Danny Welbeck has been in strong form in front of goal this season, racking up 36 attempts on goal this term which places him second to only Alexis Sanchez in the Arsenal squad in this category. However, the England international has been equally impressive when tracking back to do his defensive duty for the team, winning a remarkable 87.9% of his 33 attempted challenges so far this campaign. Welbeck is 5/4 with 888sport.com to do the business at the right end of the pitch as well as score at any time this weekend.
With the reverse fixture in early December seeing Stoke pull off a hard-earned 3-2 win over Arsene Wenger’s side, the Potters will see this as an eminently winnable fixture despite the battlefield this time being North London. Fresh from an FA Cup third round victory and a valuable point at home to Manchester Utd over the Christmas period, Stoke will be in buoyant mood as they travel to the Emirates and may well pull off another surprise.
Captain Ryan Shawcross continues to lead by example this season, racking up the highest number of total defensive contributions (blocks, clearances, interceptions, tackles won) of any Stoke player this term. His total of 237 also marks him out as the only Potters player to have surpassed the 200-barrier in this category for Mark Hughes’ side this season.
The hardworking philosophy of Stoke has been epitomised by Steven N’Zonzi this season. Despite being more reknowned for his ability pick a pass or break up play, the Frenchman has also been doing more than his fair share of the hard work in tracking back, racking up a squad-high total of 227,070m covered this season according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Star summer signing Bojan has acclimatised quickly to the Barclays Premier League, his skill and flair providing the perfect foil to the hard work and solid technique of those around him. He’s already racked up 38 dribbles this season according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Bojan is 19/4 with 888sport.com to score at any time this weekend.
Manchester United v Southampton – Sunday 10th January 16:00
Manchester United have been on a great run of form that has seen them go undefeated in their last 10 games, winning seven of those in the process. United will go in to this game with confidence given their form, especially considering that this run has already included a 2-1 victory over Southampton.
Manchester United’s new captain this season Wayne Rooney is really starting to fire on all cylinders, and now holds eight goals to his name. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index reveals that Rooney has actually converted 61.5% of his shots on target, and that he is equally capable of creating goals for others as well having grabbed four assists and a squad best 475 completed passes in the opposition half. He is 33/20 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
Whilst Rooney has dropped slightly deeper for United this season, Robin van Persie still has nothing but goals on his mind, and also has eight to his name. His work rate has been crucial to his success this year, as highlighted by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, which has revealed that he has covered a squad best 187.07km so far this campaign.
Arguably United’s player of the season so far, David de Gea has continued his outstanding form. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that the Spain international has upheld this form all season, making 58 saves at an average of 2.9 saves per goal conceded. He has kept four clean sheets in his last 10 Premier League appearances and will hope to add another one to the collection.
This weekend’s visitors Southampton will be anything but a walkover and will fancy their chances on Sunday. Southampton lie in fourth in the league and can leapfrog their hosts with a victory. They have conceded just twice in their last four outings where they have also remained unbeaten, winning three games against Arsenal, Everton and Crystal Palace, and picking up a point against league leaders Chelsea.
One man who has been in inspired form is England squad member Fraser Forster. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that the Saints’ shot stopper has made 42 saves already this season at an average of 2.8 saves per goal conceded. He has been instrumental in Southampton maintaining the best defensive record in the league.
In front of Forster, Ryan Bertrand has been Southampton’s outstanding performer at the back, as highlighted by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The left back has covered 198.84km already this season, and will pass the 200km mark this weekend. He has also hit a searing top speed of 34.1km/h this term and his combination of fitness and frightening pace will pose a major threat to United going forward, and a challenge in breaking his defensive resolve.
The main man up top for Southampton this season has undoubtedly been Graziano Pelle, as revealed by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. His hard work is key to his eight goals this season, having covered a squad best 199.83km so far. He has also assisted a further four goals this term and will prove a threat either scoring himself or bringing team mates into play. He is 47/20 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
