So there it’s, 2024 has come to an finish.
It’s been a implausible 12 months within the and finish it high of the desk within the 2024-25 season. Throughout the calendar 12 months as an entire, Liverpool would additionally sit high of the 2024 desk, joint with on 85 factors.
Unsurprisingly, the 2 sides have had among the greatest gamers within the Premier League for 2024. The query is, who’re these gamers?
We’ve used our Squawka Rating to find out the 11 picks, primarily based on the statistical leaders for metrics related to their positions throughout 2024 as an entire. To ensure we’ve bought the perfect of the perfect, we’ve restricted our participant search to these with at the very least 1,995 minutes performed, 60% of the whole obtainable gametime in 2024.
GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton)
He doesn’t get as a lot credit score as he would possibly deserve, however Jordan Pickford has been the perfect goalkeeper in 2024. The Englishman is definitely aided by the truth that he’s busy between the sticks for , stopping 5.26 targets per 90 minutes — the second-most within the Premier League in 2024 behind Arijanet Muric. Everton may have been within the Championship if it weren’t for Pickford. Pickford has saved two penalties throughout the 12 months, together with one in opposition to Erling Haaland in December, and is a nice passer, with essentially the most lengthy passes accomplished per 90 amongst goalkeepers (10.28). He additionally leads for passes into the ultimate third accomplished per 90 in 2024 at 4.31.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)/Ben White (Arsenal)
Now, we’re being a tad cheeky right here. However there was no separating Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben White within the Premier League in 2024. Alexander-Arnold stays the perfect attacking right-back within the Premier League, with an Anticipated Assists tally of 0.3 per 90 throughout the 12 months and seven.32 passes into the ultimate third accomplished. However he’s additionally upped his sport defensively, averaging 1.79 tackles gained per 90 and 1.22 interceptions.
White, in the meantime, has averaged 2.28 clearances per 90 throughout 2024 and 1.06 interceptions. He’s been a part of a agency Arsenal defence, averaging 0.45 clear sheets per 90 and simply 0.84 targets conceded. White has been very dependable for Arsenal, earlier than ending his 12 months early on account of knee surgical procedure.
CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
There can be no shock to see Virgil van Dijk because the best-scoring centre-back within the Premier League in 2024. The Dutchman is again to his greatest and a key a part of Liverpool’s defence, which has them in a really robust place to win the 2024-25 Premier League. The Dutchman has been a monster within the air as anticipated, successful 77.7% of his aerial duels, essentially the most of any Premier League defender above our minimal minutes threshold. He’s averaged 3.11 aerial duels per 90 and misplaced simply 0.19 challenges, as robust to beat on the ground as ever. Van Dijk additionally leads centre-backs for passes into the opposition half accomplished, at 10.59 per 90. What a 12 months he had.
CB: Gabriel (Arsenal)
Finishing the obvious centre-back pairing, Gabriel has been wonderful for Arsenal in 2024. The Brazilian appears to fly underneath the radar particularly when in comparison with accomplice William Saliba, however he has gained 62.39% of his floor duels per 90 within the Premier League in 2024. Gabriel has misplaced simply 0.21 challenges per 90, proving robust to beat. The Brazilian has additionally blocked 1.04 photographs per 90, serving to Arsenal hold 0.49 clear sheets per 90 whereas he was on the pitch.
LB: Lewis Corridor (Newcastle)
What a 12 months Lewis Corridor had for . The Englishman took a while to develop into the position at St James’ Park however now he’s actually made it his personal. Corridor has been efficient at each ends of the pitch for Newcastle throughout the 12 months, with an xA of 0.15 per 90 and 1.53 tackles gained per 90. A nice crosser himself, Corridor has additionally been fine quality at stopping crosses into the field. His 0.83 efficient blocked crosses per 90 is essentially the most within the Premier League this season.
“He has been an actual shining mild in that facet by being the identical Lewis, house or away. For somebody so younger that’s onerous to do,” Eddie Howe stated of Corridor in December.
CM: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)
Ryan Gravenberch has been great for Liverpool this season, and it has him as the perfect defensive midfielder in 2024. The Dutchman’s studying of the sport has been important for Liverpool, averaging 1.82 interceptions retaining possession per 90 — the third-most within the Premier League in 2024. He’s additionally gained 1.13 tackles and a couple of.77 possessions gained within the center third. Gravenberch has been nice on the ball too, averaging 2.16 passes into the penalty space per 90, with a retention charge of 86.46%.
CM: James Maddison (Tottenham)
James Maddison has been one of many few shining lights of within the Premier League this 12 months. The Englishman has averaged 0.3 targets from open play and 0.22 intentional assists per 90 in 2024, offering a risk from a barely deeper place. He’s additionally averaged 2.13 profitable passes into the penalty space per 90 and eight.12 penalty space entries.
RW: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Whereas he may not have the best Rating on this XI, there’s a giant case behind Mohamed Salah being the perfect participant within the Premier League in 2024. The Egyptian King has been instantly concerned in 39 targets throughout the 12 months, averaging 0.84 targets per 90 and 0.51 intentional assists. He leads the Premier League in 2024 for each metrics. Salah additionally comes out on high for photographs on track per 90 (2.37) and touches within the opposition field (11.38). He actually was robust to cease in 2024.
No.10: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Cole Palmer was ‘s greatest participant in 2024. The Englishman was a nice goalscorer, averaging 0.75 targets per 90, from 1.67 photographs on track. Solely Erling Haaland (27) scored extra Premier League targets in 2024 than Palmer’s 26. And though he solely averaged 0.23 intentional assists per 90, Palmer did common 0.72 large probabilities created and 0.29 xA. His lack of assists got here all the way down to poor ending from his Chelsea teammates. Palmer continues to develop, proving that leaving was the appropriate possibility.
LW: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
We all know he’s a right-winger, however there’s no approach we couldn’t have Bukayo Saka on this XI. The Arsenal man was implausible in 2024, and it was unhappy that his 12 months got here to a untimely finish on account of damage. Saka has averaged 0.42 intentional assists per 90 within the Premier League in 2024, the third-most within the Premier League. Saka’s 9.56 touches within the opposition field per 90 can also be the second-most within the Premier League in 2024. However he does lead the Premier League for large probabilities created, at 0.85 per 90, and xA at 0.36 per 90.
ST: Alexander Isak (Newcastle)
Alexander Isak ended 2024 on a excessive, scoring in every of his previous six Premier League video games of the 12 months. In that run, Isak scored eight targets, together with a hat-trick in opposition to . The Swede scored 25 targets in 2024, together with his 0.84 per 90 the joint-best within the Premier League. Isak was a nice finisher throughout the 12 months, boasting a shot placement ratio of 1.19, upping his probabilities of scoring by the place he was aiming his photographs on purpose. That was a rise of 0.62 non-penalty xG per 90 to 0.72 non-penalty xG on Goal per 90. And he can solely get higher.
