This is why Palace favourite deserves to join Liverpool heroes – the WhoScored PL Team of the Season
The Premier League season is over for another year, but what a season it's been, and who better to nominate the top flight team of the year than football stats analysts . Check out their team of the season, below, and get stuck in to plenty of brilliant football statistics at .
Manchester City secured their second Premier League title in three years on the final day of the 2013/14 season and, while Liverpool ran the Citizens close, Manuel Pellegrini became the first non-European coach to secure England’s top prize.
But when it comes to the best players across the campaign, there have been plenty of excellent performances outside of the top two. has formulated their Premier League team of the season, using their unique rating system. Take a look and let us know your team of the season by commenting below…
GOALKEEPER
Wojciech Szczesny has been on the receiving end of his fair share of criticism in years gone by, but has proved his worth for Arsenal this season. The Pole attained a respectable average rating of 7.04 on WhoScored.com, his highest in the Premier League in the last four seasons, with no goalkeeper keeping more clean sheets (16) than the Gunners' number one. Only Sunderland’s Vito Mannone (76) and Cardiff’s David Marshall (62) saved more long shots than Szczesny (61) did as he exhibited his quality during an impressive campaign.
DEFENCE
While Newcastle lumbered towards the end of the season, Mathieu Debuchy was a consistent performer in their back line both with and without the ball. The full-back made more last man tackles (6) than any other player, highlighting his ability to deny the opposition when through on goal, while only Luis Suarez (14) and Wayne Rooney (7) won more WhoScored man of the match awards than Debuchy (6) this term.
played a crucial role in Liverpool’s title challenge, with the Slovakian’s seven goals making him the Premier League’s top scoring defender. Furthermore, four of those seven strikes came against other top four sides. He bagged two against Arsenal and one each against Manchester City and Chelsea. Skrtel also made more clearances with his feet (411) and head (236) than any other player, displaying his ability to relieve pressure on the Liverpool goal.
Curtis Davies partners Skrtel at centre-back. Upon his return to England’s top tier, the Hull defender took to the rigours of the division with ease, with many believing he should be rewarded for his fine displays with a call up to the England team. Only Mile Jedinak (139) and Youssuf Mulumbu (115) made more interceptions than Davies (105) this term, while only Peter Crouch (258) and Christian Benteke (228) won more aerial duels than him (170).
Completing the back line is , regardless of Manchester United’s poor campaign. The Frenchman was a solid performer in their defence with his average rating (7.3) bettered only by Wayne Rooney (7.61) of all United players who appeared at least five times. Only Marouane Fellaini (2.8) averaged more tackles per game than Evra (2.4), while his average rating was at its highest of the last five league seasons. His contract is up in the summer, but United would be well advised to renew it.
MIDFIELD
It’s been a season to remember for Raheem Sterling, with the youngster playing a key role in Liverpool’s second place finish. Of every player to have played five or more games, Sterling is the top rated teenager (7.39) in Europe’s top five leagues and is tipped to play a big part for England at the World Cup this summer. Only Eden Hazard (132) and Suarez (93) completed more successful dribbles in the Premier League this season than Sterling (92), while no player won more penalties (3) than Sterling as he proved his importance to the Merseysiders.
Team-mate and Liverpool captain joins Sterling in midfield. Only Suarez (8.43) ended the campaign with a higher WhoScored.com rating than Gerrard (7.74) of the players who have played at least five games. The experienced midfielder scored more penalties (10) than any other player, but it was his distribution that gained him such an impressive rating. Just Yaya Toure (2255) and Mikel Arteta (1982) played more accurate passes than Gerrard (1908) as the 33-year-old adapted his game accordingly given that he is approaching the end of his career.
Mile Jedinak partners Gerrard in the middle of the park following a memorable campaign for Crystal Palace. Many tipped the Eagles to drop back into the Championship at the first time of asking, but under the stewardship of Tony Pulis, Palace secured a commendable 11th-placed finish. Jedinak was key to this with the burly Australian making the most interceptions (139) and tackles (133) of every player in England’s top tier this term.
completes the midfield four following a wonderful season at Chelsea. While the Blues ended the campaign empty-handed, Hazard was incredible throughout, completing more dribbles than any other player (132). No player executed more key passes than the Belgian (92) as he ended the campaign with 14 goals and seven assists, leaving many to proclaim that this was his best season since his final one for Lille.
ATTACK
It’s little wonder that Luis Suarez ended the campaign as WhoScored.com’s best Premier League player with an average rating of 8.43. The Uruguayan was the league’s top goal scorer (31), while no player in Europe’s top five leagues won more man of the match awards than him (14). Only Gerrard (13) was credited with more assists than Suarez (12), while the Liverpool striker scored and created the most clear-cut goal scoring opportunities (17 and 22) in a memorable season.
partners Suarez in attack, despite an underwhelming campaign from former champions Man United. The England international was one of only four players to register double figures in both goals and assists, a feat he recorded for the second consecutive season. Yaya Toure scored more goals from direct free kicks (3), while Suarez was the only player to better his haul of seven WhoScored.com man of the match awards with 14 in the league this season.
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