Proof Arsenal, Sunderland and Swansea were robbed at the PFA awards?
Not one Arsenal player made the PFA Team of the Year at the , so we asked to tell us, using their own unique rating system, who should have made the cut. Luis Suarez, Robin van Persie, Gareth Bale, Juan Mata, Jan Vertonghen and Leighton Baines are present in both, but what about the five who were unfortunate to miss out?
In goal, Sunderland's Simon Mignolet has marginally outperformed Man United's David De Gea this season, making 126 saves to the Spaniard's 83. De Gea may have a better save-to-shots ratio (76.1%) than Mignolet (73.7%), but the sheer volume of work the Black Cats goalkeeper has had to do justifies his place in the team. Mignolet has also kept as many clean sheets as De Gea this season even though his side is fighting relegation and his opposite number is a title winner.
At right-back, Rafael comes in ahead of Pablo Zabaleta, with a WhoScored rating of 7.4 compared to 7.2. The young Brazilian has backed up his 3.1 tackles, two interceptions and 4.6 clearances per game with three goals and three assists, including a screamer at QPR in Man United's 2-0 win. In the absence of any threat from the Red Devils' under performing wingers, Rafael has regularly got forward and has set up 24 goalscoring chances for team-mates in his 26 starts.
Joining Vertonghen in the heart of defence and replacing topless stopper Rio Ferdinand is Swansea's Chico Flores, who has an average rating of 7.5 compared to the former England skipper's 7.0. Playing for a mid-table team, Chico has much more defensive responsibility than Ferdinand and has settled into life in Wales with ease, enjoying the enforcer role alongside the ball playing Ashley Williams. All that has seen the Spaniard average nine clearances per game, as well as 3.5 tackles and 3.3 interceptions which are, respectively, the 6th and 3rd highest tallies in the English top flight.
Central midfield sees the other two changes, with Bale moving out wide, and Santi Cazorla (7.8) and Marouane Fellaini (7.6) replacing Adrian Durham favourite Michael Carrick (7.1) and ball boy slayer Eden Hazard (7.3). Cazorla has been outstanding in his debut Premier League season, taking over goal scoring duties from Van Persie and so far he has 12 goals and has chipped in with seven assists. He has also successfully put one of his team-mates through on goal 29 times and his combined total of 196 shots and key passes is only bettered by Suarez and Bale.
Fellaini, meanwhile, has taken to the attacking midfield role at Everton like a duck to water this season, top scoring for the Toffees with 11 goals, while he also has five assists, maintaining his combative style in the process, making 2.6 tackles per game and winning five aerial duels per game. However, the big Belgian has also committed more fouls per game (2.7) than any other player in the Premier League, but fans will forgive his misdemeanours as a result of the threat he poses, particularly with left-back of the year Leighton Baines pumping balls into the box.
All statistics courtesy of where you can find yet more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratings.