Stats: Who is the best dribbler in the Premier League so far?
With 17 games done and dusted in the Premier League, it is Chelsea that have extended their lead at the top and given the other clubs in the title race a lot to ponder before the hectic festive schedule. With 11 wins in a row, Antonio Conte’s side is not only chasing a long-elusive title but also a new record for consecutive wins.
While Diego Costa’s return to form, the league’s leading goalscorer with 13 goals, has been a key factor to the Blues' resurgence, they have another player to thank in Eden Hazard. The Belgian midfielder, a former PFA Player of the Year award winner, has 8 goals to his name and the Stamford Bridge faithful could not be happier to see two of their poor performers doing wonders this season.
Hazard has returned this season with the zest and liveliness that made him a player to fear. His sizzling pace on the ball and incisive runs have been crucial to Conte’s side claiming all three points – especially in the big games. The 25-year-old has found the back of the net against sides such as defending champions Leicester City, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Though Hazard has made defenders sweat with the ball at his feet, he is not the frontrunner when it comes to most dribbles completed in the Premier League this season. In fact, it is 24-year-old Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace who has completed the most dribbles this season. While the Eagles may be struggling near the drop zone (they are 17th), the young winger’s runs have given them hope.
20-year-old Adama Traore may not have played as much as the others but nobody can match him for dribbles made per game. With 59 successful dribbles in only 600 minutes of action, he has averaged nearly nine dribbles per game!
Pep Guardiola may have had a rude awakening in the league after a stellar start with Manchester City but he looks to have got the best out of Raheem Sterling. The 22-year-old is fourth on the list and has looked dangerous in games. He even managed to stamp his authority in the 2-1 win over Arsenal to keep City in the hunt.
Other stars who make the list include Alexis Sanchez (incredible numbers for a player deployed as a striker), Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and last year’s best player Riyad Mahrez (down in ninth place).
| # | Player | Team | Minutes Played | Successful Dribbles | Successful Dribbles per 90 mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilfried Zaha | Crystal Palace | 1374 | 71 | 4.7 |
| 2 | Eden Hazard | Chelsea | 1342 | 70 | 4.7 |
| 3 | Adama Traore | Middlesbrough | 600 | 59 | 8.9 |
| 4 | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City | 1213 | 48 | 3.6 |
| 5 | Michail Antonio | West Ham United | 1375 | 47 | 3.1 |
| 6 | Alexis Sanchez | Arsenal | 1437 | 46 | 2.9 |
| 7 | Paul Pogba | Manchester United | 1439 | 44 | 2.8 |
| 8 | Dimitri Payet | West Ham United | 1264 | 41 | 2.9 |
| 9 | Riyad Mahrez | Leicester City | 1345 | 40 | 2.7 |
| 10 | Nordin Amrabat | Watford | 1243 | 40 | 2.9 |
Data Courtesy of EA SPORTS, the Lead Partner of the Premier League