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Skysports reviews the performances of the English Premier League’s top 10 performers in this report
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Crystal Palace would have surely been relegated without the brilliant performances of the talismanic Zaha in the second half of last season. The Ivorian is arguably the best player outside of the Premier League’s top six.
What do the stats say? Zaha’s total of eight goals and three assists in 2018 may not seem especially high but his importance to Palace cannot be understated. It is no coincidence that they lost all 10 of the Premier League games he missed last season – including four between February and March.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
What do the stats say? Zaha’s total of eight goals and three assists in 2018 may not seem especially high but his importance to Palace cannot be understated. It is no coincidence that they lost all 10 of the Premier League games he missed last season – including four between February and March.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Aubameyang, who leads the EPL scoring chart, has shone for Arsenal since his £60m arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January, scoring 22 Premier League goals in 29 appearances and showing why he is one of the world’s most dangerous strikers.
The Gabon striker made an instant impact at the Emirates Stadium, scoring on his debut against Everton, and now sits joint-top of this season’s Premier League scoring charts with Mohamed Salah.
What do the stats say? Aubameyang hit 10 goals in 13 appearances in the first half of the year, and since the start of the 2018/19 campaign he has scored 12 in 18. His total is all the more impressive considering he has spent many games stationed on Arsenal’s left flank.

James Milner (Liverpool)
The Gabon striker made an instant impact at the Emirates Stadium, scoring on his debut against Everton, and now sits joint-top of this season’s Premier League scoring charts with Mohamed Salah.
What do the stats say? Aubameyang hit 10 goals in 13 appearances in the first half of the year, and since the start of the 2018/19 campaign he has scored 12 in 18. His total is all the more impressive considering he has spent many games stationed on Arsenal’s left flank.

James Milner (Liverpool)
Milner has been outstanding for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in 2018, reinventing himself as a right-back and also shining in midfield. He set an assists record in last season’s Champions League and remains a key figure now.
Milner has been a talismanic figure for Jurgen Klopp’s side, shining in an unfamiliar right-back role and also impressing in central midfield and elsewhere when called upon.
Liverpool’s summer transfer activity was expected to knock him down the pecking order this season, but at the age of 32 he continues to play a key role for the side.
What do the stats say? Milner has made 30 Premier League appearances over the course of the year, scoring three goals and providing three assists despite primarily playing out of position at right-back.
Sergio Aguero (Man City)
Milner has been a talismanic figure for Jurgen Klopp’s side, shining in an unfamiliar right-back role and also impressing in central midfield and elsewhere when called upon.
Liverpool’s summer transfer activity was expected to knock him down the pecking order this season, but at the age of 32 he continues to play a key role for the side.
What do the stats say? Milner has made 30 Premier League appearances over the course of the year, scoring three goals and providing three assists despite primarily playing out of position at right-back.
Sergio Aguero (Man City)
Aguero appeared not to fit with Pep Guardiola’s plans at Manchester City but he has adapted his game and put speculation surrounding his future to bed with another outstanding year of goals scoring.
Aguero’s scoring feats are almost taken for granted these days but with 17 in 22 Premier League appearances since the start of January, he remains arguably the deadliest marksman in the country.
The Argentine has been hampered by injuries at times over the course of the year, but he has still had a big impact on the pitch.
What do the stats say? Nine of Aguero’s 17 goals came in the second half of last season, with the remaining eight coming in 2018/19.
Ederson (Man City)
Aguero’s scoring feats are almost taken for granted these days but with 17 in 22 Premier League appearances since the start of January, he remains arguably the deadliest marksman in the country.
The Argentine has been hampered by injuries at times over the course of the year, but he has still had a big impact on the pitch.
What do the stats say? Nine of Aguero’s 17 goals came in the second half of last season, with the remaining eight coming in 2018/19.
Ederson (Man City)
Ederson has proved an inspired signing for Manchester City, proving just as important with his feet as he is with his hands. He was key to their title triumph last season and he has continued to impress in the new campaign.
He finished his first season in England as a Premier League winner and while there were many reasons why Manchester City improved last term, his arrival was a crucial factor.
The Brazilian provided assurance at the back after Claudio Bravo’s struggles in goal, but he also transformed City’s ability to play the ball out with his extraordinary range of passing.
What do the stats say? No goalkeeper kept as many clean sheets as Ederson in the Premier League in 2018 and while that owed plenty to the players ahead of him, he was often the man who saved his team when their high line was breached.
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
He finished his first season in England as a Premier League winner and while there were many reasons why Manchester City improved last term, his arrival was a crucial factor.
The Brazilian provided assurance at the back after Claudio Bravo’s struggles in goal, but he also transformed City’s ability to play the ball out with his extraordinary range of passing.
What do the stats say? No goalkeeper kept as many clean sheets as Ederson in the Premier League in 2018 and while that owed plenty to the players ahead of him, he was often the man who saved his team when their high line was breached.
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Few players have been as important to their sides as Van Dijk to Liverpool in 2018. The Dutchman has transformed their back-line, his commanding displays helping them secure top spot in the Premier League at Christmas.
His move to Liverpool was not cheap at £75m but he has more than justified his fee by helping to completely transform Jurgen Klopp’s defence.
Liverpool had conceded 28 goals in the 23 Premier League games they had played prior to Van Dijk’s arrival last season but there has since been a dramatic turnaround.
The Reds have let in only 17 goals in their last 32 games and no defender has been involved in more clean sheets than Van Dijk in the calendar year.
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
His move to Liverpool was not cheap at £75m but he has more than justified his fee by helping to completely transform Jurgen Klopp’s defence.
Liverpool had conceded 28 goals in the 23 Premier League games they had played prior to Van Dijk’s arrival last season but there has since been a dramatic turnaround.
The Reds have let in only 17 goals in their last 32 games and no defender has been involved in more clean sheets than Van Dijk in the calendar year.
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
The England captain led the country to the last four of the World Cup in Russia and became the first Englishman since Gary Lineker to win the tournament’s Golden Boot.
In a Tottenham shirt, the goals continued to flow as Kane’s consistency continues to put him in the very top bracket of the game’s finest forwards.
What do the stats say? No outfield player has made more Premier League appearances than Kane in 2018 and as long as he is on the pitch the Tottenham striker will score goals.
Nobody has had more shots than Kane in the calendar year and only Mohamed Salah has scored more goals than his tally of 21.
This was the year in which he scored his 100th Premier League goal with the stoppage-time equaliser against Salah’s Liverpool in February. And, at the World Cup, Kane scored six goals with his hat-trick against Panama being the first by an Englishman at the tournament since Lineker in 1986.
Raheem Sterling (Man City)
In a Tottenham shirt, the goals continued to flow as Kane’s consistency continues to put him in the very top bracket of the game’s finest forwards.
What do the stats say? No outfield player has made more Premier League appearances than Kane in 2018 and as long as he is on the pitch the Tottenham striker will score goals.
Nobody has had more shots than Kane in the calendar year and only Mohamed Salah has scored more goals than his tally of 21.
This was the year in which he scored his 100th Premier League goal with the stoppage-time equaliser against Salah’s Liverpool in February. And, at the World Cup, Kane scored six goals with his hat-trick against Panama being the first by an Englishman at the tournament since Lineker in 1986.
Raheem Sterling (Man City)
Sterling has been brilliant in 2018, shrugging off criticism and even alleged racist abuse to produce yet more dazzling performances for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Sterling scored 18 times last season as he won the Premier League with City for the first time and has continued that form into the current campaign.
Having turned 24 in December, the England international is now being rightly recognised as one of the most impressive young players in Europe.
What do the stats say? Sterling’s 13 assists in 2018 are more than all but one Premier League player — team-mate Leroy Sane — having moved clear of him when setting up two goals against Everton.

Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Sterling scored 18 times last season as he won the Premier League with City for the first time and has continued that form into the current campaign.
Having turned 24 in December, the England international is now being rightly recognised as one of the most impressive young players in Europe.
What do the stats say? Sterling’s 13 assists in 2018 are more than all but one Premier League player — team-mate Leroy Sane — having moved clear of him when setting up two goals against Everton.

Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Chelsea not only failed to retain their title but fell out of the top four last season, but Hazard remained their outstanding performer.
He helped Antonio Conte sign off with an FA Cup win in May, had a fine World Cup and has started brilliantly under new coach Maurizio Sarri.
What do the stats say? Hazard is still the best dribbler in the Premier League and it’s not close. He has completed 136 dribbles in 2018. No other player is in three figures.
The Belgian has been effective too, creating more chances than any other player in the Premier League in 2018. There have been goals (15 in 34 games) and there have been assists (11). Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane are the only other players in double figures for both in the calendar year.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
He helped Antonio Conte sign off with an FA Cup win in May, had a fine World Cup and has started brilliantly under new coach Maurizio Sarri.
What do the stats say? Hazard is still the best dribbler in the Premier League and it’s not close. He has completed 136 dribbles in 2018. No other player is in three figures.
The Belgian has been effective too, creating more chances than any other player in the Premier League in 2018. There have been goals (15 in 34 games) and there have been assists (11). Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane are the only other players in double figures for both in the calendar year.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Who else but Salah? The Egyptian has had sensational year, inspiring Liverpool’s charge to the Champions League football and continuing his brilliant goal scoring form to fire them to the top of the Premier League table.
He has enjoyed a dazzling 12 months with Jurgen Klopp’s side, capping last season by winning the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards and returning to top form in the new campaign.
What do the stats say? With 15 goals in 15 Premier League appearances in the second half of last season, Salah sent records tumbling. His total of 32 beat the previous record of 31 in a 38-game Premier League season reached by Luis Suarez in 2013/14, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007/08 and Alan Shearer in 1995/96. Salah outscored three entire teams and netted in a record 24 separate games.
Having scored 11 goals in 18 appearances in the new campaign, he is the Premier League’s joint second top scorer for 2018 with a total of 26 – three more than any other player. Salah has contributed 10 assists in the same period — meaning no one else has had a direct hand in more goals.
He has enjoyed a dazzling 12 months with Jurgen Klopp’s side, capping last season by winning the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards and returning to top form in the new campaign.
What do the stats say? With 15 goals in 15 Premier League appearances in the second half of last season, Salah sent records tumbling. His total of 32 beat the previous record of 31 in a 38-game Premier League season reached by Luis Suarez in 2013/14, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007/08 and Alan Shearer in 1995/96. Salah outscored three entire teams and netted in a record 24 separate games.
Having scored 11 goals in 18 appearances in the new campaign, he is the Premier League’s joint second top scorer for 2018 with a total of 26 – three more than any other player. Salah has contributed 10 assists in the same period — meaning no one else has had a direct hand in more goals.
