Mo Salah has finally forced his way into the Premier League XI of the season so far; see you later, Bukayo Saka.
This is based on WhoScored ratings and at this stage, every player must have started at least 12 Premier League games.
GOALKEEPER: Mark Flekken (Brentford)
Brentford have had a more-than-decent start to their Premier League season but have somehow conceded the most shots on target, so Flekken has made the most saves. It’s not a foolproof algorithm.
RIGHT-BACK: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Two assists in the 3-3 classic v Newcastle United took him to three for the season, and then he added a fourth in the thwacking of Spurs. Only Daniel Munoz, Ashley Young and Kenny Tete have made more tackles from right-back this season, though it’s possibly worth noting that nobody has been dribbled past more often.
CENTRE-BACK: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
The centre-half of the season? He passes the eye test as well as the stats test. He was utterly brilliant in the 2-0 win over Manchester City which made Liverpool the champions-elect.
CENTRE-BACK: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
When it comes to central defenders, doing sh*t is the key in terms of the algorithms. And Collins does sh*t. Crucially he also missed the majority of the four-goal leak to Chelsea and absolutely all of the six-goal collapse at home to Liverpool.
LEFT-BACK: Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
Six Premier League assists are what catches the eye, but he has also made more tackles than any other left-back this season. It is surely only a matter of time before he joins a club in Europe. Liverpool need a successor to Andy Robertson for starters.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD: Moises Caicedo (Chelsea)
Has proved to be a pretty handy right-back but it is in midfield where he has been brilliant this season. In the absence of Rodri, he has become the best all-round central midfielder in the Premier League.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
Casually notched his fifth Premier League assist of the season in that impressive win over Aston Villa; that’s the most of any central midfielder in this campaign. A real factor in Forest being fourth in the actual Premier League table.
RIGHT WING: Mo Salah (Liverpool)
The Premier League’s best ever winger? The stats would suggest so. And this season he has scored 15 goals and claimed 11 assists, adding two of each in an absolute masterclass against Tottenham. Frankly, who gives a sh*t that he offers very little defensively?
ATTACKING MIDFIELD: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
A stupidly good player long before he decided to score four goals in one half against Brighton. He then claimed his fifth assist of the season in a daft game v Nottingham Forest. Scored his seventh v Newcastle United. He then claimed one of each v Aston Villa. Now on 11 goals and six assists for the season after being central to Chelsea’s daft win over Tottenham.
LEFT WING: Son Heung-Min (Tottenham)
Claimed a goal and an assist v Southampton to take his totals to five goals and six assists, despite literally nobody thinking he is having a great season. Bizarre.
STRIKER: Alexander Isak (Newcastle United)
A hat-trick against Ipswich Town showed you why Arsenal are interested but also why Newcastle cannot afford to sell a striker now in double figures for the season. Erling Haaland is eating dust.
