Welcome to the Sportskeeda Power Ranking of attackers in the Premier League. The ranking is done after every gameweek on a cumulative basis to decipher the final top 10 come May. The main criteria for ranking the players is their contribution to goals, either by scoring them, or creating them which includes deflections and penalties won.
Also Read – SK Power Ranking: Top 10 EPL attackers – Gameweek 20
When two or more players are involved in an equal number of goals, the type of assist (direct or deflected), the importance of the goal/assist, the consistency in performances and the minutes per goal/assist is considered to rank them.
So, a player scoring/assisting in three consecutive games will have a higher ranking than a player picking the same number of goals/assists in one game and drawing blanks in the rest. Similarly, a player scoring winning goals, having better minutes per goal/assist will occupy a higher position.
The power rankings further act as a guide for players of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) because the list consists of the most consistent players, as well as relevant statistics for fantasy managers to act upon.
Firstly, the previous Gameweek’s poll on the best attacker for Gameweek 20 saw Dele Alli end up as a landslide victory with 64% of the votes. His brace to end Chelsea’s 13-match unbeaten run was duly appreciated by the readers.
Now, coming to Gameweek 21, the Premier League resumes after a small break with the FA Cup fixtures taking place last weekend. Hull City moved out of the bottom of the table with a much-needed win while Chelsea were back to winning ways after the loss to Tottenham. Everton, meanwhile, ended Manchester City’s title hopes while Liverpool and Manchester United shared the spoils at Old Trafford.
Also Read – 10 things we learned from Gameweek 21
A number of top performances have shaken the top 10 quite a bit and there is a new leader of the rankings after this gameweek.
Let us begin by taking a look at the watchlist for this gameweek.
Watchlist:
Sadio Mane: Gameweek 20 ranking – 8th
The Senegalese international’s departure for the African Cup of Nations pulls him out of the top 10 this gameweek and he will have an uphill task to climb back into the rankings when he returns.
Matt Phillips: Gameweek 20 ranking – 7th
The West Brom attacker endured a difficult afternoon as Tottenham ran riot at White Hart Lane. The midfielder had one good chance to score early in the second-half but the ball went just wide of goal. This week’s performance brings him out of the top 10 of the power rankings.
Romelu Lukaku: Gameweek 20 ranking – NA
The big Belgian enters the watchlist for the first time as he starts to find consistency this season. The Everton striker made a superb first-time finish from Kevin Mirallas’ pass to put the Toffees in front. If he sustains the form, he is bound to enter the top ten soon.
Michail Antonio: Gameweek 20 ranking - NA
Michael Antonio enters the watchlist on the back of becoming the first player to pick 3 assists in a game this season and also the first West Ham player to pick 3 assists since 2000. The Englishman stepped up in the absence of talisman Dimitri Payet as West Ham thumped Crystal Palace.
Now, let’s find out the top 10 attackers after Gameweek 21.
#10 Jermain Defoe
Gameweek 20 ranking – Watchlist
Match performance – one goal and Sunderland’s star performer
Jermain Defoe, along with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been Sunderland’s key players in their fight against relegation. The striker has been in sensational form for Sunderland since the start of last season, scoring 27 goals and helping the Black Cats survive relegation last season.
He scored another goal in Sunderland’s loss to Stoke when he was released through on goal and he finished with aplomb to pull one back. The goal brings him to 12 goals for this season and his contribution will be vital for Sunderland’s fight against relegation.
Fantasy Stat – Jermain Defoe has scored 4 goals in his last 3 appearances in the Premier League.
#9 Adam Lallana
Gameweek 20 ranking – 6th
Match performance – no goal/assist and yet an important display
Adam Lallana drew back-to-back blanks for the first time since coming back from injury in Gameweek 14. The Liverpool midfielder put on an all-action performance against Manchester United but could not pick up either a goal or an assist in the game.
The Englishman will be hoping to get back to form in the upcoming weeks especially in the absence of Sadio Mane for he is a very crucial player in Jurgen Klopp’s system.
Fantasy Stat – Adam Lallana has been involved in seven goals and seven assists in the league this season, more than any other midfielder.
#8 Cesc Fabregas
Gameweek 20 ranking – 5th
Match performance – no goal/assist and another substitute appearance
Cesc Fabregas’s frustration continues as Nemanja Matic continues to be selected ahead of him by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and the Spaniard has been once again relegated to substitute appearances in recent gameweeks.
The Spaniard came on as a substitute against Leicester City with the match won and did not bag a goal/assist in the remaining time. Fabregas needs to start more often if he needs to keep his place in the power rankings.
Fantasy Stat – Cesc Fabregas has been involved in a goal every 68 minutes since gameweek 14, totalling one goal and five assists.
#7 Olivier Giroud
Gameweek 20 ranking – Watchlist
Match performance – one poacher’s goal and on a scoring streak
Olivier Giroud had to contend with a place on the bench for most of the opening months with Arsene Wenger preferring Alexis Sanchez to lead the line. However, the Frenchman bid his time and in the past month or so, he has been truly fantastic and he has scored in each of his last nine starts for Arsenal.
The big centre-forward was able to thump home Ozil’s blocked header and underline his clinical finishing ability that has seen him score 13 goals from 18 shots on target across all competitions this season. His consistent performances have propelled him into the top 10 for the first time this season and the ankle injury he got substituted for in the match will be expected by Arsenal to be a minor one.
Fantasy Stat – Olivier Giroud has scored in each of his last four games in the Premier League.
#6 Ryan Fraser
Gameweek 20 ranking - N/A
Match performance – a penalty win and an impact player for the Cherries
Ryan Fraser burst into the limelight with a starring role in Bournemouth’s comeback win from 3-1 down against Liverpool in Gameweek 14. Since then, he has faded for a while before coming back to form in the last two games. He was once again involved in this Gameweek as well for the Cherries.
The 22-year old won a penalty for his side as the Hull side could not contain his pace when he ran into the box and he was brought down. The resulting penalty was converted by Stanislas, but Bournemouth ended up losing the game in the end. The youngster will keep a place in the top 10 if he sustains this form.
Fantasy Stat – Ryan Fraser has scored/assisted/won penalty every 49.3 minutes he has been on the pitch since Gameweek 14.
#5 Harry Kane
Gameweek 20 ranking – 9th
Match performance – a terrific hat-trick and could have had more
It is fair to say all the critics of Harry Kane who expected him to be a one or two-season wonder have been silenced and everyone can admit now that he is one of the best and most consistent strikers in the Premier League at the moment. Against West Brom, Kane scored his third ever hat-trick for Tottenham equalling the club record held by Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe.
He scored the first by scooping a Christian Eriksen pass onto the post and into the goal in the first-half. He picked up his second via a fine finish from Kyle Walker’s superb delivery from the right wing. He rounded off the hat-trick from Dele Alli’s dinked ball inside the box. Kane jumps to 5th from 9th due to the performance and the reality was that he could have had at least a couple more if not for West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster’s outstanding reflexes.
Fantasy Stat – Harry Kane has scored 8 goals in the last 8 gameweeks, more than any other player in the Premier League.
#4 Dele Alli
Gameweek 20 ranking – 4th
Match performance – one dinked assist and one disallowed goal
Dele Alli’s streak of 3 consecutive braces ended against West Brom as he failed to get on the scoresheet. He did, however, execute a fine finish from a Christian Eriksen through ball only to be called offside. The England international didn’t go away empty-handed from the game, though, picking up a superb assist in the match.
He held the ball well inside the box and had the vision as well as the ability to lift the ball in such a small space for Harry Kane to score his hat-trick. His consistent performances still keep him at 4th place due to the consistent performances of the players above him.
Fantasy Stat – Dele Alli has been involved in 8 goals in the last 5 gameweeks.
#3 Alexis Sanchez
Gameweeks at top – 4
Gameweek 20 ranking – 2nd
Match performance – one goal and league’s joint top-scorer
Alexis Sanchez’s consistent run of form continued against Swansea City as Arsenal ran away 4-0 winners to maintain the pace at the top of the table. The Arsenal forward was at his usual hard-working best as he hustled the Swans defence at every opportunity.
He helped Arsenal open the scoring when his cross from the left-wing eventually led to Giroud scoring. and then went on to score a goal himself by positioning himself at the right place.
The goal was Sanchez’s 14th goal of the season and moves him level with Diego Costa of Chelsea. However, the top spot in the power ranking continues to elude him with consistent performances coming from the attackers above him.
Fantasy Stat – Alexis Sanchez has been involved in atleast a goal or assist in seven of the last eight gameweeks.
#2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Gameweeks at top – 3
Gameweek 20 ranking – 1st
Match performance – one late goal and also league’s joint top-scorer
Zlatan Ibrahimovic continues to be the most important player for Manchester United in terms of points gained as he salvaged a point for the Red Devils with a late goal against Liverpool to extend their unbeaten run to 16 games.
One extremely difficult chance and a bullet free-kick aside, Zlatan was relatively silent for most of the game until substitute Marouane Fellaini made a nuisance of himself in the box and Zlatan bent low to guide Antonio Valencia’s pass into the net with a looping header. The goal screamed of quality and winning mentality, which the giant Swede is exhibiting even at this age. He, however, relinquishes the top spot due to a string of exceptional performances from our new leader.
Fantasy Stat – Zlatan Ibrahimovic has failed to be involved in a goal only once in the last eight gameweeks.
#1 Christian Eriksen
Gameweek 20 ranking – 3rd
Match performance – one assist and a goal via double deflection
Christian Eriksen’s fine season resumes post the FA Cup fixture and he was involved in two goals against West Brom helping Tottenham to a comfortable three points. He picked up an assist for Harry Kane’s opening goal by showing good vision to find Kane between the defenders who then scored for Spurs.
The Dane’s second involvement in a goal was a shot outside the box that foxed the Hawthorns keeper Ben Foster due to a double deflection from Jonas Olsson and Gareth McAuley. Eriksen’s outstanding performances have finally paid dividends this gameweek as he displaces Zlatan Ibrahimovic to climb to the top of the rankings for the first time.
Fantasy Stat – Christian Eriksen has been involved in 12 goals since gameweek 14, more than any other player in the Premier League.
