Philippa Kaur

THE 2024/25 Dream Team season is officially done and dusted!Time to celebrate the players who topped the most important stats after 37 ultra competitive Gameweeks.It’s a numbers gameCredit: Dream TeamCLEAN SHEETS21 – Virgil van Dijk19 – David Raya18 – Trent Alexander-Arnold18 – Williams Saliba17 – Marc Guehi17 – Daniel Munoz17 – Ibrahima KonateFitting that Liverpool’s talismanic captain tops this metric as he was a man mountain at the back all season.Clean sheets require a team effort but it’s telling that Van Dijk registered the most among individuals as it speaks to his importance to the Reds – he is rarely afforded the luxury of a rest.Liverpool and Arsenal assets are to be expected here but it’s a credit to Crystal Palace’s defensive efforts that Guehi and Munoz make the cut given the Eagles finished 12th in the Premier League table.Munoz took Dream Team by storm this seasonCredit: GettySAVES159 – Mark Flekken155 – Emi Martinez132 – Matz Sels130 – Jordan Pickford127 – Dean Henderson127 – Andre Onana126 – David Raya126 – Aaron RamsdaleBrentford’s goalkeeper was a very busy man this season.Given all these statistics take into account all competitions, it’s rather alarming the Bees were so porous domestically but they made up for that with an incisive attack.Runner-up Martinez also finished second for total points among players in his position, with Raya claiming top spot.Most read in FootballSels was magnificent for Nottingham Forest, a key contributor to the club’s transformation from relegation battlers to European qualifiers. Flekken had a lot of saves to make as Brentford’s last line of defenceCredit: AlamyTACKLES177 – Noussair Mazraoui152 – Daniel Munoz141 – Idrissa Gana Gueye129 – Moises Caicedo128 – Joao Gomes126 – Casemiro125 – Bruno FernandesManchester United’s campaign might have been even bleaker had their Moroccan defender not put out a huge number of fires.Mazraoui’s unrivalled tackle count was a key reason he finished as the sixth-best performer in his position in terms of total points.In fact, three Red Devils make the top seven; evidence of the fact Ruben Amorim’s side were forced to do a lot more defending than they would have liked.Munoz was a beast this season, in defence and attack.Tackle machineCredit: RexBIG CHANCES CREATED33 – Mohamed Salah28 – Cole Palmer27 – Bruno Fernandes27 – Bukayo Saka25 – Declan Rice23 – Morgan Rogers21 – Kevin De BruyneNot the last time Liverpool’s Egyptian hero will top one of these stats.Salah has always scored shed-loads of goals but his immense creative output was a huge factor in him amassing 503 points by the time the fat lady belted out her final note.Palmer’s form dropped off after Christmas but his performances throughout the first half of the campaign should not be forgotten.Chelsea’s talisman leapfrogged Fernandes and Saka at the death with a clutch showing in the Conference League final.Somehow both a selfish goalscorer and selfless creatorCredit: GettySHOTS ON TARGET86 – Erling Haaland77 – Mohamed Salah57 – Cole Palmer55 – Alexander Isak53 – Alejandro Garnacho51 – Matheus Cunha51 – Ollie WatkinsManchester City’s No9 had to settle for just the 31 goals in all competitions this term.Despite his team’s under-performance and a spell on the sidelines, Haaland remained a persistent threat – he will be desperate to reclaim the Golden Boot in 2025/26.Garnacho is a somewhat surprising inclusion and the fact he only managed to convert ten of his shots on target into goals suggests he could do with some shooting practice. Compare that to Isak, who scored 27 goals from 55 shots on target – a keeper’s nightmare.Still the game’s leading poacherCredit: GettyBONUS POINTS52 – Ryan Gravenberch51 – Pedro Porro51 – Youri Tielemans51 – Aaron Wan-Bissaka50 – Bruno Fernandes47 – Jeremy Doku46 – Eberechi EzeA keenly-contested battle that went down to the wire was ultimately won by Liverpool’s midfield engine.Gravenberch made more interceptions than any other player this season and his dirty work allowed the likes of Salah and Luis Diaz to flourish in the final third.Huge credit to Porro and Wan-Bissaka as the only defenders to mix it at the top of a metric dominated by midfielders.Gravenberch’s efforts were recognised by Dream Team’s bonus point systemCredit: ReutersASSISTS23 – Mohamed Salah20 – Bruno Fernandes17 – Bukayo Saka16 – Morgan Rogers15 – Jacob Murphy15 – Ollie WatkinsStrong correlation with big chances created here, as one would expect.An impressive return from Newcastle’s long-serving winger, who has barely made a ripple in previous Dream Team seasons.Murphy ended up playing a greater role in the Magpies’ successful campaign than Anthony Gordon – who would have predicted that before Gameweek 1?Murphy stepped up for Newcastle this seasonCredit: EPAGOALS34 – Mohamed Salah31 – Erling Haaland27 – Alexander Isak20 – Chris Wood20 – Bryan Mbeumo19 – Bruno Fernandes19 – Yoane WissaThere are many ways to skin a cat in Dream Team but goals remain the primary currency.Salah slowed down in the last two months but 34 goals (plus 23 assists) is a phenomenal return.The 32-year-old became the first player in Premier League history to win the Golden Boot, Playmaker Award and Player of the Season.Lashings of credit for Wood who hit 20 league goals having scored 22 across his previous three top flight campaigns – a huge improvement that helped propel Forest to dizzy heights.Read More on The SunLastly, deserved praise for Brentford’s attacking duo who combined for 39 league goals.What could Mbeumo and/or Wissa achieve with additional European fixtures to fill out their schedule? 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