Revealed: The most clinical forward, best passer and more in 2025/26

Football writer Adrian Clarke picks out the leading players across several categories from the first 11 Matchweeks of the 2025/26 season.

Who are the most clinical forwards?

Erling Haaland may be running away with this season’s Golden Boot, netting an astonishing 14 goals already, but a 34-year-old veteran is statistically more clinical than Manchester City’s star man.

Danny Welbeck of Brighton & Hove Albion is currently the most lethal top-flight forward, finding the back of the net with almost 43 per cent of his shots (Haaland is on 31 per cent).

Welbeck's conversion rate is only matched by a defender, Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven, among the 32 players who have scored at least three goals. The Brighton striker has netted six times in his last six Premier League outings.

AFC Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi, a young player who has burst onto the scene in recent weeks, ranks third for shot conversion, scoring with 40 per cent of his efforts.

Kroupi is also the only player scoring at a faster rate than Haaland in terms of minutes per goal, with the Frenchman's 63.50 beating the Norwegian's 67.71.

Best shot conversion rate 25/26*

*Minimum three goals

In every other striker-related department it is Haaland, of course, who leads the way.

The two players closest to him when it comes to receiving "big chances" are Jean-Philippe Mateta and Igor Thiago, proving that tall target men are very much in vogue as centre-forwards.

Most big chances received 25/26

It is also interesting to note that the chasing pack for the 2025/26 Golden Boot all play for teams outside "the big six" clubs.

Thiago (eight goals, Brentford), Mateta (six goals, Crystal Palace), Welbeck (six goals, Brighton) and Antoine Semenyo (six goals, Bournemouth) are all catching the eye.

Who makes the most passes in the opposition half?

Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has cemented his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad in recent months, and it is little wonder when you study his stats.

The central midfielder makes more successful passes inside the opponent’s half than anybody else, while also leading the way for ball recoveries and duels won.

If that was not impressive enough, Anderson ranks second for the most distance covered, proving he has phenomenal stamina too.

How Anderson ranks 25/26

Who plays the most passes into the final third?

Bournemouth’s starting back four in 2024/25 was ravaged last summer when Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi were all sold.

Argentine central defender Marcos Senesi has since been recalled to Andoni Iraola’s starting XI, and the 28-year-old has stepped up superbly.

He is a key man in the way the Cherries build their attacks, always looking to play a forward pass. In fact, he ranks first in the Premier League for passes into the final third.

Out of possession, Senesi is resilient, a good reader of the game and dominant inside his own box.

These stats below tell the story of a centre-back who is enjoying his football this season.

How Senesi ranks 25/26

Who has completed the most dribbles?

In-form Jeremy Doku has drawn level with Mohammed Kudus as the division’s most successful dribbler, completing 12 successful take-ons in his last two outings for Man City against Liverpool and Bournemouth.

Able to beat defenders with his skill, pace or strength – often a combination of the three – Doku is dancing past defenders on a regular basis.

Most dribbles completed 25/26

Doku may have just one Premier League goal to his name this season, but his numbers across a selection of categories are seriously impressive.

The Belgian is joint-top for open play chances created (23), joint-top for big chances created (five), joint-second for assists (three), fourth for touches in the opposition box (64), and joint seventh for through-balls (six).

He has also leads the way, by some distance, with the most ball carries into the opposition box.

Most carries ending in opp. penalty box 25/26

On the dribbling front, Brentford right-back Michael Kayode also deserves a mention.

He is the only defender in the top 10 for successful dribbles (20), and he boasts the most impressive completion rate, on 60.61 per cent.

Who has registered the most assists?

Left-backs have enjoyed a strong start to the campaign on the assists front, with three of them among the leading contenders to win the Golden Playmaker award.

Burnley’s Quilindschy Hartman has a joint-high four assists (with Jack Grealish and Kudus) while Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne and West Ham United's El Hadji Malick Diouf are both on three.

Who has played the most through-balls?

Arsenal right-back Jurrien Timber is another defender in outstanding form, and among his many strong suits, the Dutchman has been supplying accurate through-balls (eight) for team-mates.

Only two players, Mohamed Salah and Morgan Rogers, have served up more.

Most through-balls 25/26

Who are the best crossers?

A lot of full-backs have been supremely accurate with their crossing during the opening 11 Matchweeks too, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hugo Bueno being the absolute standout.

The Spaniard has produced 10 more successful open-play crosses than any other player.

Indeed, five of the top eight crossers are defenders.

Most successful open-play crosses 25/26

Who are the league's leading creators?

The Premier League’s top six chance-makers are all playing for north-west clubs.

Manchester United United’s Bruno Fernandes leads the way with 29 key passes (10 from set pieces), and he is followed by Grealish, Doku, Cody Gakpo, Salah and Phil Foden.

Most chances created 25/26

In open play, it is Doku and Grealish who are setting the standards with 23 key passes apiece.

Interestingly, leaders Arsenal have just one player in the top 20 for chances created in open play, and that is Bukayo Saka on 15.

Most open-play chances created 25/26

Who’s the best goalkeeper at saving shots?

Sunderland's Robin Roefs has made a fabulous impression at the Stadium of Light, producing a series of outstanding displays.

His 79.17 per cent save ratio is the leading figure among all top-flight goalkeepers. putting him just ahead of another, albeit more familiar, new face in the shape of Man City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Highest save percentage 25/26

What makes Roef’s data so impressive is the quantity of stops he has been forced into making (39) which is second only to Burnley’s Martin Dubravka.

The 22-year-old Dutchman is also one of the most dominant 'keepers, claiming a joint-high 17 catches.

Who wins the most free-kicks?

Since August when he made four assists, Grealish has added just a solitary goal to his list of major contributions on loan at Everton. Yet his role for the team remains impactful.

Grealish is creating chances aplenty, as shown earlier in this article, but the 30-year-old is also a Premier League stats leader in two further categories - winning the most free-kicks and regaining possession in the final third more than any other player.

Most free-kicks won and most possession wins in final third 25/26

Always a foul magnet, Grealish has won more free-kicks than anyone else in the division, carrying the ball well, before drawing mistimed tackles.

But interestingly, the winger has also shown he is no luxury player under David Moyes, pressing excellently to regain possession 11 times in the final third.

No one else in the Premier League has won the ball back that high, that often.