Tottenham have four players in Premier League team of the half-season

We’re half-way through the Premier League season and this is the XI that has wowed so far. At least according to the algorithms.

We have used WhoScored ratings as a guide. No players with fewer than 10 starts are included.

GOALKEEPER: Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)

Yes, he’s conceded more goals than any other goalkeeper in the top five. But so few of those conceded goals have actually been his fault and he has statistically been the best in the Premier League this season.

RIGHT-BACK: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Taking over from Kieran Trippier after some nightmare performances from the Newcastle man was Alexander-Arnold, who has created a boat-load of chances this season while playing in the best Premier League defence of the season.

CENTRE-BACK: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

A couple of Premier League assists and a goal help the algorithm but it’s his prowess in the air that earns him his place here. Add an impressive pass completion percentage and some vital blocks and he is rightly ensconced in this XI. And Liverpool have the best defence in the Premier League as it stands.

CENTRE-BACK: Cristian Romero (Tottenham)

Something of a lunatic but that doesn’t really matter when you score three Premier League goals as well as doing most of the defending and a lot of the passing really rather well. Spurs missed him v Brighton when they had to play a whole defence of full-backs.

LEFT-BACK: Vitalii Mykolenko (Everton)

Only West Ham’s Emerson has made more tackles from left-back this season but the Ukrainian has crucially scored a couple of goals this season too.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Rodri (Manchester City)

The best in the world in his position? Quite possibly. Casually added goals to his repertoire while posting a 93% pass completion rate and doing all the dirty defensive work too. He has now gone 48 games unbeaten. Ludicrous.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Pascal Gross (Brighton)

Three goals. Six assists. And yet another brilliant Premier League season from the German.

RIGHT WING: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Five goals and six assists this season but it’s defensive work that keeps him way ahead of Mo Salah and Jarrod Bowen here; he has made a remarkable 38 successful tackles to Salah’s 13 and Bowen’s 22.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD: James Maddison (Tottenham)

The most creative player in the Premier League this season. He has also logged three goals and five assists. What a signing. Shame he is broken.

LEFT WING: Son Heung-Min (Tottenham)

Eleven goals and five assists in the Premier League for one of the best finishers in the top flight.

STRIKER: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

You just cannot argue with 14 Premier League goals in 15 games. Nor with all these other ridiculous statistics. Though he’s nowhere near the best finisher this season.