Who made Opta’s team of the season?

Based on data collected throughout the campaign, statisticians Opta have created a Premier League team of the year.

Nottingham Forest’s defense’s performance was a significant factor in their debut European football since the 1995-96 campaign.

Goalkeeper Sels only kept one clean sheet in 16 games in 23-24 but this season he’s been had 13, the joint most by a Forest goalkeeper in a Premier League season, level with Mark Crossley in 94-95.

The only other goalkeeper to have kept 13 clean sheets was David Raya of Arsenal, who also received the trophy of the Premier League’s Golden Glove.

His outstanding passing ability was once more evident throughout the season. He placed in the top three among defenders in each of the following:

Another second-place finish for Arsenal was achieved by the French international, his third consecutive appearance since Saliba’s debut in August 2022.

The Gunners conceded one goal for every 113 minutes he was on the pitch, which is the best ratio of any central defender in the Premier League, while only three central defenders, Saliba (12), did so.

Saliba was also second across all players for successful passes with 2, 409 and he completed an incredible 94.6% of his pass attempts, the third best ratio on record by a player to attempt at least 2, 000 in a season since 03-04 and the best by an Arsenal player in a single season in that time.

Van Dijk was so close to becoming the first player in Premier League history to play every single minute of two different title-winning seasons until he was given a rest for the 3-2 defeat to Brighton on 19 May.

The Dutchman led all Liverpool players in the Premier League in completion for the fourth consecutive season, with 2, 680 passes completed this year.

The performances of Gvardiol were one of the best in Manchester City, despite the trophyless season.

Gvardiol finished the season with five goals, surpassing Steve Howey, who had five goals in the Premier League against City in the previous six years.

Operating in a deeper lying role under manager Arne Slot, Gravenberch enjoyed a superb season and was an integral part of Liverpool’s 24-25 title win, starting 37 of 38 games and featuring in all 25 victories.

The Dutchman finished with a total of 60 interceptions, which was better than Emre Can’s record of 16-16 (62).

His 59 chances created and 16 big chances created for Arsenal this season are his best personal totals in a league season, surpassing Rice and Martin Odegaard, who both had more Premier League assists this year (seven).

Rice’s role in setting up 26 chances from set plays and Rice’s skill at it are both unavoidable; he also contributed 3,2, and his expected assists total from set plays was the best among all players (3. 2).

With 20 goals and seven assists, Mbeumo enjoyed a superb individual campaign, breaking the record for goals and assists combined by a Brentford player in a Premier League season. He only once made three consecutive appearances without scoring or assisting.

Only four players improved in 24-25, and the Cameroon forward’s expected assists total of 9.3 was the joint best of any player, which is also a record for a Bees player in one season.

Mbeumo was also deadly in front of goal, finding the net with 23.5% of his shots (20/85), the best figure of any player to attempt at least 70 shots. His expected goal (xG) total was over seven goals (22 goals, 12.3 xG), which is the division’s best overperformance total.

Despite Wolves not once entering the top half all season, the Brazilian contributed to 15 goals and six assists which helped them move clear of relegation. Only Raul Jimenez has ever scored more goals for Wolves in a Premier League campaign, scoring 17 goals and adding six assists.

Cunha is the first player to score 20 or more goals and assists in a season where they have never played a minute in the top half of the table since Charlie Austin for Queen’s Park Rangers in 14-15.

Among players to play 2, 500 minutes in the Premier League this season, Cunha ranked top – per 90 minutes – for shots attempted (3.8), third for shots on target (1.5) and second for fouls won (2.5).

The records have tumbled for Isak in 24-25. Isak had 31 goals in the first half of the season, but he had 54 when he won the title of leading Swedish Premier League scorer, overtaking Freddie Ljungberg with 48 in the second-half of Nottingham Forest’s double.

Isak’s two goals in the same game set Alan Shearer’s record of 87 goals, breaking any other Newcastle player’s record of 87 goals in just 76 appearances.

The Sweden forward also achieved something else Shearer never managed – scoring in eight consecutive Premier League appearances, doing so between 4 December and 15 January.

After Ruud van Nistelrooy, Daniel Sturridge, and Jamie Vardy, Isak was the only other player to surpass them. Isak won the Player of the Month award in December, scoring eight goals for more than seven clubs in that month.

Isak ended the season on 23 Premier League goals, the most by a Magpies player since Shearer’s 23 in 01-02, and only Mohamed Salah scored more in 24-25.

Possibly the easiest choice of all time for a player’s inclusion in a statistical team of the season, Salah enjoyed one of the finest individual seasons in Premier League history. Many of his astonishing 24 to 25 records may not be overmatched for many years.

The Egyptian recorded a record-setting 47 Premier League goals (29 goals, 18 assists) during his 38-game campaign, surpassing the 44 goals and assists that Thierry Henry had in 2002-03 and Erling Haaland had in 2022-23.

Including 42-game seasons, Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer had 34 goals and 13 assists in 93-94 and 94-95 respectively, which Salah matched with his equaliser against Crystal Palace on the final day.

With these goals and assists totals, it shouldn’t surprise Salah, who was the only player to achieve that feat before Cole, Cole, Cole, and Harry Kane, who both had goals and assists totals of 24-25. That was only their third consecutive top-scoring performance.

This season, Salah scored and assisted in 11 different Premier League games, four more than any other player. Across Europe’s big five leagues, it was the most since Lionel Messi did so 11 times in 14-15 for Barcelona.

Salah added 11 away assists, another all-time record, and 16 of his 29 Premier League goals came from away, a joint total.

Salah has the most goals and assists scored away from home in a single season with 27.

Although Salah did not beat topple the all-time assist record in a season of 20, all 18 of his assists came from open play – that’s the second most behind Thierry Henry in 02-03 (20).