The Top Five Players With The Highest Aerial Duel Win % In The Premier League This Season
Following our look at the players who have won the most tackles in the Premier League last week, we now turn our focus towards aerial duels.
Winning the ball in the air is vital, especially if the team you are facing relies on a direct style of play. Finding defenders (and midfielders) who can do this, though, isn’t always easy.
You need height, strength, jumping reach and decent heading ability to win the aerial battle against your opponent and the players we have listed possess all of these attributes.
Press the next page as we go through the top five players who have the highest aerial duel win percentage in the Premier League this season (based on stats provided by fBRef).
5) Harry Maguire (Manchester United) – 76.7%
Not many supporters believe the England international is worth the £85m United paid for him in 2019 but he is undoubtedly strong in the air.
Maguire has also attempted 180 aerial challenges this season, a very high number, which makes his win ratio all the more impressive.
4) Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea) – 77.4%
Despite being 6ft 3, the German international is not widely regarded as a dominant centre-half but he does win his fair share of aerial duels.
After struggling for game time in the first half of the season, he was recalled to the side following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel in January, and it is no coincidence that Chelsea have improved defensively since then.
3) Willy Boly (Wolves) – 78.4%
The Ivorian is a commanding presence at the back for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, and Wolves have only won three of the 14 Premier League games that the defender has missed this season.
At 6ft 5, it is entirely expected that Boly will win the fair share of his aerial challenges, and it is not a surprise that his team struggled without him when he was injured.
2) Kortney Hause (Aston Villa) – 78.6%
The 25-year-old has only played four Premier League games this campaign due to fitness problems, having picked up groin and ankle injuries.
However, in the matches Hause has played in, Villa won two and drew two, conceding just one goal against Chelsea in the process.
1) Rodri (Manchester City) – 79.6%
It is a surprise to see a holding midfielder top this list but the Spaniard is very capable of winning balls in the air, especially when opponents try to hit the ball long into City’s final third.
Having someone like Rodri in the middle of the pitch makes it hard for opponents to break City’s press by going direct to a striker. He may well be employed as a centre-back when he gets older.
You may also be interested in reading:
The Top Five Players Who Have Won The Most Tackles In The Premier League This Season
The Top Five Most Clinical Finishers In The Premier League This Season
The Top Five Most Accurate Shooters In The Premier League This Season (Based on Shots On Target %)
How Frank Lampard Made The Transition From An Iconic Player To A Successful Manager
The Top Five Goalkeepers In The Premier League So Far This Season (Based On Save %)
The Top Five Defenders In The Premier League So Far This Season
The Top Five Forwards In The Premier League So Far This Season
Five Premier League Wonderkids Who Failed To Live Up To Expectations (Part 8)
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