Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Stoke City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur stars all feature.
The first month of the new Premier League season has come to an end and there have already been several exciting talking points.
Chelsea look strong and are the favourites for the title while it seems plenty of sides will be battling hard at the other end of the league throughout the season.
We’ve taken a look at the stats to judge who the best defenders were throughout August.
Tackles Won
| Team | Pos | Won Tackle | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| César Azpilicueta | Chelsea | DF | 12 | 3 | 270 |
| Joel Ward | Crystal Palace | DF | 12 | 3 | 270 |
| Gaël Clichy | Man City | DF | 10 | 2 | 180 |
| Eric Dier | Spurs | DF | 10 | 3 | 270 |
| Rio Ferdinand | QPR | DF | 10 | 3 | 270 |
Two players share the honours in this category with Cesar Azpilicueta for Chelsea and Joel Ward for Crystal Palace. Azpilicueta’s form appears to have been maintained from last season. It will also be encouraging for Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino to see new signing Eric Dier feature in this category.
Outfield Blocks
| Team | Pos | Outfielder Block | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wes Morgan | Leicester | DF | 8 | 3 | 270 |
| Phil Bardsley | Stoke | DF | 5 | 3 | 270 |
| Liam Moore | Leicester | DF | 5 | 3 | 270 |
| Ryan Shawcross | Stoke | DF | 5 | 3 | 270 |
| Gary Cahill | Chelsea | DF | 4 | 3 | 270 |
Leicester’s Wes Morgan made more outfield blocks than any other defender in August. What that tells us is that he’s reading the game well and getting into the right positions to make it as difficult as possible for the opposition attack.
Effective Clearances
| Team | Pos | Effective Clearance | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Shawcross | Stoke | DF | 38 | 3 | 270 |
| Ashley Williams | Swansea | DF | 33 | 3 | 270 |
| Dejan Lovren | Liverpool | DF | 30 | 3 | 270 |
| Winston Reid | West Ham | DF | 30 | 3 | 270 |
| Marc Wilson | Stoke | DF | 30 | 3 | 270 |
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes will be pleased that one of his most important players is doing the basics effectively. Shawcross gets the job done when his defence are under pressure and if he can keep it up throughout the season, it bodes well for his team.
Successful Interceptions
| Team | Pos | Interception Won | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Jones | Man Utd | DF | 17 | 3 | 270 |
| Jose Fonte | Southampton | DF | 12 | 3 | 270 |
| Phil Bardsley | Stoke | DF | 11 | 3 | 270 |
| Patrick van Aanholt | Sunderland | DF | 11 | 3 | 270 |
| Javier Manquillo | Liverpool | DF | 10 | 2 | 180 |
The name at the top of this list is sure to surprise a few fans. Manchester United defender Phil Jones made more successful interceptions than any other defender, which tells us that Louis van Gaal has got his defenders constantly thinking about the danger that could develop.
Aerial Duels Won
| Team | Pos | Aerial Won | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Williamson | Newcastle | DF | 21 | 3 | 269 |
| Mathieu Debuchy | Arsenal | DF | 18 | 3 | 270 |
| Marc Wilson | Stoke | DF | 13 | 3 | 270 |
| Steven Caulker | QPR | DF | 12 | 3 | 270 |
| Jason Shackell | Burnley | DF | 12 | 3 | 270 |
Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson has been the most difficult defender to get the better of in the air so far. An interesting name on this list is Debuchy, Arsenal’s right-back, who is making teams keep the ball on the deck in front of him where it’s easier to contain.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
