Arsenal star Saka leads Premier League 2023 Best XI dominated by Liverpool
As we head into 2024, we’ve taken a look back at the Premier League’s best performers over the course of 2023, with players from Liverpool, Brentford, Fulham, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton and Aston Villa all included in the XI. To be considered, players must have started 30 or more Premier League matches across the calendar year
Liverpool stopper Alisson takes the title of the Premier League’s best, and thus most consistent, goalkeeper across 2023, with a WhoScored rating of 6.83. The Brazilian number one kept a clean sheet in 16 of the 38 appearances he made across the year, while conceding an average of just 0.97 goals per game. Alisson ended 2023 with a save success rate of 75.5%, the best in the Premier League among the goalkeepers to have started at least 20 matches.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - 7.29
Joining his goalkeeper in the XI is Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, who ended 2023 in, arguably, the form of his career. Jurgen Klopp’s decision to move the 25-year-old into an inverted role during games has undoubtedly paid off; only four players in the Premier League made more key passes across the calendar year than the Reds star (89). Alexander-Arnold’s best rated performance of the year came in the 2-0 victory at Sheffield United in early December, where he earned a WhoScored rating of 8.81.
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) - 7.19
Liverpool’s third and final representative is captain Virgil van Dijk, who looked every bit the best version of himself towards the end of the year. Van Dijk ends 2023 as the Premier League’s highest rated centre-back, with a WhoScored rating of 7.19, having made a total of 42 tackles, 36 interceptions, 145 clearances, while winning 135 of his 175 aerial duels, to help the Reds to 13 clean sheets.
Ethan Pinnock (Brentford) - 7.14
Partnering Van Dijk at the heart of the defence is Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock, who made 40 appearances for the Bees throughout 2023. Pinnock won 154 of the 224 aerial duels he contested, while also making 60 interceptions, 72 tackles and 246 clearances, to end the year with a WhoScored rating of 7.14.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham) - 6.92
Slotting in at left-back in 2023’s best XI is Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, who impressed with his performances, particularly in the second half of the year. The USA international ends the year as the only player in the Premier League to have made 90+ clearances (93), interceptions (94) and tackles (91).
With a WhoScored rating of 7.44, Arsenal star Bukayo Saka was the Premier League’s highest rated player across 2023. The 22-year-old found the net 14 times and provided an assist for a teammate on 11 occasions, while also making a total of 91 key passes and 72 successful dribbles, in what was a sensational year for the winger.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) - 7.36
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes takes his place in the XI, having made at least 32 more key passes (133) than any other Premier League player across 2023. Fernandes was directly involved in 18 league goals for United (9 goals, 9 assists), with his highest rated performance coming in the 3-0 win over Leicester back in February, where he landed a WhoScored rating of 9.88.
Rodri (Manchester City) - 7.28
Not many players can say they had a better 2023 than Manchester City’s Rodri, who scored the winning goal as Pep Guardiola’s side won their first ever Champions League title. The Spanish midfielder’s league contributions, though, were just as crucial. Rodri won back possession for City a total of 277 times in the Premier League - only Declan Rice (278) can boast a higher figure - while he also made 69 tackles, 31 interceptions and chipped in with five important goals.
Dwight McNeil (Everton) - 7.18
Another player who enjoyed perhaps the form of their career to date in 2023 was Everton winger Dwight McNeil, who has starred under Sean Dyche at Goodison Park. McNeil, who also worked under Dyche at Burnley, was directly involved in 13 goals across the year (seven goals, six assists), and made a total of 65 key passes, while also completing 54 successful dribbles, to return a WhoScored rating of 7.18.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City) - 7.39
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland ends 2023 as the Premier League’s second-highest rated player, having found the net a whopping 29 times in just 35 appearances. The Norwegian striker broke all sorts of records as he helped Pep Guardiola’s side to an historic treble at the end of the 2022/23 season. Of the 57 players to have taken at least 50 shots, only Callum Wilson (25%) can boast a better conversion rate than Haaland (24.4%) in 2023.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) - 7.22
2023 was a phenomenal year for Aston Villa, and many players will credit Unai Emery for helping them up their performance levels, perhaps none more so than English striker Ollie Watkins. The 28-year-old was directly involved in 32 of the Villans’ 72 league goals (21 goals, 11 assists), while he also contributed a total of 42 key passes on his way to a 2023 WhoScored rating of 7.22.
