Six Premier League stars and Jadon Sancho make the cut
Friday 16 November 2018 09:14, UK
We conclude our countdown of the top-performing 100 players in Europe this season, but who comes out No 1? And who are the highest-ranking Premier League players?
We've used our statistically-calculated Power Rankings formula to compile the list, with David Silva (27) and Anthony Martial (26) among the players to be included in the third installment of the countdown on Thursday.
But who's in the final 25? Read on to find out - and have your say in the comment section below or on Twitter.
Europe's in-form stars 100-76
Europe's in-form stars 75-51
Europe's in-form stars 50-26
25 - Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele has lost his place in the Barcelona team recently but the statistics suggest he has made the most of his time on the pitch. The France international has four goals and one assists in 641 minutes of La Liga action. At Barcelona, only Lionel Messi is creating more chances or making more dribbles per 90 minutes.
24 - Suso
Former Liverpool player Suso is enjoying another fine season in Italy with AC Milan. As well as scoring four goas in 12 Serie A appearances, the Spaniard has created eight assists - more than any other player in Europe's major leagues so far this season.
23 - Alassane Plea
Borussia Monchengladbach sit second in the Bundesliga and it owes a lot to Alassane Plea. The French forward, who joined Glabach from Nice in the summer, has contributed eight goals and three assists in just 11 appearances - including a hat-trick in their last game against Werder Bremen.
22 - Marco Reus
Marco Reus has been outstanding for Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund, leading Lucien Favre's young team from the front with eight goals and three assists in 11 games. He underlined his importance to the side with two goals and a man-of-the-match performance in their 3-2 win over Bayern Munich at the weekend.
21 - Leroy Sane
Leroy Sane was dropped from the Manchester City team and the start of the season and has been in and out of Pep Guardiola's side since, but he has made an important contribution nonetheless, scoring three goals and making three assists in just 503 Premier League minutes.
20 - Edinson Cavani
It has been another prolific start to the season for Edinson Cavani at Paris Saint-Germain. The French giants have no shortage of attacking talent but the Uruguayan remains a key figure, with eight goals in eight games so far.
19 - Lorenzo Insigne
Napoli have work to do to catch up with Juventus in Serie A but with Lorenzo Insigne in this kind of form, they cannot be ruled out. The little forward has provided seven goals and three assists in 11 appearances so far - playing both on the left and as a central striker.
18 - Wissam Ben Yedder
Few players have been more potent in front of goal than Wissam Ben Yedder this season. The French forward has scored six La Liga goals for high-flying Sevilla in just 571 minutes on the pitch. He has also chipped in with three assists.
17 - Cristiano Ronaldo
New club, new league, but it's the same old Cristiano Ronaldo. The 33-year-old has scored eight goals in his first 12 Serie A appearances for Juventus, putting him at the top of the scoring charts, and there have also been five assists. He is averaging more shots per 90 minutes (7.3) than any other player in Europe.
16 - Memphis Depay
Memphis Depay's form for Lyon has prompted rumours of a return to Manchester United. The Dutchman has picked up where he left off last season in Ligue 1, with five goals and five assists in 13 games so far. He ranks as one of the top players in France for chance creation.
15 - Nicolas Pepe
Lille sit second in Ligue 1 having exceeded expectations this season, and Nicolas Pepe has been the undoubted star. The 23-year-old Ivory Coast international has scored eight goals and added five assists - and all from the right flank.
14 - Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling continues to split opinion but there can be no questioning his importance to Manchester City. The 23-year-old has shone again for Pep Guardiola's side this season, playing everywhere across City's front line and contributing six goals and five assists in the Premier League.
13 - Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero's excellent start to the season continued with a goal in Sunday's Manchester derby. It is only 18 months ago that the Argentine seemed set to lose his place in Guardiola's side to Gabriel Jesus, but he remains as important as ever. With eight goals and four assists, no Premier League player has been directly involved in more goals this season.
12 - Pedro
Pedro is a largely unheralded star at Chelsea but he remains an important figure. Maurizio Sarri likes the Spaniard and it easy to see why. He has scored four goals and added an assist in just 508 Premier League minutes this season and he has impressed with his defensive work-rate, too.
11 - Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez has made an outstanding start to his Manchester City career, with his form hitting new heights in recent weeks. The former Leicester man netted four goals in the Premier League so far and given Guardiola yet another dangerous weapon in attack.
10 - Emiliano Sala
Emiliano Sala is not a household name but no player in Europe's top leagues has scored more goals this season. The 28-year-old Argentine has netted 11 for Nantes in Ligue 1, including seven in his last four appearances. He only needs one more to match his total for the whole of last season.
9 - Thorgan Hazard
Thorgan Hazard is hot on the heels of his older brother, Eden. This season at high-flying Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, the 25-year-old has hit seven goals and provided four assists. A Premier League switch could be on the cards in the future.
8 - Sebastien Haller
French forward Sebastien Haller has been outstanding for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, scoring eight goals and making another five - giving him the highest combined total in the country. The 25-year-old, who was once linked with Newcastle, seems to have a bright future ahead of him.
7 - Jadon Sancho
This time last year he hadn't even started a professional game, but Jadon Sancho has taken the Bundesliga by storm since then and forced his way into Gareth Southgate's England squad. This season, there have been four league goals and six assists for Dortmund. He is already being talked about as a world star of the future.
6 - Eden Hazard
It has been another dazzling season from Eden Hazard, who has racked up goals and assists at a rate of one every 72 minutes in the Premier League. He remains as elusive as ever with his dribbling, giving defenders up and down the country nightmares and delighting Chelsea fans in the process.
5 - Dries Mertens
Mertens just pips his countryman Hazard into the top five. The Napoli man boasts similar stats to Hazard, with seven goals and four assists in Serie A, but just beats him for efficiency. The 31-year-old, converted into a striker by Maurizio Sarri, remains a key figure for his side.
4 - Luka Jovic
His name is not a familiar one to many football fans but Luka Jovic, 21, has earned a place among the most in-form players in Europe this season thanks to his outstanding start to the campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt. The Serbia international has hit nine goals in just 561 minutes on the pitch in the Bundesliga and the future looks bright.
3 - Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is the joint-top scorer in Europe's big leagues this season with 11 goals for Paris Saint-Germain. They have come at a rate of one every 64 minutes in Ligue 1, and there have been four assists, too. Mbappe continues to live up to his status as football's next true superstar.
2 - Neymar
Mbappe has outscored Neymar by one goal in Ligue 1 but his Brazilian team-mate just pips him in our rankings based on his overall performances. Neymar makes more successful dribbles, wins more fouls and creates more chances than any of Paris Saint-Germain team-mates.
1 - Lionel Messi
Who else but Lionel Messi? Barcelona have not yet hit their stride in La Liga this season, but the little genius in that iconic No 10 shirt has been as brilliant as ever. As well as providing the most goals (nine) and assists (five), Messi is having the most shots, completing the most dribbles and creating the most chances in La Liga.
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