Two of the Premier League best wing-forwards, Raheem Sterling and Eden Hazard, will go head-to-head when Chelsea take on Manchester City this weekend.
Hazard has been one of the English top-flight’s standout players for the last few years, but the Belgian took his game to another level at the World Cup and has started this season brilliantly.
Meanwhile, Sterling has gone from strength to strength under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola and is now being mentioned in the same breath as the division’s very best players.
But who has been better in the Premier League so far this term? Sterling or Hazard? We’ve looked at the statistics to provide an answer.
Who is the bigger goal threat?
Hazard has scored seven goals in 1,058 minutes of league football, while Sterling has scored eight times in 1,026 minutes, so Sterling comes out slightly on top.
There is a chance those numbers are influenced by the fact Manchester City (114) have created more chances than Chelsea (103), but the difference is only marginal in the grand scheme of things.
Hazard (41) has managed to get 11 more shots away than Sterling (30), yet the City man has had more luck in front of goal.
Sterling 1-0 Hazard
Who is more clinical?
Sterling’s goalscoring superiority is further demonstrated by the conversion-rate stats (including blocks). He has converted 26.7% of his chances, while Hazard has only netted 17.1% of his.
A higher percentage of Sterling’s shots are on target, too. In total, 16 of his 30 shots have been on target compared to 17 of Hazard’s 41.
Again, it’s worth considering each side’s style of play. The way City work the ball into the penalty area – and the type of runs Sterling is instructed to make – perhaps gives the Englishman a better opportunity to convert his chances from close range.
Sterling 2-0 Hazard
Who is more creative?
Here’s where Hazard begins to claw some points back. He has created 42 chances to Sterling’s 27.
Both players have provided six Premier League assists. The fact Hazard doesn’t lead this chart might say something about the finishing of his teammates given he has created so many more goalscoring opportunities. On that subject, Alvaro Morata (20.83%) and Olivier Giroud (5.56%) have recorded poor conversion rates this season.
In fairness to Sterling, the creative duties at City are shared around the team and he isn’t considered as much of a playmaker as Hazard.
Sterling 2-1 Hazard
Who is the better dribbler?
Sterling’s dribbling and decision-making have improved exponentially since he began playing under Guardiola, but Hazard remains the king of the take-on.
The Chelsea man has completed 37 take-ons this season – only Southampton’s Nathan Redmond has completed more (38) – while Sterling has only managed 23.
Hazard has an unerring ability to go past his marker with ease, although interestingly Sterling (121) has had more touches in the opposition box than Hazard (78).
Sterling 2-2 Hazard
Who is the better passer?
Hazard has completed 615 passes this season to Sterling’s 425, which might have something to do with Maurizio Sarri’s influence at Stamford Bridge.
On top of that, Hazard has completed 33 long-ball passes. Sterling has only completed four, suggesting Hazard has a better range of passing.
Sterling is on top when it comes to forward passes, completing 230 to Hazard’s 194. Again this might say more about teams than individuals, but Hazard just about edges the passing charts overall.
Sterling 2-3 Hazard
Who’s more consistent?
From late August to mid-September, Hazard scored five goals in three Premier League games. He would go on to add two more top-flight goals but is currently on a streak of failing to score in 11 games for club and country.
Sterling, meanwhile, has scored in seven of his 13 Premier League appearances and his longest top-flight run without a goal this season is two games.
In only three of City’s matches this season has he not been directly involved in a game, but the same can be said of Hazard for Chelsea. However, while Sterling has both scored and assisted in three different games this season, Hazard has only managed this on one occasion.
Sterling 3-3 Hazard
Verdict
What these categories show highlight is Sterling’s transition under Guardiola from inconsistent flair player who more often than not wanted to take defenders on, to a ruthless goalscorer. As Sterling recently told the Times, “Once upon a time, every time I got the ball I wanted to come inside, chop, turn and go at people, but it is knowing when to turn, when to do these things, and that’s why the manager is so good, he helps with my decision-making.” Meanwhile, the more established Hazard remains a creative, dribbling force.
On current form, in terms of the headline metrics of goals and assists, Sterling is the better player right now. But Hazard remains more involved in Chelsea’s play as the fulcrum of Maurizio Sarri’s attack.
The post Raheem Sterling v Eden Hazard: how the two Premier League wing-forwards compare appeared first on Squawka News.
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