AS the latest international break comes to a close, the Premier League footballing elite will be dusting themselves down and getting ready to return to the weekly churn of domestic football.

Ahead of Match Day 12, we’ve decided to delve into Opta’s sizeable box of tricks and take a look at some of the top performers across a handful of insightful metrics. After all, we do love a metric. Well, we do now. Indeed, even the likes of expected goals, once as foreign to an ex-player pundit as a pair of gloves on a fancy-dan striker, has become an oft-quoted norm in the world of punditry.

CLOSING DOWN THE OPPOSITION / PRESSING

As a man of a certain age, I can remember when the likes of George Graham’s Arsenal were renowned for closing down their opponents, hunting in packs to win the ball back. This was many years before Jurgen Klopp’s ‘Gegenpressing’ was hailed as a revolutionary progression in the game.

This season, it is Dominic Solanke who is proving to be the best closer-downer in the top-flight, personifying Ange-ball in fine style.

The striker got his big move this summer off the back of an impressive goal-packed campaign with Bournemouth, and while the goals have yet to flow with the same regularity this time around, the striker is still performing well with new club Spurs.

A hard worker, the former Liverpool and Chelsea man is well clear atop of the rankings for Pressures (420) and also at the business end of the pitch via Pressures in the Final Third, with 57% of his pressures in the attacking third.

A league-high 45 of Solanke’s pressures in the final third have resulted in a turnover of possession, with Kai Havertz, next in the listings. Arsenal’s lanky Duracell bunny is currently on a run of 15 consecutive 90-minute games in the Premier League, the longest streak of any forward or midfielder and a testament to the German’s durability and work ethic.

And shout out to Bruno Fernandes who, despite what many fans think of him, does work his socks off for the Red Devils and is the highest ranked midfielder for Pressures in the Final Third Resulting in a Turnover, an admitted statistical mouthful but one with significant value.

WINNING THE BALL BACK QUICKLY / COUNTER PRESSING

Klopp’s aforementioned ‘Gegenpressing’ referred, specifically, to the ability to win the ball back quickly after losing possession and here, once again, Solanke is king this season, racking up 98 Counter Pressures in the Final Third, again ahead of Havertz. While, more surprisingly, Marcus Tavernier of in-form Bournemouth makes the top 10 here. With Mohamed Salah representing Liverpool despite Arne Slot’s move away from his predecessor’s rock ‘n’ roll football.

MAKING THE BALL STICK / HOLD UPS

As attacking teams continue to press high up the pitch, the current fashion of playing out from the back can and does backfire on occasion, especially if you have the likes of Solanke or Havertz breathing down your neck. This is where the old-fashioned punt up the pitch still has value, a tactic which only works if the ball sticks to the recipient.

Wolves target man, Jørgen Strand Larsen, tops these stickability rankings, with the Norwegian holding up the ball 26 times and keeping possession successfully on 16 of these occasions.

West Ham veteran Michail Antonio has also been very successful at holding up the ball this season, along with his teammate Mohammed Kudus. This chimes with Julen Lopetegui’s penchant for a more direct style of play, with the Hammers ranking at the higher end of the long pass % and direct speed (how fast the team gets the ball up the pitch) rankings.

TAKING ON YOUR MAN/WOMAN / ONE-ON-ONES

Bukayo Saka, one of the top-flight’s most consistent performers, has impressed with his own hold up play. However, it’s when he goes one on one with a defender where his real value shows itself.

Saka’s trademark move of cutting inside his full-back and creating a chance or a goal is backed up by the figures, with the England star taking on his man in a ‘one v one’ 94 times and doing so with a shot either from him or a teammate 26 times, one more than the second-placed Callum Hudson-Odoi, one of surprise package Nottingham Forest’s stars of the season.

Five of Arsenal’s 18 goals have come via Saka’s one v one shenanigans, a hefty proportion indeed and the joint-best number so far.

GETTING A SHOT AWAY / SHOT UNDER CHALLENGE FROM 2 METRES

Saka is pretty adept at getting a shot away when under pressure. However, it is the sizeable frame of Erling Haaland who is best at this, firing off 35 attempts when under close scrutiny from an opponent.

Two of the season’s best performers get themselves on the podium here, however, with Bournemouth’s potent wingman, Antoine Semenyo and Chelsea’s tricky winger Noni Madueke both peppering the opposition goal this season, even when challenged.