Wilfred Ndidi: The Premier League's Top Tackler

First Team
06 Feb 2018
2 Minutes
Since the start of the season, Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has made more tackles than any other Premier League player.

Having already analysed Kasper Schmeichel’s 2017/18 figures, we’ll next take a look at how Nigeria international Ndidi has fared this term.

He is one of the Club's leading performers, while his tackling figures are simply outstanding amongst the Premier League's elite. 

Tackles made: 109
Premier League ranking: 1
Total Premier League tackles: 177

Wilfred Ndidi completes one of his 109 tackles in the Premier League this season.

The 21-year-old is far and away the best tackler in the Premier League this term. He has dispossessed an opponent on 109 separate occasions, 26 more times than any other player. Everton’s Idrissa Gueye (83), West Ham United defender Pablo Zabaleta (75), former Fox N’Golo Kanté (77) and Huddersfield Town midfielder Aaron Mooy (73) make up the top five.

Passes made: 1,312
Leicester City ranking: 1
Total Premier League passes: 2,001

An enforcer at the heart of midfield in all 26 of City’s Premier League fixtures this season, Ndidi is the top passer amongst his Foxes team-mates. He averages just over 50 passes per game, while he has also played 65 accurate long balls to date, including an excellent delivery in the build-up to Jamie Vardy’s strike against Manchester United.

Aerial battles won: 81
Leicester City ranking: 1
Total Premier League aerial battles won: 140

Wilfred Ndidi has won a total of 81 aerial battles this term.

Ndidi is the second-highest ranking central midfielder when it comes to aerial battles won in the Premier League this season, while he sits top on the City front. Fellow Fox Harry Maguire is not far behind having won 79 aerial battles and Christian Fuchs comes in third after completing 53. 

Interceptions made: 34
Leicester City ranking: =2
Total Premier League interceptions: 70

The Nigerian has completed 34 interceptions in 26 top-flight outings this term.

Standing in the way of many Premier League opponents this campaign has been City’s No.25. Joint second in the City standings alongside Maguire, only Fuchs (45) has made more in Leicester colours. He has also made 226 recoveries and won 237 duels in 2017/18. 

Clearances made: 72
Leicester City ranking: 3
Total Premier League clearances: 127

The midfielder is the third-highest clearance maker for the Foxes this season.

Having operated in his favoured holding midfield role throughout the season, Ndidi is amongst Leicester City’s top three players for clearances made. Maguire has made an impressive 127, while skipper Wes Morgan is the only other Fox above Ndidi, having completed 105.

To take a look at all of Wilfred Ndidi’s 2017/18 statistics, click here.

Statistics accurate as of Tuesday 6 February, 2018.