Top 5 aerial non-defensive players in the Premier League

There are many attributes in the game of football but one of the most important attributes, out of all of them, is how you perform aerially. Being dominant in air is a very well admired quality of a player and managers are always on the look out to get such players in their team. So, here is a list of the Top 5 players who do not play a defensive role in the Premier League but are well known for their aerial abilities:

5. Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United)

The Belgian has average aerial duel rating of 4.2 and there’s no surprise that he’s included in the list because he is known for beating his man in the air, courtesy his height. It’s been a great season for Fellaini following his poor season after he joined the Red Devils, and is becoming an important member of the team. Standing at a marvellous 194 centimetres, Fellaini uses his height effectively and has scored quite a couple of headers in his lifelong career.

4. Graziano Pelle (Southampton)

As far as the stats are concerned, Pelle’s average aerial duel win in each game is 4.7 which is pretty good for a striker. It has been a great season for the Italian striker of Southampton who netted in the ball 11 times. Standing at a whopping 192 centimetres, Pelle was targeted by all the wingers as he has a special ability of heading in the ball and is very reliable even in tough situations.

3. Mike Jedinak (Crystal Palace)

Having an average duel rating of 4.8, Jedinak is a player who can play almost everywhere on the pitch. A hard working Centre Midfielder, Jedinak is known to set the pace of the game and is famous for his spectacular set pieces. The Australian stands at 188 Centimetres and the chances of winning an aerial battle with this man is almost close to none.

2.  Peter Crouch (Stoke City)

The Englishman, who comes second in our list, has been well known for his aerial abilities, whether he was at Liverpool or Portsmouth. Crouch has been one of the toughest strikers to mark during an aerial situation. Having an aerial duel rating of 4.8 in just 17 games shows us how dominant he is in the air. Standing at a marvellous 203 Centimetres, he uses his height effectively and has scored 7 goals in this campaign proving that he is still at his best.

1. Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)

Benteke tops our list with an impeccable average aerial duel rating of 6.5. He beats all his competitors easily in this category, showing us that when it comes to aerial battles, Benteke is not the person to mess with. The Belgian monster has had a very good season at Villa Park grabbing 12 goals and considering how good he is, it’s tough for Aston Villa to keep him on their side given the interest of various top clubs in him who’re looking for a perfect No. 9.