Super Eagles stars Iwobi & Bassey make Fulham’s top 10, but who ranks higher?

Super Eagles stars Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey have both made Fulham’s top 10 players in the Premier League this season.

Interestingly, Iwobi has arguably enjoyed a better start to the campaign than Bassey and the former Arsenal man therefore ranks higher than his international teammate.

Iwobi is Fulham’s second best player after eight Premier League appearances, with his 6.89 rating sitting only behind Josh King’s 6.96. Bassey sits further down the ladder in eighth position with a rating of 6.71.

The two Nigerians have played regular roles for Fulham, with Iwobi impressing in midfield and Bassey being a rock in defence for the Cottagers.

Iwobi and Bassey have started every league game so far this season, levelled only with four other Fulham stars: Oscar Bobb, Gonzalo García, Josh King, and Bernd Leno. However, only Bassey and Leno have never missed a single minute of Fulham’s eight Premier League games.

Fulham’s best: Iwobi ranks second

Iwobi has played 662 minutes in eight Premier League matches, scoring once. The 30-year-old has also completed 90.8 per cent of his passes, the second-highest rate among the top 10 players in the rankings.

Only Shea Charles, with a passing accuracy of 92.1 per cent, has a better record. However, Josh King leads Fulham’s player ratings with 6.96 after scoring twice and providing one assist.

Timothy Castagne ranks third with 6.86, followed by David Affengruber on 6.84 and Oscar Bobb on 6.82.

Despite being Nigeria’s most prolific assist-provider in Premier League history, Iwobi has yet to provide an assist in the league this season. Still, the former Everton man would be pleased with his passing accuracy and contributions in midfield that have helped him earn one of the highest ratings in the squad.

Bassey, though, has completed 90.5 per cent of his passes and won an average of 1.5 aerial duels per game. He has also picked up two yellow cards.

The 26-year-old centre-back ranks ahead of striker Gonzalo García, who has a rating of 6.62, and midfielder Sander Berge, who sits 10th with 6.57.

Fulham wants more

After a slow start to the campaign, Fulham have turned a corner in recent weeks with Álvaro Arbeloa’s men losing just one of their last six games in all competitions.

Fulham have claimed credible draws against Liverpool and Manchester United, league results sandwiching a 3-2 away win at West Ham United in the EFL Cup.

That was followed by a 2-1 loss at Ipswich Town but successive 1-0 wins over the newly-promoted pair of Hull City and Coventry City as lifted the mood at Craven Cottage.

Iwobi, Bassey and mates will be keen to maintain that momentum when Fulham host Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup in midweek before making a tricky Premier League trip to Aston Villa at the weekend.