When EA Sports released the ratings for Premier League players yesterday, Chelsea were confirmed with Arsenal as having the most players ranked in the top 20. The Blues had five players in the top 20 and were one of only seven teams to have player(s) ranked in the top 20 along with Arsenal, Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham .

Chelsea’s top player is goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who came in joint third with a rating of 89. Despite being ranked third Courtois was not the highest ranking goalkeeper as that honour went to Manchester United’s Spanish keeper David De Gea who was rated joint first on 90 with his team-mate striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Many would argue that the Belgian keeper is better having won league titles in three different leagues (Belgium, Spain and England) and having won more trophies period.

Eden Hazard was Chelsea’s next highest rated player coming in joint sixth with an impressive rating of 88 only two behind the United duo in first. The Belgian attacker is followed by midfielder Cesc Fabregas who was rated joint 13th with a rating of 86 and rounding out the top 20 came Diego Costa and Willian both with a rating of 85 in joint 17th spot out of the top 20 Premier League players. Even in joint 17th position Diego Costa and Willian were only five away from the 90 De Gea and Ibrahimovic had in first place.

So the ratings do not mean much on the field of play but they do give fans a certain belief and knowledge that their team’s players are viewed as being at the top of or near to the top of their game by respected industry authorities.