An astonishing new statistic that is unrivalled in the Premier League era has been unearthed about West Ham United star Tomas Soucek.
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West Ham are up to fifth after beating Leeds United 2-0 on Monday night.
The Hammers are enjoying their best season for 35 years.
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Central to West Ham’s success – first in avoiding relegation and then being transformed into European contenders – has been the arrival of Czech star Tomas Soucek.
The potato salad munching machine has forged a brilliant partnership with Declan Rice in the heart of West Ham’s midfield.
Many pundits and fans believe Soucek and Rice are the best midfield duo in the Premier League.
Soucek has eight goals and continues to display incredible stamina, energy and desire to go from box to box helping his side.
Against Leeds he put his body on the line for the Hammers once again.
Carragher unearths astonishing Soucek stat unrivalled in the Premier League
But it was an incredible stat unearthed by Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports which stood out when analysing West Ham’s form this season.
Carragher revealed on Sky Sports’s Monday Night Football BEFORE the game that Soucek has won an astonishing 150 aerial duels this season.
He added another five to that total against Leeds to bring him to 155.
The Hammer of the Year favourite is streets ahead of anyone else. His nearest rivals are Ollie McBurnie (138) and James Tarkowski (118).
It is the most aerial duels won at this stage of a season by any Premier League player for over a decade. And it is the most ever by a midfielder.
Soucek surpasses Fellaini record with 11 games to spare but comparisons end there
Soucek surpassed the previous season highest for a midfielder last night – with 11 games still to play. That was the 151 aerial battles won by Marouane Fellaini under Moyes at Everton in 2012/13.
Carragher described the achievement as ‘off the scale’ and highlighted how essential Soucek has been to West Ham’s surge.
In light of the stat, and the player who previously held the record, it is perhaps easy to see why Soucek has been so readily compared to Fellaini by pundits and rival fans.
Particularly given the Moyes link.
But it is too simplistic a view and Soucek is a much better all round player than the Belgian.
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