Best defenders in the Premier League 2026/27: the live stats top 10
Best defender is the hardest argument in football to settle with numbers, which is why most lists do not try. This one does: 6 defensive measures, each ranked against every Premier League defender, averaged into one index, with a radar on each card so you can see the shape behind the number.
Right now. James Tarkowski leads on 78 index, 1 ahead of Nordi Mukiele. Biggest climber: Jérémy Jacquet, up 1 place to 5th.
The top 10: Premier League defenders by the defensive index
| Player | Club | Index | Tackles /90 | Int /90 | Aerial % | Duel % | Minutes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  James Tarkowski | Everton · 33 | 78 | 1.67 | 2.67 | 77 | 82 | 540 | View profile → |
| 2 |  Nordi Mukiele | Sunderland · 28 | 77 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 52 | 58 | 450 | View profile → |
| 3 |  Wesley Fofana | Chelsea · 25 | 76 | 1.43 | 2.86 | 69 | 66 | 315 | View profile → |
| 4 |  James Justin | Leeds United · 28 | 72 | 1.7 | 1.53 | 63 | 63 | 529 | View profile → |
| 5 |  Jérémy Jacquet | Liverpool · 21 | 70 | 1.25 | 1.96 | 80 | 76 | 505 | View profile → |
| 6 |  Harry Maguire | Manchester United · 33 | 69 | 0.5 | 1.83 | 80 | 67 | 540 | View profile → |
| 7 |  Murillo | Nottingham Forest · 24 | 68 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 55 | 49 | 540 | View profile → |
| 8 |  Luke Shaw | Manchester United · 31 | 68 | 1.05 | 2.32 | 89 | 58 | 427 | View profile → |
| 9 |  Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool · 35 | 67 | 0.67 | 1.33 | 72 | 71 | 540 | View profile → |
| 10 |  Bobby Thomas | Coventry City · 25 | 67 | 0.51 | 1.53 | 59 | 60 | 528 | View profile → |
What the numbers mean
There is no single defending stat, so this list uses 6: tackles won, interceptions, aerial win rate, duel win rate, clearances and blocks. Each defender is ranked against every Premier League defender with 270 minutes in each of them, and the index is the average of those 6 percentile ranks.
The radar on each card is the same 6 measures as wedges, so the shape says what kind of defender he is: a big aerial wedge and a small tackle wedge is a centre back who wins the first ball; a big tackle wedge with a big interception wedge is a full back who defends on the front foot.
The list rebuilds every night from the latest matches, so it will move as the season goes on. The date on each card says when it last changed.
Percentiles explained → · The ball-winning midfielders list →
What is the defensive index?
The average of a defender's percentile ranks in 6 measures against every Premier League defender with 270 minutes: tackles won per 90, interceptions per 90, aerial win rate, duel win rate, clearances per 90 and blocks per 90. A 90 means he is around the top tenth on average.
Does it measure positioning?
Only indirectly. A defender who reads the game well makes fewer tackles because he is already in the right place, so pair the index with the radar: a low tackle wedge and a high interception wedge is a reader, not a passenger.
How often does it update?
Every night, from the latest matches. The order, the cards and the table rebuild together, and the date on each card says when the list last changed.
Reading the list
The index rewards defenders who do a lot, which favours those in sides that defend more, so read the radar and the club together. A defender at a dominant club will have smaller wedges because he sees less of the ball coming at him; his index is more impressive than it looks. Each name opens a full FDscout profile with the radar against the whole league.