The stats do not lie - ranking Africa's Premier League stars

Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba and Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui would all make Africa's best XI for the 2024-25 Premier League season

The curtain has come down on the 2024-25 Premier League season, with Mohamed Salah instrumental as Liverpool wrapped up the title with four games to spare.

The Egyptian was named Premier League player of the season on the back of his 47 goal involvements (29 goals, 18 assists), a tally which moved him level with 1990s icons Alan Shearer and Andy Cole for the most ever in a season.

Cameroon's Bryan Mbeumo also had an impressive campaign, with his career-best 20 strikes and seven assists likely to spark transfer interest in the Brentford forward.

But which other Africans made an impression? BBC Sport Africa has been crunching the data to find out.

Bees strike force provide sting

Standout forwards: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Yoane Wissa (Brentford)

Among attackers, it was a case of Salah leading the way. Not many could keep up.

The 32-year-old topped the division's charts for expected goals (25.4), minutes per goal (116.5), total shots (130), total shots on target (61) and touches in the opposition box (394).

His 89 chances created was the joint-second highest in the top flight, while Mbeumo's tally of 70 was fifth-highest, the next best by an African and a club record for a Brentford player.

By finding the net 20 times, Mbeumo also notably outperformed his expected goals, with the metric which rates the quality of chances suggesting that his efforts were worth only 12.3 goals.

He formed a deadly partnership with 19-goal forward Yoane Wissa, with the DR Congo man scoring every 154.1 minutes to give him the second-best strike rate of any player from the continent.

Antoine Semenyo also stood out as his last-day double for Bournemouth secured him double figures for goals (11) for the first time in the top flight.

His 211 touches in the opposition box were second only to Salah, while the Ghanaian ranked third in the league for both total shots (125) and dribbles completed (69).

Gueye shows his experience

Everton's Idrissa Gana Gueye made the most tackles by an African midfielder

Standout midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Carlos Baleba (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Alex Iwobi proved to be the most creative African midfielder with his nine goals and six assists for Fulham just ahead of Manchester United's Amad Diallo (eight goals and six assists) – although the Nigerian played 1,093 more minutes than the Ivorian.

Iwobi also led the way for chances created (59) and successful passes into the final third (508), while Ghana's Thomas Partey recorded the most successful passes (1,631) of any African midfielder as Arsenal once again fell short in the title race.

Elsewhere, Idrissa Gana Gueye made his experience count to help Everton comfortably secure their Premier League status in their final season at Goodison Park.

The 35-year-old Senegalese made a league-high 133 tackles and won 221 duels, the most of any African midfielder.

Cameroon's Carlos Baleba proved that he is on his way towards becoming a top talent, winning back possession for his Brighton side 197 times.

That figure leads the way for the continent's midfielders, with Gueye close behind on 194.

Bassey commanding in the box

Fulham and Nigeria centre-back Calvin Bassey led the way in clearances and blocks

Standout defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Wolves)

Three full-backs stood out with their performances.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has switched his allegiance to DR Congo, made the most interceptions (66) and completed the most dribbles (64) among Premier League defenders – form that saw him voted West Ham's player of the season by fans.

Algeria's Rayan Ait-Nouri provided a serious attacking threat playing as a wing-back, bagging four goals and seven assists in a struggling Wolves side.

Ola Aina had the best season of his career for Nottingham Forest, impressively winning back possession 190 times - the highest figure recorded by any top-flight defender.

The Nigerian right-back also made a joint-high three clearances off the line, a figure which was matched by six other players including, unexpectedly, Everton and Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye.

Aina's international team-mate Calvin Bassey touched the ball 2,536 times for Fulham - more than any other African in the Premier League – and his 1,926 successful passes, 113 clearances and 17 blocks were the most by a defender from the continent.

Meanwhile, Noussair Mazraoui's 115 tackles and 216 duels for Manchester United ranked the Moroccan second and third respectively among the league's defenders.

A season to forget for Onana

Andre Onana came under scrutiny after several high-profile errors for Manchester United, who finished in 15th and were beaten in the Europa League final by Tottenham

Andre Onana, the only African goalkeeper in the Premier League, endured a disappointing time as Manchester United recorded their worst finish in 50 years.

The Cameroon number one did keep nine clean sheets, but that meant the 44 goals he conceded came in just 25 games.

His 90 saves were the 12th most of any keeper while his save percentage of 66.9% ranked him 15th among those who made 10 or more appearances.

The 29-year-old made three errors leading to goals, with only three men making more.

The unwanted records

Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson hit the woodwork six times and was flagged offside more than any other African

The player who committed the most fouls in the Premier League in 2024-25 threw up a surprising name, with Bournemouth's Semenyo drawing the referee's whistle 73 times.

That number was well above anyone else from the continent, as Gueye and his Everton team-mate Aboulaye Doucoure of Mali registered 55 and 49 fouls respectively.

Ipswich Town and Egypt midfielder Samy Morsy picked up the most yellow cards by an African (10), with Gueye and Semenyo both getting one fewer and rounding out a podium of indiscipline.

Mohammed Kudus was dispossessed a league-high 93 times, and the Ghanaian also struck the woodwork six times – an unfortunate tally matched only by Nicolas Jackson, Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer.

Chelsea's Senegalese forward Jackson was offside more times than any other African, drifting past the last man 23 times. Only Chris Wood, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jamie Vardy were on the wrong end of an assistant referee's flag more often.

Taiwo Awoniyi got used to being left out of Nottingham Forest's starting XI as Wood spearheaded an unlikely, but ultimately successfully, challenge for Europe.

Only two players – Forest team-mate Jota Silva and Ipswich midfielder Jack Taylor – made more substitute appearances than Awoniyi, with 23 of the Nigerian striker's 26 outings coming from the bench.

Data via Opta and Premier League