Player Focus: Premier League Single Game Stat Records XI

The Premier League season may have ended some weeks ago but WhoScored.com has taken the chance to look back at some outstanding contributions from players in certain games over the course of the 2012/13 campaign.

In turn they have compiled an XI of single game stat leaders - those who picked up seasonal high figures when it came to individual matches. To be included the players must have completed a stand-alone figure for any given statistic so, for example, none of the 11 players to bag hat-tricks get the nod as they were unable to score the most single goals in a game outright, instead sharing the accolade with 10 others.

We start in goal, where West Ham's Jussi Jääskeläinen takes his place in the line-up thanks to an extremely busy night back in February. The Finn's heroics in pulling off 11 saves against Gareth Bale and co. as Spurs made the short trip across London eventually went unrewarded, with a double from the Welshman helping the visitors to a 3-2 win. The keeper’s tally in terms of stops was enough, however, to rank as the most in a game this season, earning the veteran a place here.

Another player whose efforts were not enough to earn his side the points as Villa hosted Liverpool back in March was full-back Matthew Lowton. The 23 year old put in an excellent display as Paul Lambert's side squandered a first half lead to lose 2-1, making 12 interceptions in total, which was a figure unrivalled by any other player in the top-flight.

Meanwhile, in terms of the player to make the most tackles in a single game last season, tenacious Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta came out on top. The Argentine's tally of 12 in this instance came back in December as Mancini took his side to Saint James' Park, with Zabaleta's combative display helping the former champions to a 3-1 away victory, with the full-back also picking up an assist on the day.

Ashley Williams has attracted plenty of interest from some of the Premier League's big names and against the champions United back in December he proved his worth with 7 blocks from opposition shots. It was enough to help his Swansea side earn a share of the spoils, and on the day no other player blocked more than one effort at goal, proving just how willing the Welshman is to put his body on the line.

Although Spurs ended up winning their season finale against Sunderland they were made to work hard for it, by none more so than makeshift left-back Jack Colback. With the hosts looking to secure Champions League football ahead of fierce rivals Arsenal, they were left frustrated until an 89th minute goal from you know who thanks in no small part to 3 clearances off the line from the 23 year old.

Taking his place on the right side of the midfield thanks to an outrageous tally of 14 successful dribbles in a single game is QPR's Andros Townsend, who spent the second half of the season on loan from Tottenham. It was Wigan that were terrorised by the winger that day, with Townsend's individual tally put into perspective by the fact that the entire Latics team completed just 3 dribbles on the day.

The end of the season also saw the end of the illustrious career of Paul Scholes, so it's fitting really that the 38 year old takes his place in our XI for the most obvious of statistics when related to the midfielder. No it isn't fouls, but accurate passes, with the United legend completing 135 back in September in a 3-2 defeat to Spurs. Scholes' tally on the day was just 53 fewer than 14 Tottenham players in action.

While 9 players were able to create a joint-high of 8 chances in a game, with City's David Silva doing so on three occasions, only one picked up 4 assists in a match. That was Santi Cazorla, setting up all of Arsenal's goals in a 4-1 victory over compatriot Roberto Martinez's Wigan, which subsequently ensured the Latics' fate, relegated just days after winning the FA Cup.

Completing our midfield is West Ham's Matt Jarvis, who lines up on the left flank having completed a seasonal high of 7 accurate crosses excluding corners in a single game. The winger achieved that feat against relegated QPR back in January, attempting 21 crosses in total in that outing, though the Hammers could only earn a point despite dominating the game at Upton Park.

It's only right that the league's top scorer Robin van Persie should take his place in this XI, doing so thanks to firing off 11 shots against Southampton back in September. As many as 5 of those efforts hit the target, including a penalty which was saved by Kelvin Davis, but the Dutchman's first treble in only his second start in a United shirt ensured that Fergie's men picked up all three points from an enthralling encounter, having twice gone behind to the newly promoted outfit.

Completing our line-up here is Stoke City striker Peter Crouch, and there are no prizes for guessing the statistic for wich the 6'7" forward came out on top. With 21 aerial duels won against Norwich, Crouch stood head and shoulders above the rest in the most literal sense of the term. The Potters did little to dispel their long ball team tag, with Crouch competing in 36 aerial duels in what proved to be Tony Pulis’ penultimate home game in charge at the Britannia Stadium.