He has only played three games at this level - but he's already one of League One's top players.

That is the statistical verdict on Carlisle United's Owen Moxon early in the new third-tier campaign.

Leading football data website WhoScored.com rates Moxon the fifth best player in the division after the first handful of games.

The Blues midfielder is rubbing shoulders with other top performers in League One as he and his United team-mates make their first steps at this level.

Moxon has scored two goals in his three outings to date, and has an average performance rating of 7.67 on WhoScored.

That puts him only behind Wigan Athletic's Charlie Wyke, Shrewsbury Town's Chey Dunkley, Blackpool's James Husband and Wigan Athletic's Tom Pearce in the list of players with more than two appearances so far.

Wigan's former Carlisle frontman Wyke, who has already hit five goals this season, leads the way with an average rating of 7.88.

News and Star: Charlie Wyke is League One's top performer so far, according to the statsCharlie Wyke is League One's top performer so far, according to the stats (Image: Ben Holmes)

The detailed stats show Moxon, as well as scoring against Fleetwood Town and Wigan, has a passing accuracy of 70.3 per cent.

The Denton Holme favourite takes on 2.7 shots per game on average, wins 1.7 aerial duels and averages 37 passes per game.

He has totted up 252 minutes so far this season, a dead leg and gastroenteritis costing him the chance to figure in Carlisle's other games, against Harrogate Town in the Carabao Cup and at Oxford United in the league.

Moxon's early showings have seen him build on last season's superb displays in League Two, when he earned a place in the division's team of the season.

Jordan Gibson is United's next best performer early in the season with a rating of 6.76, Jack Armer third with 6.74.

Moxon was the subject of a failed bid from Blackpool during pre-season, with United stating the 25-year-old was not for sale.

The Blues have offered the former Annan Athletic man an improved contract but manager Paul Simpson last week said there had been no progress.

Simpson said he was "badgering the life" out of Moxon over the new terms as United were so keen to secure the player's future at the club.