It’s easy to look at stat sheets and point out the top scorers in football, but behind almost every great goal is a man using smart footwork to get the ball close enough for the big shots.
Even the official “assists” category can sometimes be incomplete because it does not always account for shots on goal that were only narrowly saved or missed. Thankfully, we’ve taken a look at the stats and found out who the best players are at making big scoring opportunities.
Here is a look at the assist kings of the Premier League, ranked by the number of chances they’ve created for their clubs:
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10. Kevin De Bruyne – 24 chances created
Everyone in Europe knew that Man City would be getting a top-notch assist wizard when De Bruyne moved to Etihad Stadium. The one person who didn’t know how good De Bruyne was? Jose Mourinho.
9. Riyad Mahrez – 24 chances created
Behind Jamie Vardy’s outstanding 2015-16 campaign for the Foxes is Mahrez, who has helped the team score the second most goals in the league.
8. Erik Lamela – 26 chances created
Tottenham have only one loss this season thanks to numerous goals coming off of Lamela’s hard work.
7. James Milner – 27 chances created
Liverpool may not have found the goal much this season, but not for a lack of trying. Milner has been a solid midfield option for the team all year.
6. Christian Eriksen – 28 chances created
Considering that Eriksen has only played nine out of 12 matches this season, he’d likely be higher on the list with his chances/game average.
5. Eden Hazard – 32 chances created
Hazard’s criticisms have been well-earned this season, but he’s still the best chance creator on Chelsea’s first-team.
4. Dusan Tadic – 33 chances created
Southampton are once again well within reach of a top four finish thanks in large part to the former Eredivisie assists leader.
3. Santi Cazorla – 35 chances created
With some of the best footwork in the league, Cazorla has been having one of his best seasons ever. The scary thing is that while he’s the third best chance-maker in the Premier League, he isn’t even the best one on his team.
2. Dimitri Payet – 47 chances created
Seeing the stats Payet has put up for West Ham United this season, it’s clear that the team is likely to miss him as the third best offense in the Premier League tries to make an unlikely title run.
1. Mesut Ozil – 54 chances created
There’s a reason Arsenal have been so outstanding despite their numerous injuries to the midfield, and that’s Ozil. To date he has 10 assists – four more than any other player – and has set up a goal in six consecutive appearances, a Premier League record.