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The Premier League has had many assist-providing defenders over the years.
Premier League defenders have come a long way from just being players assigned the task of preventing opposition goals.
Nowadays, they are seen darting into the opposition box and contributing in attack. Defenders, by definition, are expected to prevent the opposition from scoring, so they are not expected to score themselves. But some have had their fair share of goal contributions over the years.
Premier League full-backs have contributed a lot in attack
Full-backs, especially, make a lot of contribution to their teams in attack. The ability to operate on the flanks and the forward play allows full-backs to set up their teammates more regularly as compared to centre-backs. As a result, the top assist providing defenders in the Premier League over the last decade have all been full-backs.
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Some of the players on this list started in more advanced roles down the pitch, and later transitioned into full-backs over time. On that note, here's a look at the five Premier League defenders with the most assists in the last decade.
#5 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - 35
Trent Alexander-Arnold has had one of the most meteoric rises in English football. He was obviously a hot commodity coming out of the famed Liverpool youth academy, and was even earmarked by Steven Gerrard as a future Liverpool player in his second autobiography in 2015.
As things turned out, Gerrard was right, as Alexander-Arnold and his partner-in-crime, Andrew Robertson, have redefined the role of a modern-day full-back in recent times.
Alexander-Arnold has the ability to whip accurate crosses from the wings, which has enabled him to register a lot of assists. The young right-back has provided 38 assists in 132 outings for Liverpool across competitions.
Alexander-Arnold also broke the record for most assists by a defender in a single Premier League season in 2018-19 when he assisted 12 goals en route to Liverpool's second-place finish. He entered the Guinness World Records book for that feat. The next year, he bettered his tally by one as Liverpool clinched their first Premier League title.
Still only 22, Alexander-Arnold could go on to break several records. There's a perception that he could go on to become one of the best right-backs the Premier League has ever seen.
#4 Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) - 35
Antonio Valencia was a consistent presence for Manchester United in the last decade, initially operating as a right-winger before spending his later years at the club as a right-back.
Valencia joined Manchester United in 2009 after impressing on the wings at Wigan Athletic. The Ecuador international continued to impress on the wings before the arrival of Louis Van Gaal saw him move to right-back.
Even from the right-back position, the former Villarreal man was a constant threat to the opposition, with his pace and delivery. In the last decade, Valencia managed 197 Premier League appearances for the club, providing 35 assists.
Valencia won the Premier League twice and the Europa League once during his time at United before leaving the club in 2019.
#3 Ashley Young (Manchester United) - 36
Like his counterpart Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young began his career as a winger in the Premier League before he was converted to a full-back. Young began his career with Watford playing on the wings before transitioning to a central attacking player during his stint at Aston Villa.
Although Young spent most of his Manchester United career playing further forward, the arrival of Jose Mourinho in 2016 saw him used in the left-back role, where he performed pretty well. He displayed excellent performances offensively and defensively for United.
The Englishman provided 36 assists during his time at the club, with his accurate crosses more often than not finding their intended target.
Young won one Premier League title, one FA Cup, one League Cup and one Europa League before departing the club in 2020. He is now back in the Premier League after re-signing with Aston Villa
#2 Andrew Robertson (Hull City & Liverpool) - 39
Already a Premier League and Champions League winner at the age of 26, Andrew Robertson has been one of the best full-backs in the game in the last few years.
His partnership with Sadio Mane down the left for Liverpool has been instrumental in ensuring the Reds playing the kind of devastating football that has helped them win multiple trophies.
Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the other flank have formed one of the most deadly full-back duos the game has seen in years. The Liverpool pairing provided double-digit assists during the 2018-19 and 2019/20 campaigns. While Liverpool generally struggled throughout last season, Robertson had a decent enough campaign, registering seven Premier League assists.
Andrew Robertson has provided 39 Premier League assists so far, with four of them coming during his time at Hull City between 2015 and 2017.
The full-back was injured at the start of the 2021-22 season, but returned in the game against Chelsea. Robertson will look to continue his brilliant form as Liverpool look to challenge for the Premier League title once again.
#1 Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) - 39
One of the most versatile players the Premier League has ever seen, Cesar Azpilicueta is joint-top with Andrew Robertson on the list of Premier League defenders with the most assists in the last decade.
The current captain of Chelsea, Azpilicueta might not be the most talented player in Europe. But very few can match his hard work and determination. The Spaniard moved to Chelsea from Marseille for £8 million in 2012.
Capable of playing as a right-back, left-back and as a centre-back in a three-man defence, Azpilicueta has been a consistent fixture in the Chelsea team since joining them. Sharp on his feet, the Spaniard is adept in most of his defensive work, but has regularly increased his presence further up the pitch for the Champions League holders.
Since joining Chelsea, Azpilicueta has provided 39 assists in the Premier League, with his highest tally of assists in a season being six, which he has achieved on four different occasions (2012-13, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20).
Azpilicueta recently made his 300th Premier League appearance for the club. With a strong Chelsea squad this season, he will hope to win a third Premier League title.
