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The Premier League has been as entertaining as ever, and we are in for a thrilling ride as the business end of the season approaches.
While Manchester City seem to have the league all wrapped up, there is still a lot to play for in the top four race and the relegation battle.
There has been no lack of goals this Premier League season
There is never a dull moment in the Premier League and this season has seen plenty of action in terms of goals. Boxing Day saw 26 goals scored in just five games. While we applaud the goalscorers, the creators of these goals also need appreciation.
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Goals can come from even the most unlikeliest of sources. Given the quality of the teams in the league, players have to be comfortable on the ball regardless of their position and try and create chances.
Let us now take a look at this season's XI with the most assists in the league. A regular 4-3-3 formation has been chosen for the same.
Goalkeeper: Jose Sa
Wolverhampton Wanderers goalie Jose Sa has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League this season. The Portuguese international has been a brick wall all season, pulling off splendid saves whenever called upon.
Jose Sa’s only assist of the season came against Southampton in September 2021. The goalie’s long-range pass was impeccably controlled by Raul Jimenez, who found the perfect finish.
Sa became the first Wolves goalkeeper to get a league assist since Wayne Hennessey in October 2009.
Wolves have been a defensively solid unit this season, and have only let in 17 goals. League leaders Manchester City, who have conceded 14 goals, are the only team with a better defensive record.
Sa has kept nine clean sheets in the campaign so far.
Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Hardly anybody will be surprised to see Trent Alexander-Arnold on this list. The Englishman has been a superb playmaker for Liverpool, creating loads of chances from the right flank.
Over the past few seasons, Alexander-Arnold has established himself as one of the best right-backs in Europe. The 23-year-old currently leads the league rankings in terms of assists with ten thus far.
A product of Liverpool's youth academy, Alexander Arnold's never-say-die attitude has made him a fan favorite. The Englishman already has four trophies, including a Champions League and Premier League title.
Center Back: Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger has had a phenomenal season in the Premier League. The German has been unbeatable at times and is one of the best centre-backs in the league.
Rudiger's contributions were key to Chelsea's successful Champions League campaign last season.
The 28-year-old has been impressive on the other side of the pitch as well, scoring two goals and assisting two others so far. He has missed just one match in the Premier League this season and has played every single minute of the remaining fixtures.
Rudiger is out of contract in the summer and has reportedly not planned for a renewal with Chelsea. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG are said to have the defender on their radar.
Center-back: Ruben Dias
Ruben Dias has been the perfect centre-back for Manchester City and has filled the void in their defense since Vincent Kompany's departure in 2020.
The Portuguese is a key figure both on and off the pitch and has emerged as an inspirational leader in the dressing room.
Apart from being a superb defender, Dias is terrific under pressure and has immaculate playmaking skills from the back. Dias has provided three assists in the current Premier League season.
Manchester City signed Dias in 2020's summer transfer window, paying Benfica a fee of £65 million for the defender. Only a few defenders have managed to live up to a hefty transfer fee, and Dias is one of them.
The 24-year-old won the league title with City last season and was also named the Premier League's Player of the Season for stellar defensive performances.
Left Back: Andrew Robertson
Andrew Robertson has been a reliable presence on Liverpool’s left-flank since signing for them back in 2017. Robertson has a telepathic connection with Trent Alexander Arnold, and the duo have created a plethora of goalscoring opportunities for the Reds.
Robertson nullified the initial speculation surrounding his transfer by putting in commendable performances week in, week out.
He has now become one of the best left-backs in the league. The Scotsman has eight assists in the Premier League this season.
The 27-year-old has 47 Premier League assists in his league career, just six short of Leighton Baines, who has the current record for the most Premier League assists by a defender (53).
CM: Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba started the Premier League season in an exemplary manner. The Frenchman was in top form and provided seven assists in his first four games. Manchester United fans were beyond thrilled to see Pogba back at his brilliant best.
However, the Frenchman sustained an untimely injury while on national duty in November and had to miss out on 11 Premier League games.
He was back in action earlier this month, scoring a superb goal against Burnley. Pogba has eight assists in the league this season.
There is no denying that Pogba makes United a better side and fans will hope he can play a significant part in the remainder of the season.
Manchester United are currently fourth in the Premier League but could slip to sixth if Tottenham and Arsenal win their games in hand.
CM: Mason Mount
A Chelsea boy through and through, Mason Mount is living the dream with his boyhood club.
He has been one of the best graduates the Blues' academy has seen in recent times, rapidly developing into a world-class midfielder with his extraordinary talent.
The 23-year-old has been a key figure for Thomas Tuchel this season. With Lukaku and Werner misfiring, the youngster has proved to be a lifesaver at times.
Mount has been one of Chelsea's standout performers in the Premier League and leads their goalscoring and assists charts. He has seven goals and six assists in the league so far.
Mount has achieved a tremendous amount of success at such a young age. The Englishman won the Champions League with Chelsea last season and was part of their recent success in the Club World Cup.
CM: Bruno Fernandes
Few winter signings have made an impact in the Premier League the way Bruno Fernandes has.
Fernandes signed for Manchester United in January 2020 from Benfica for an initial fee of £46.6 million. United's "Portuguese Magnifico" was the primary reason behind their second-place finish last season.
Fernandes has five assists in the current season. Mateo Kovacic also has five assists, but the Portuguese was chosen here as he scored more goals (eight) and had a larger impact on the team.
Bruno ranks second in Manchester United’s charts in terms of goalscoring, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored nine Premier League goals.
However, much like United, the 27-year-old has been having a rough time in the Premier League this season. Fans will hope Fernandes can recreate the impact he had last season in which he scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists.
RW: Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has undoubtedly been one of the best players in the Premier League this season. The Egyptian seems to be scoring for fun and has also created plenty of chances for his teammates.
Salah’s stats are simply incredible given that he has missed out on a few weeks of league action due to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Salah has nine Premier League assists this season, which is the second-best in the league. He is only behind the aforementioned Alexander-Arnold. With 16 goals, Salah is also currently leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.
The 29-year-old was left distraught after a disappointing end to the AFCON final. Egypt lost 4-2 on penalties, and Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane claimed the bragging rights with Senegal.
Salah will not let this result affect him for long, and he seems ready to be at his devastating best in the league once again.
LW: Nathan Redmond
Nathan Redmond signed for Southampton in 2016 and has been a regular starter for the Saints. The Englishman had a particularly impressive 2018-19 season in which he was named Southampton’s Player of the Season by both fans and players.
Redmond has five assists in the league this season. He has been a key figure for Southampton and is the Saint’s leading assist provider. Redmond has missed the last couple of games after sustaining an injury before Southampton’s 3-2 win over Tottenham.
Ralph Hassenhutl confirmed that the 27-year-old is back in training and could feature in their game against Everton. Southampton are on a terrific run of form, picking up points against City, Tottenham and United.
They are currently tenth in the league but can end the season on a high if they continue in this vein.
ST: Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus has been with Manchester City for over five years and has been a potent threat in their attack. The Brazilian joined City from Palmeiras in 2017 but used to be often overshadowed by Sergio Aguero.
However, Jesus has made many significant contributions under Pep Guardiola in his career.
The Brazilian has seven assists in the current Premier League season. Jesus has missed City’s last four games due to a muscle injury. Whether or not he will feature for his side in their game against Tottenham is still under speculation.
Jesus’ versatility has been a blessing for Guardiola, who has heaped praise on the 24-year-old. Even when City have resorted to playing without an out-and-out striker, they have managed to dominate games.
They are at the top of the Premier League, closely followed by Liverpool, who are nine points behind.
