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Despite their shambolic exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Wigan Athletic again, there is no denying that Manchester City is firing on all cylinders as the end to the 2017-18 season nears. A lot of credit, without any doubt, goes to the hard-working engine in their midfield called Kevin De Bruyne.
While it already looks like he might end the season as the top assist-provider (14 assists in 27 games as of 20th February 2018), his overall 42 assists in Premier League (41 with Manchester City + 1 with Chelsea) places him at a joint 54th on the list of all-time highest assists-providers in the Premier League since 1992.
So, do you know the names of the top assists-providers in the Premier League since 1992?
#10 Thierry Henry
Appearances: 258
Trending
Assists: 74
Passes (since 2006)*: 600
Passes per match (since 2006)*: 2.33
Crosses (since 2006)*: 64
Clubs played for in Premier League: Arsenal (1997-2007, 2012 - loan)
A few would expect a striker with a legacy as that of Thierry Henry to be a top assist-provider as well. But the French hit-man, in his 258 appearances for the Gunners racked up a mammoth 74 assists, propelling him to No.10 on the list.
His best tally was in the season 2002-03, where he not only clinched the award for top assists (20) but also came second on the list for highest goals scored (24)!
* - When the Premier League began in 1992/93, only a basic level of match data was gathered. Over time, this has increased and since 2006/07, a wide range of statistics (like the number of passes, passes per match and crosses) are now provided.
#9 Teddy Sheringham
Appearances: 418
Assists: 76
Passes (since 2006): 303
Passes per match (since 2006): 0.72
Crosses (since 2006): 3
Clubs played for in Premier League: Nottingham Forest (1992), Tottenham Hotspur (1992-97, 2001-03), Manchester United (1997-2001), Portsmouth (2003-04), West Ham United (2005-07).
In 2006, Teddy Sheringham walked out as the oldest outfield player to play in the Premier League at 40 years, 8 months and 28 days. In 15 long years, the efficient Englishman provided 76 assists at five different clubs in the Premier League. His best tally came in his first season at Manchester United in 1997-98 where he provided 10 assists (a joint third on the list that season).
#8 James Milner
Appearances: 475 (still playing)
Assists: 77
Passes (since 2006): 13,397
Passes per match (since 2006): 28.20
Crosses (since 2006): 2036
Clubs played for in Premier League: Leeds United (2001-04), Newcastle United (2004-06, 2006-09), Aston Villa (2005 - loan, 2008-2010), Manchester City (2010-2015), Liverpool (2015-present).
The two-time Premier League champion with Manchester City has been a reliable source for goal-scoring passes since his early days at Leeds United. His best assist tally for a season came in 2009-10 when he provided 12 assists for Aston Villa.
#7 David Beckham
Appearances: 265
Assists: 80
Passes (since 2006): N/A
Passes per match (since 2006): N/A
Crosses (since 2006): N/A
Clubs played for in Premier League: Manchester United (1992-2003).
Undeniably, one of the most iconic players to have graced the sport of football, David Beckham was a class apart with his bending free-kicks, the range of passing and his crossing abilities. A six-time Premier League title winner with the Red Devils, Manchester United majorly owes their dominance in the Premier League to him.
Beckham's 15 assists in the 1999-2000 season helped United clinch their 6th Premier League title by a very comfortable margin of 18 points.
#6 Steven Gerrard
Appearances: 504
Assists: 92
Passes (since 2006): 15,108
Passes per match (since 2006): 29.98
Crosses (since 2006): 1716
Clubs played for in Premier League: Liverpool (1998-2015).
Any football listicle in the world centred on passing abilities would simply be incomplete without the mention of the former iconic Liverpool captain. A captain, in the true sense, Stevie G has come to the assistance, quite literally, for the Reds on multiple occasions.
His stat of 1507 'accurate long balls' is a clear indication of his passing abilities, making the idea of him not winning the Premier League even once, sound almost implausible.
The former England captain's industrious 14 assists nearly helped them win the title in the 2013-14 season until two dramatic results left them in the second position at the end of the season.
#5 Dennis Bergkamp
Appearances: 315
Assists: 94
Passes (since 2006): N/A
Passes per match (since 2006): N/A
Crosses (since 2006): N/A
Clubs played for in Premier League: Arsenal (1995-2006).
The Dutch forward, who has had his statue unveiled at The Emirates and who was also called as a "dream for a striker" by his team-mate Thierry Henry (as mentioned to the British daily The Independent via Nick Colemon), is renowned for that famous goal vs Newcastle United (which was voted as the best goal in the 25 years of Premier League history in 2017).
No doubting his goal-scoring prowess, Bergkamp was also a lethal passing genius as his 94 assists in 315 appearances for the Gunners helped them win 3 Premier League titles.
His best tally (15 assists), without any doubt, came in the 1998-99 season for Arsenal where they finished a close second behind Manchester United by one point.
#4 Frank Lampard
Appearances: 69
Assists: 102
Passes (since 2006): 13,274
Passes per match (since 2006): 21.80
Crosses (since 2006): 1082
Clubs played for in Premier League: West Ham United (1993-2001), Chelsea (2001-14), Manchester City (2014-15).
It's still hard to believe that an England national team having the likes of Steven Gerrard, David Beckham and Lampard (all three present on this list) at the same time, were not dominating world football. The all-time top goal-scorer for Chelsea (211), Lampard was also a proficient assists-provider, which bolted him to the top of assists charts thrice since 1992.
Lampard's most electrifying form came in the 2009-10 season when his 14 assists helped Chelsea win their third Premier League title.
#3 Wayne Rooney
Appearances: 482 (still playing)
Assists: 103
Passes (since 2006): 14,339
Passes per match (since 2006): 29.75
Crosses (since 2006): 1055
Clubs played for in Premier League: Manchester United (2004-18), Everton (2001-04, 2018-present)
Along with former United team-mate Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney is the only English player to win the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, League Cup, UEFA Europa League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Playing as a second-striker to legendary strike-partners like Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robin van Persie, Carlos Tevez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and many more, Rooney developed a telepathic partnership through the years at Manchester United, which helped him notch up 103 assists in 482 games.
His best assists-seasons were the 2006-07 season and 2010-11 season (11 assists each), which propelled United to their 9th and 12th Premier League title respectively.
#2 Cesc Fàbregas
Appearances: 335 (still playing)
Assists: 111
Passes (since 2006): 18,338
Passes per match (since 2006): 54.74
Crosses (since 2006): 1253
Clubs played for in Premier League: Arsenal (2003-12), Chelsea (2014-present)
The Chelsea playmaker came through La Masia (Barcelona youth academy) and was signed up by Arsenal at the age of 16. Slowly and steadily, he became one of the essential parts of the Arsenal team which eventually won the 2004-05 FA Cup.
Fabregas left the Gunners in the summers of 2012 only to return to the Premier League once again in 2014. However, this time around he joined cross-town rivals, Chelsea. His 18 and 12 assists in 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons helped Chelsea secure their 4th and 5th Premier League titles respectively.
Fabregas' best season was undoubtedly his first return season back in the Premier League, as he helped the Blues to their 4th Premier League title by providing 18 goal-scoring assists!
#1 Ryan Giggs
Appearances: 632
Assists: 162
Passes (since 2006): 6,605
Passes per match (since 2006): 10.45
Crosses (since 2006): 1226
Clubs played for in Premier League: Manchester United (1992-2014)
13-time Premier League champion - Ryan Giggs has literally won exactly the same number of Premier League trophies that the rest of the title-winning teams have combined won - Chelsea (5) + Arsenal (3) + Manchester City (2) + Leicester City (1) + Blackburn Rovers (1) = 13.
At the age of 40, Ryan Giggs finally hung up his boots as the most successful Premier League player ever. In 632 appearances in the Premier League since 1992, 162 of his accurate passes have been converted to goals, making him the highest assist-provider in the history of Premier League, by quite a margin.
Giggs was almost always included in the top 10 assists-provider since 1992 barring a few exceptions, but the Welshman's best (12 assists) in 2001-02, unfortunately, couldn't help United win the title that season.
