5 best playmakers in the Premier League right now
The Premier League has been home to some of the greatest playmakers in the history of the game. While the limelight often lands on strikers, it's the playmakers who are the most revered in footballing circles.
The trequartistas, false nines or registas who know how to exploit space and use it to their advantage are the real difference makers.
Playmaking as a skill is evolving as far as the Premier League is concerned
But to say that playmaking is limited to just the midfielders is quite reductive. In the 2020-21 season, the Premier League Playmaker Award went to Harry Kane, who had notched up 12 assists. But then again, strikers do end up registering quite a few assists as they operate around the goalmouth.
In recent times, we have seen how Luke Shaw, for example, has become one of the main creative forces for Manchester United. So here we're widening the ambit to include all kinds of playmakers in the Premier League.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five best playmakers in the Premier League right now.
#5 Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Chelsea have a great youth academy but they have seemed quite disinterested in reaping the benefits of the hard work that's done there. Mason Mount is an exception and he has proved his worth and become a midfield lynchpin for the Blues.
The youngster is an aggressive midfielder who is also technically proficient. He keeps things ticking for Chelsea in and around the final third and with him on the pitch, Tuchel's side don't seem to run out of ideas.
He was a standout performer for Chelsea as they won the UEFA Champions League last term. Mount was also picked as Chelsea's 2020-21 Men’s Player of the Year. He scored nine goals and provided nine assists in 54 appearances across all competitions last term.
He finished the season as the player who created the second-most number of chances in the Premier League with 87 to his name.
#4 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
The role of the modern full-back is evolving and Trent Alexander-Arnold is a very good example of a player who can conduct play from deep. Already a Champions League and Premier League winner, it's hard to find a player with the vision and passing range of Alexander-Arnold.
The Liverpool right-back created more big chances (14) and provided more assists (7) than any other u-23 player in the 2020/21 Premier League season. He has also played the most number of balls into the box than any other player in any of Europe's top 5 leagues in the 2020-21 season.
That goes to show just how influential Alexander-Arnold is. The 22-year-old's crosses from the right flank are David Beckham-esque. He plays quite a lot of early crosses and pings lovely long balls for the pacy Liverpool attackers to chase down.
In 36 appearances in the 2020-21 Premier League season, Alexander-Arnold scored two goals and provided seven assists.