7 players with highest number of assists in Europe's top 5 leagues
Every football team yearns for a creative genius to unlock defences, to beat offside traps, to take out 2-3 players in one go and to chip in with a goal every now and then. The traditional role of a pure playmaker is to roam ahead of the central midfield and behind the attack.
The creators-in-chief generally have various techniques to set up goals, which include corner kicks, set pieces, through balls, crosses and even laying it on a plate for a tap-in. Different players have different combinations of the above qualities and only the top players can combine them all.
On that note, here are seven creative forces driving their teams and standing at the top of the assists table (data taken from Whoscored.com).
#7 Christian Eriksen
Club – Tottenham Hotspur
Number of assists – 10
Minutes per assist – 236
The first entry on the list, Christian Eriksen has been playing third fiddle to Harry Kane and Dele Alli at Tottenham this season. However, the contribution of the Dane to the London club’s rise to the 2nd position in the Premier League cannot be questioned.
The primary creative hub for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, Eriksen has laid 10 assists and also scored six goals this season.
One of his best performances this season came against Chelsea at White Hart Lane in January where he delivered two superb crosses for Alli to head home, clinching a superb win to break Chelsea's 13-match winning streak. He can be expected to notch up a few more assists in the next couple of months and move closer to the top spot come May.