Goalscorers are idolised. Immortalised. Turned into legends. Just ask Thierry Henry, Harry Kane, Gary Lineker or Alan Shearer.
Sometimes, however, those that provide the goals can be overlooked, with assists rarely resulting in the same level of plaudits. But, there are some that have been mainstays of the Premier League, and we have taken a look at the 10 players who have provided the most assists in the Premier League’s 30-year history.
📰 Table Of Contents
10. David Beckham – 80
The first of three Manchester United heroes, David Beckham racked up a weighty 80 assists during his time at Old Trafford.
Beckham recorded 10+ assists in four consecutive seasons between 1997 and 2001, peaking in the 1999/2000 campaign where he managed to grab 15. Alongside a laden trophy cabinet, he remains 10th on the list of most assists in the competition’s history, and is at least seven clear of any active chasing player (Christian Eriksen has 73).
9. James Milner – 87
Liverpool’s James Milner has never been particularly prolific creatively, registering double figures for assists in the top flight just twice. However, by sheer longevity he has made this list, with the English midfielder having played in the top flight for two decades across Leeds United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City and now Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Still going at Anfield, he could well move further up the list by the end of his glittering career.
8. Steven Gerrard – 92
The former Reds captain is the only man on this list not to win the Premier League, but more than played his part in plenty of title races and helped lift the Champions League trophy.
Hitting double figures for assists in three seperate seasons, his legacy remains unmatched on Merseyside.
7. David Silva – 93
The Spaniard only moved on from the Premier League in 2020, but left an indelible mark on the top flight. One of the first modern ‘legends’ to come out of Manchester City’s recent silverware haul, Silva recorded 93 assists across 10 seasons, grabbing more than 10 in seven of those and providing goals with remarkable consistency for the Sky Blues.
6. Dennis Bergkamp – 94
One of the original Premier League greats when it came to creating, Dennis Bergkamp largely redefined the second striker role upon his arrival to the English top flight. Striking up an excellent partnership with Thierry Henry, the Dutchman’s silky flicks and excellent vision helped the Gunners become a force in World football once more and grabbing 12 assists in the season that they went invincible.
5. Kevin de Bruyne – 97
The highest man on this list still playing, Manchester City maestro Kevin De Bruyne will almost certainly be further up the list by the end of his time at the Etihad Stadium.
At 31-years-old, the Belgian has already hit double figures this season for assists, and registered a mammoth 20 in 2019/20. One of the best players in world football, and with Erling Haaland to finish his chances, he could be ready to beat that record in 2022/23.
4. Frank Lampard – 102
Far more successful as a player than a manager, Frank Lampard remains the highest goalscoring midfielder in Premier League history, and wasn’t bad at setting them up either.
The first man on this list past the 100 mark, the Chelsea man grabbed 16 assists, in addition to 22 goals, in his best returning season.
3. Wayne Rooney – 103
Perhaps one of the more underrated players of his era, Wayne Rooney was world class at 19 and only continued in that vein, playing as a striker, creative midfielder and even deep-lying midfielder as his career progressed.
Known more for his goalscoring abilities than anything else, currently sitting second on the all-time Premier League goalscoring list (though likely to be overtaken by Harry Kane in the coming months), Rooney grabbed over 100 assists too in that time, incluiding five seasons where he managed double figures.
2. Cesc Fabregas – 111
An Arsenal and Chelsea legend, Cesc Fabregas narrowly hit his best returns while captaining the Gunners, grabbing 20 assists in a season in 2007/2008, but hit 19 during his first season with Chelsea as he helped Antonio Conte’s side to the Premier League title.
A talismanic figure for both sides during his time in London, the Spaniard’s silky footwork and eye for a pass made him a firm fan favourite, and his 111 Premier League assists helped in that regard too.
1. Ryan Giggs – 162
Head and shoulders above anyone else on this list, Ryan Giggs notched up an impressive 162 assists during his career at Manchester United.
Given that he is the second highest Premier League appearance maker of all time, his place at the top is somewhat understandable, but his returns were still impressive. Though he never registered more than 11 assists, he hit double figures in seven seasons during his time at Old Trafford.
