Most creative players in Premier League revealed

Mesut Ozil: Arsenal midfielder the league's most creative player

Mesut Ozil: Arsenal midfielder the league's most creative player

Mesut Ozil has created almost five chances per game for Arsenal this season, but who are the Premier League’s other most creative players?

After Ozil, Gerard Deulofeu, Riyad Mahrez and Wes Hoolahan lead the way in the assists league with five apiece. Neither Deulofeu nor Hoolahan make the top 10 when it comes to total chances created, however…

1. Mesut Ozil

Ozil has recorded 10 assists in only 11 appearances for the Gunners, but the German’s stats would look even better were it not for the profligacy of his team-mates.

He has created 54 chances in total, an average of 4.9 per game, marking him out as comfortably the league’s most dangerous player in the final third.

2. Dimitri Payet

He only has three assists, but Payet is second only to Ozil in terms of chances created, with an average of 3.9 per game.

West Ham face a huge challenge to continue their fine early-season form in the absence of Payet, who has been ruled out for three months.

3. Christian Eriksen

The performances of Eric Dier and Dele Alli have seen Eriksen’s contributions go somewhat unnoticed this season, but the Dane has created an average of 3.1 chances per game for his Tottenham team-mates.

4. Dusan TadicGraziano Pelle Dusan Tadic

He makes an average of only 26.5 passes per game, yet Tadic has still managed to set up three chances per game.

Graziano Pelle can count himself very lucky to have both the Serb and Sadio Mane supplying the bullets at St Mary’s.

5. Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City’s summer signing has made a huge impact back in the Premier League, claiming four assists already from seven starts and one substitute appearances.

De Bruyne has created an average of three chances per game for his team-mates. Once Sergio Aguero is fit again, expect the Belgium’s assist rate to rise sharply.

6. Santi Cazorla

He plays alongside Francis Coquelin at the base of Arsenal’s midfield these days, yet Cazorla is still creating plenty of chances from his deeper position.

He has created an average of 2.9 in his 12 appearances so far, claiming three assists in the process, and also has the best pass completion ratio, 90.6%, of any player on this list.

7. Eden HazardEden Hazard

Seen by many as the Chelsea player whose performance levels have dropped most this season, Hazard is still the seventh most creative player in the Premier League this season.

The Belgian has created an average of 2.7 chances per game, putting the goalscoring form (or lack of it, rather) of Diego Costa into the spotlight.

8. James Milner

A somewhat surprising entry on the list perhaps, Milner has created an average of 2.5 chances per game so far this season. Having been afforded more freedom down Liverpool’s right flank since the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, he is sure to improve on his tally of three assists.

9. Erik Lamela

The second Tottenham player on this list, Lamela has three assists from eight starts and three substitute appearances so far this season.

He has created 2.4 chances per game on average as he finally shows signs of fulfilling his potential at White Hart Lane.

10. Moussa Sissoko/Nathan Redmond/Riyad Mahrez

Each of these have created an average of 2.2 chances per game this season, yet Redmond has only one assist to show for it, compared to Sissoko’s four and Mahrez’s five.

It just goes to show, creating chances is worth little if you haven’t got a striker that can finish them.