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Which player has the most Premier League assists and who are his nearest challengers?

Planet Sport counts down the 10 players with the most Premier League assists and sees if there are any active players who might threaten the leader’s haul of 162.

The goalscorers get all the plaudits but the role of provider is becoming increasingly celebrated.
The advent of fantasy football has helped elevate the role of assists, with assist-makers now listed alongside goalscorers in many results sections.
Mo Salah led the way last season with 13 but it wasn't enough to catapult him into the top 10 Premier League assist-maker.
In fact, only two active players make the list and they've still got a long way to go to threaten top spot.

10. David Beckham - 80

Regarded as one of the greatest English talents and most iconic footballers of all time, David Beckham registered all 80 of his assists for Manchester United between 1992 and 2003.

Beckham's pinpoint crosses and whipped in free-kicks were responsible for a large number of his tally.

Beckham was the first British footballer to feature in 100 Champions League matches, winning the tournament with United in 1999. On top of that, he won six Premier League titles and two FA Cups during his time there.

Beckham went on to win league titles in three other countries - La Liga with Real Madrid, Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and MLS with LA Galaxy.

=8. James Milner - 86

Narrowly edging out Beckham is another Premier League icon in James Milner.
Milner is known for the remarkable longevity of his Premier League career having debuted in the competition in 2002 with Leeds United.

A versatile midfielder, Milner often features at full-back for Liverpool who he moved to from Manchester City in 2015.

Capped 61 times for England, the Leeds-born powerhouse has travelled to two World Cups and at the time of his first Premier League goal was the youngest player to score in the league.
As befits his two decades at the top of the game, Milner boasts an impressive trophy cabinet including a PFA Young Footballer of the Year award, three Premier League titles and a Champions League winner's medal.

=8. Kevin De Bruyne - 86

Tied with Milner is the only other active Premier League player on the list, Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.

Arguably the club's greatest ever midfielder, the Belgian's form and consistency point to a continued rise up the rankings.
A two-time PFA Player of the Year and four-time Manchester City Player of the Year, De Bruyne's prime years have been spent at the Etihad after signing from Wolfsburg in 2015. Described as a "footballing genius" and "the complete midfielder", De Bruyne is one of the greatest of his generation, winning four Premier League titles, an FA Cup and five League Cups.

7. Steven Gerrard - 92

Liverpool's legendary hometown captain is considered by some to be the greatest English midfielder of all time.
Serving the Reds for 17 years, Gerrard racked up over 500 appearances for his boyhood club until his departure to LA Galaxy in 2015.
As well as Liverpool, Gerrard captained the England national team 38 times over six major tournaments.
Capped 114 times, he was one of the leading figures of England's 'Golden Generation'.
Although a Premier League title evaded him, Gerrard won nine trophies at Liverpool including the 2005 Champions League.

6. David Silva - 93

One of the shining stars from the golden era of Spanish football, David Silva's technical excellence and genius play during the rise of Manchester City have written him into City folklore.
With over 400 total appearances for the club, Silva brought a style of football to the Premier League never of which had been seen before.
Born in Gran Canaria, Silva had previously represented several Spanish clubs, most notably Valencia. Leaving City after 10 years in 2020, he boasted an impressive four titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups.
His generational midfield partnership with Xavi and Andres Iniesta for the Spanish national team brought an era of complete domination in which Silva won two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.

5. Dennis Bergkamp - 94

An Arsenal legend, Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp presided over the club's greatest era in modern times. Winning three titles and four FA Cups, Bergkamp's brilliance culminated in the Invincible which saw the Gunners win the 2003/04 Premier League title without losing a game.
The scorer of many infamous goals, his finish against Newcastle in 2002 - in which he pirouetted around defender Nikos Dabizas and slotted the ball home - was voted the greatest goal in Premier League history. Another iconic strike in the 1998 World Cup against Argentina is regarded as one of the greatest ever World Cup goals.
Bergkamp was described by Thierry Henry as "the perfect teammate", registering even more assists than goals in the Premier League.

4. Frank Lampard - 102

Playing over 600 times in the Premier League, more than 400 of which were for Chelsea, Lampard is one of the most prolific players in the history of the league with a staggering 177 goals from central midfield.
Lampard was part of the Chelsea squad that won their first Champions League, beating Bayern Munich in their own stadium in 2012.
With 106 England caps in a career spanning over 15 years, he represented the country in three World Cups and a European Championship.
Premier League Player of the Season in 2005, Lampard also won three titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups.

3. Wayne Rooney - 103

The final Englishman on the list, Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene in the early 2000s, becoming one of the most talented players the Premier League has ever seen.
A Manchester United legend, Rooney became the club's top scorer of all time in 2017 and left the Premier League second on the all-time goalscorer list with 208 goals.
Winning every trophy possible to him at club level, Rooney is England's second most capped player in history, behind only Peter Shilton, and is the country's leading goalscorer with 53 goals.
His three goal-of-the-season awards speak for themselves, but his creativity was also second to none. It led to Rooney transitioning from a striker to a midfielder later in his career, contributing to his enormous assists tally.

2. Cesc Fabregas - 111

An expert in controlling play with his pinpoint passing ability, Fabregas accumulated a massive number of assists during his two stints in the league.
His career began at Arsenal where he rapidly became one of the world's biggest prospects. A later five-year stay at Chelsea, which followed a three-year stint at Barcelona, saw Fabregas establish himself as one of his generation's classiest central midfielders.
An international team-mate of David Silva, it was Fabregas who supplied the pass to Andres Iniesta to score the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup.
Although successful during his time in Spain and a Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup winner, his club achievements pale in comparison to his honours at international level.
Along with Silva, Fabregas was integral to the squad that won Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012. Fabregas featured for Spain in six major tournaments, gaining 110 caps.

1. Ryan Giggs - 162

Ryan Giggs, Man Utd
Top of the list by a country mile, the Welshman's astounding record has been intact since 2014 and hasn't been in any danger since.
It's no real surprise with a career that saw the winger still starting matches in the Premier League at 40 years old.
It's unlikely his phenomenal longevity is something we will ever see again, so it's going to take someone special to come within touching distance of the numbers Giggs put up over the years.
A third Manchester United legend on the list, Giggs has been both David Beckham's and Wayne Rooney's midfield counterpart, clocking up 632 Premier League appearances alone.
Giggs is the most decorated player in both Manchester United and Premier League history with an honours list that includes 13 league titles, two Champions League wins, four FA Cups and a PFA Player of the Year award.

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