Predicting 3 top playmakers for the 2022/23 Premier League season

The upcoming Premier League season is just a few more weeks away as the world’s “best” league comes back to light up football fans’ lives. It is expected to be a highly entertaining season, with almost all the “Top-6” sides having strengthened themselves to challenge for top honours.

A lot of eyes will be on the best players in the league, typically the ones that bang in the most goals. The likes of Mo Salah, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo have a lot of expectations on them. But they shouldn’t be the only ones hogging the spotlight.

While goal-scorers get a lot of attention, an equal amount of praise should be reserved for those who create the goals. Not only will there be a stiff fight to be top goal-scorer this season, but the battle to be top assist man or the one who creates the most scoring opportunities will be fierce.

The Premier League is blessed with some impeccable players able to create something out of nothing. So here’s our pick for the top 3 playmakers in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

De Bruyne can dominate Premier League assists charts with Haaland

Kevin de Bruyne is widely recognized as one of the most creative players in world football. The Belgian midfielder’s efficiency mixed with his impeccable vision can be a dangerous combination for opposition defenders. Last season, De Bruyne played a major role in helping Manchester City pip Liverpool to the title.

He scored 15 goals and provided 8 assists in Premier League play. Moreover, he created 87 scoring chances, averaging 3.6 per 90 minutes (via Fotmob). De Bruyne is a chance-creating machine and could take things to the next level thanks to the arrival of Erling Haaland.

De Bruyne will thrive with a goal machine like Haaland in front of him. As long as they’re able to establish a sound understanding, the two could run riot. The Belgian midfielder will, of course, have to keep himself fit through the season.

If able to do so, his defence-splitting passes and services to a teammate like Haaland could see De Bruyne double his assist tally from last season and dominate the playmaking charts.

Trent Alexander-Arnold to repeat as EPL assist king?

Despite being only 23, Trent Alexander-Arnold has already asserted himself as the main source of creativity in the Liverpool side. The right-back’s crossing ability is unmatched in the Premier League, with his pin-point delivery helping set up easy goals for teammates.

Last season, Alexander-Arnold registered 19 assists in all competitions, 12 coming in the Premier League. Those are incredible numbers for any player, let alone a defender. The Englishman is only getting better and will have a new striker in the form of Darwin Nuñez to feed in the upcoming campaign.

Nuñez is a prolific No. 9 who makes no mistakes lapping up crosses. Trent just has to deliver his perfect centering passes knowing Nuñez or Mo Salah, or even Luis Diaz, will be there to pounce on them.

Being the centre-piece of Liverpool’s build-up play on the right side, Alexander-Arnold should be among the top playmakers again next season and add many more assists to his name.

Bruno Fernandes to climb rankings under new management

Bruno Fernandes is coming off a really disappointing season at Manchester United. The Red Devils finished 6th in the Premier League. He didn’t have as poor a campaign as many fans made it to be, but the team’s struggles get laid at his feet.

He scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions, the most assists by any United player last season. That included 6 assists in the Premier League, but he should’ve had more. Fernandes created 89 chances in the league last season, one less than Alexander-Arnold.

Bruno will be raring to prove his doubters wrong, determined to bounce back strong in the upcoming campaign. Operating as a free-flowing No. 10 in a new, progressive system under new manager Erik ten Hag could prominently increase his goal contributions.

Indeed, Fernandes should improve from Ten Hag’s management and will be called upon to be precise in the final third. That alone will allow him to get more assists and create better goal-scoring chances for teammates.

So keep an eye out for Bruno to be hovering around the top of the assists charts while leading the United attack.