ASSISTKINGS QUARTERLY: RETURN OF THE FILTH (INTERNATIONAL EDITION)

Image result for best players in soccer 2019
     The international break has ended and we welcome the return of league play for your favorite club(s),  which also means we have to do double duty.
    We include the exploits for the national teams next to the corresponding players (only if they grabbed an assist or major goal contribution for their national side), while all international statistics are all from post-World Cup competition.
      Join us as we go through the best creators in the business as the season builds to a boiling point and the decisive players on this list lead their teams to glory.
     Join us, follow us and comment your top 10 below.
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THE LIST
10
HAKIM ZIYECH (Ajax)
Image result for hakim ziyech
- 14 assists overall
- UDGC: 10 (UDGC vs PSV)
-126 chances created overall 
(4 vs PSV)
-MOROCCO: 3 goals
   
       Although he missed the two international matches for Morocco in the midweek, the enigmatic Hakim Ziyech made his return from injury against PSV, marking his resurrection by creating the first Ajax goal. 
       In typical fashion, Ziyech tucked inside on the right wing and ripped a typically venomous and bending left footed cross into the PSV box (aiming for Tadic at the back post), only to see the majesty of the cross cause the PSV goalkeeper and defender to run into each other, spilling the ball into the net for the opening goal.
       This is the 10th uncredited, thoroughly direct goal contribution for Ziyech on the campaign, an incredible stat for someone who's already conjured so many goals and chances for the Dutch giants in a truly remarkable year in which the Moroccan played in the World Cup, the Dutch National team got back on track and Ajax are in the Champions League quarterfinals having already knocked Real Madrid out of the competition with damning authority and pomp. 
     Now, with a healthy and firing Ziyech, Ajax look to spoil Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo's season next in the Champions League quarterfinals.

9
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN 
(Tottenham / Denmark)
Image result for christian eriksen
-13 assists overall 
 (10 in the EPL)
-1 assist for Denmark vs Switzerland in Euro 2020 qualifiers
-DENMARK: 3 goals, 1 assist, 1 UDGC
-had 2 assists in a victory vs Chelsea, 1 vs United, 2 in 2 matches vs Liverpool, 1 vs Dortmund and another against Arsenal, proving that the Danish creator is always producing the goods against top opposition

     The Danish captain scored a goal in one match for his country in midweek and then registered an all important assist in a 3-3 draw with Switzerland in Euro qualifying, all while being at the forefront of the Denmark attack.
      He also showed up for Tottenham traveling to face Liverpool in what was a bizarre and hotly contested match in the cauldron of Anfield. Questions may be raised and laughs may be had about the winning own goal caused by an awesome Alexander-Arnold cross and a fluffed Salah header (not to mention Toby Alderweireld's rumored 'gambling debt'),but the second half equalizer for Spurs, with Eriksen involved explicitly, was a brilliant piece of play.
     Harry Kane was fouled near the center of the pitch and took a quick free kick, sending a stunning ball up and over Liverpool's back line to a streaking Kierian Trippier who smartly tucked it inside for Eriksen, trailing him on an expert run.....however...this is where Eriksen's class is too much to handle:
      Instead of blasting the layoff in the middle of the box, he deceives (Liverpool center back duo) Van Dijk and Matip by casually and carefully rolling a square ball to Lucas Moura to ram into the goal, finishing off a fantastic team move that shows why Eriksen is fundamental to Tottenham's success.
      Earlier,  he ran on to a pass and led the Brazilian in again with a neat through ball, only for Moura to lose his footing and the gap closed.
     It was a harsh end to the match as Spurs lost at the death in comical, near tooth-removing agony, though this says more about Liverpool's title winning pedigree than it does about Tottenham's ability to win.
     With Eriksen....they always have a chance. 

8
WILLIAN (Chelsea)
Image result for willian cardiff
-12 assists overall
-1 UDGC vs Cardiff
-122 total chances created (all comps.)
-created both goals for Chelsea, got 1 assist 
-COOL STAT: 7 assists in his last 12 matches
-BRAZIL: 1 assist  (vs Cameroon)

     Willian didn't play for Brazil the last two matches,  but he sent a message to the Brazilian boss with a match saving performance for the London club, stealing a 2-1 victory thanks to a stoppage time corner taken by Willian and nodded in by Loftus-Cheek. 
     Willian created 6 chances in a match without Hazard  (until the 53rd minute), and the Brazilian took the creative reigns along with Ross Barkley and Mateo Kovacic and pulled off a huge win for Sarri's critics to chew on.
     It was another Willian corner that created the chaos in the box that led to the first goal, too: a flashing corner into Marcos Alonso at the near post, his header contacting it towards an offside Cesar Azpilicueta who banged it through with another header, making Cardiff fans and coaches go absolutely furious over the non-call on the offside. 
      Chelsea were incredibly fortunate, but once again Willian shows his absolute command in set piece deliveries, something Mauricio Sarri's men have leaned on as of late. 

7
ANDREW ROBERTSON(Liverpool)
Image result for andrew robertson
-11 assists overall 
(9 in the EPL, 2 in the UCL)

      Robertson came to life for Liverpool as they won at the death over Tottenham with a rather fortuitous goal to put it lightly. Although there was nothing fortunate about the brilliance of Robertson's cross to Firmino for the first Liverpool goal, a dynamic run up the left wing followed by the Scot swinging in a bending picture perfect cross for Firmino to head into Hugo Lloris's net, an assist that's indicative of the goals the left back has provided since his arrival at Liverpool last fall. 
     Not only that, if it wasn't for some last ditch defending from the left back, Tottenham could've won the match: Robertson made up for his positional error on the Tottenham equalizer when Eriksen came rushing on to a loose ball in the box after an Alisson save, the ball rolling towards the Dane to crush into the net....And, if Robertson hadn't stuck his boot in the way of the goal-bound shot (an equivalent to a goal-line clearance) we would be talking about Tottenham kicking themselves for allowing an own goal to spoil a win over Liverpool at Anfield.
     But what a bizarre ending to a match, with Toby Alderweireld quite obviously gambling his family on Liverpool winning the Premier League, such was the surreal insanity of him watching Lloris tap the ball (from a Salah header) on to his knee / lower leg and then we witnessed his stunned stares as the ball slowly plodded over the line.
       The awful end to the match aside, Andrew Robertson keeps producing such huge goals for Liverpool, staking his claim as the best left back in English football for a second straight season, while behind only Barcelona's Jordi Alba and Munich's Joshua Kimmich in assists for fullbacks the world over.

6
BERNARDO SILVA 
(Man City)
Image result for bernardo silva fulham
-11 assists overall
-3 goals and 3 assists in his last 3 matches
-UDGC: 6
-COOL STAT:76 key passes total 
(4 vs Fulham)

       The Portugal man was exuberant and fantastic against Fulham, providing the only 2 City goals as the Guardiola side completely controlled the state of play, though they couldn't finish off the majority of their chances.
       Still, thanks to a duo of moments from Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva, City walked away with all three points. 
       First, Bernardo ran on to an awful back pass by Fulham and led Aguero into the box on his right side (the perfect ball for the perfect strike from the player who won the Premier League title from the same angle) and the Argentine smashed it in to give Silva his 11th assist on the season. 
     Later, the pair hooked up again when Aguero gave Bernardo the ball and the Portuguese midfielder bent a curving strike from outside the box and into the bottom corner, leaving Fulham 2-0 down inside half of an hour.
     Silva was everywhere, grabbing 4 key passes, 76 passes total and his third straight 1 goal and 1 assist match for Guardiola's City, taking control as De Bruyne works his way back from injury and Leroy Sane was rested after international duty for Germany.  
      I'm beginning to wonder if Bernardo Silva is just in better shape than everyone else on the planet (alongside fellow iron man, Ivan Rakitic), or is he being misused and run into the ground because Pep Guardiola loves to watch him play (as we all do)?
       .....Something to think about as the business end of the season is upon us and every match counts, but more than that: every substitution can kill or rest your team, every unnecessary 90 minutes against lower opponents can drain your best players, and every injured player rushed back too early can cost you your season. 
     The Citizens could collapse in on themselves if Bernardo was to go down, especially with De Bruyne unprepared for an intense work load against top opposition at the moment, Fernandinho still out injured and David Silva over 30: All of this should be worrying, such is Bernardo's absolute importance, value and improved final third production to this City side. 

5
JULIAN BRANDT 
(Bayer Leverkeusen)
Image result for julian brandt
-12 assists overall
-UDGC: 5
- COOL STAT: Brandt has assisted Kevin Volland 4 times this season, while Volland has returned the favor with 4 assists to Brandt

      Once again, another crushing defeat for Leverkeusen on Friday, getting ripped to the tits 4-1 by Hoffenheim, although Julian Brandt had another assist (his 10th in the Bundesliga) to tie the match at 1-1, a deadlock that was cruelly broken by a 51st minute own goal and later, as Leverkeusen hunted and searched, two more goals to make it embarrassing for the likes of Jonathan Tah and The Bender Brothers. 
      For his part, Brandt had 4 chances created, 58 passes and 4 shots, with none of them on target and 3 getting blocked by defenders, in what adds up to another rough night in the Bundesliga for Leverkeusen again. They also lost a few players to injuries including Karim Bellarabi to make things even worse, and have now suffered their second straight loss and third in their last five matches. 
     If only Brandt had teammates who could finish.

4
RAHEEM STERLING 
(Man City / England)
Image result for raheem sterling
-13 assists overall
-89 key passes
-COOL STAT: created 7 goals for England in the last 4 matches: grabbing an assist, earning a penalty, and scoring 4 goals in 2 matches, inc. his 1st England hat trick and 2nd hat trick in his last 5 matches)
-ENGLAND:7 goals, 1 assist, 2 UDGC
-UDGC:7 (for City), 3 for England 

      What can be said for this juggernaut of a player? 
      For all the criticism, the second guessing, the racist taunts, the racist media coverage and the pointed jabs by former clubs,  Raheem Sterling is growing in stature by the match.
       ...now we get why Liverpool hate him so much...they miss him...
       On the international stage, he has grown in leaps and bounds (during and) since the World Cup, expanding on his 2 goals against Spain in October with a flurry of activity in the last break that exiled many prior England wounds for the young winger. 
      Sterling combined with Harry Kane,  Ross Barkley and Gareth Southgate's  favorite new toy, Jadon Sancho, in a litany of pure action against the Czech Republic and Montenegro, scoring his second hat trick in his last 3 matches for club and country and his first for England. 
      He also earned a penalty for Kane to dispatch in the same match and then, vs Montenegro, Raheem produced another sublime close-range finish, selling the point that he could be the best finisher inside the box in world football right now.       
       In the same game, Sterling (unselfish as ever) found himself helping Ross Barkley score a brace with dizzying play that turned the Montenegro defense into scrambled eggs before cutting a pass (that would've resulted in a Delle Alli tap-in) across the goal-mouth that was deflected into Ross Barkley's righteous path for the uncredited (but thoroughly direct) goal contribution from Sterling, before the City winger notched another assist to Harry Kane after another phenomenal long pass up the wing by Ross Barkley, sliding it across the carpet for the Kane tap-in: all of this stemming from the tireless engine and high-footballing IQ of Raheem Sterling. 
       What this young man has done to make England exciting again, pulsating with attacking talent and joy, reveling in each other's success etc. has been nothing next to unbelievable, especially when you see where his national team career was after the doldrums of Euro 2016, a tournament he shouldn't have been the scapegoat for, although it must be said: Sterling missed a few point blank, goal-gaping chances in that tournament (notably the Lallana key pass to him vs Russia) and had the entire English press and fanbase after his head. 
       Not only was he the scapegoat for that summer 2016 debacle in France, he was the villain again for the 2014 World Cup, even while still a teenager and an awful England side possessing an aloof manager in Roy Hodgson, an out of shape Steven Gerrard in midfield over Ross Barkley, Jack Wilshere or Adam Lallana (all three played phenomenally in the tiny amount they played in that World Cup), Ashley Cole over Luke Shaw and Wayne Rooney missing tons of chances.                                                                                 And while Rickie Lambert was starting a World Cup match (an absolute travesty in its scope and depth of insanity), Raheem Sterling remained the player with the most blame...a teenager in his first international tournament...already attracting the ire, the pressure and the hatred so infamous from England supporters. 
       Just as he received years of criticism, now as England have scored 10 goals in consecutive games for the first time since June 2009, the credit for this highly entertaining, engrossing and electrifying English side must lay flat at the feet of Raheem Sterling. 
       Elsewhere, as action returned in the Premier League for Manchester City, Raheem was dangerous against Fulham: pulling off 5 key passes including a ball to Kyle Walker for a rasping shot he hit off of the post, nearly giving Sterling another assist and City's 3rd goal. 
       We don't know how far Sterling can go in his development, we just know he's already earned the respect as a player who's escaped the shadow of his potential and is maximising his talents to the fullest.

3
LIONEL MESSI (Barca)
Image result for lionel messi
-18 assists overall
-114 chances created this season
-COOL STAT: 8 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 matches
-UDGC: 6

     Messi has it rough with Argentina: surrounded by washed up, bloated players who can barely fathom they're on the international stage, let alone attempting to score goals and win matches. 
      Even his biggest haters have to feel bad for Messi; even the most outraged Ronaldo puritans must admit Messi isn't playing with anyone as good (or even close to as good) as Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo, Pizzi, Andre Silva or Gelson Martins as Ronaldo is for Portugal.
Image result for lionel messi argentina     Hell, I don't even see an Argentine as creative as Ricardo Quaresma is for Ronaldo's Portugal....I think Messi would shoot Maradona in the nuts just to have Portugal castaway Renato Sanches in Argentina's midfield.
      It's embarrassing for Messi to return, yet again to the ex-wife he just cannot leave no matter how down right mean and vicious the Argentine media are towards him, no matter how taken for granted he is by the Argentine fans, no matter how far his loyalty will go for them (remember, this is a guy who could've played for Spain or Italy) and regardless of how bad they play, he still keeps coming back...hoping to win a title for Argentina.
Image result for lionel messi
      But as he injured himself in the 1-3 defeat to Venezuela (an astonishing result, not for how Venezuela beat them, but by how much we all expected Argentina to play as poorly as they did even with Messi), he showed how far he's willing to go for his national team, also interrupting his recovery from a calf injury and his recovery for Barcelona's Champions League quest....all so he can guide Argentina's young players to a Copa America triumph this summer that looks as distant as Pluto at this juncture. 
      Though the nightmares of his national team continue, it was clear when he returned to star for Barcelona, against hated rivals Espanyol, how much the Argentine public and Barcelona fans take Messi for granted:
       The Barca and Argentine captain engineered another Barcelona win with 2 brilliant goals, including a breathtaking chipped free kick that humiliated Espanyol defender Victor Sanchez as he tried in vain to clear the shot off of the line. However the cheeky, lifted effort befuddled the Espanyol keeper and defender (Sanchez) on its way into the goal. 
      This was after a nasty take down by  Victor Sanchez on Leo that set up the free kick...only going to show that you anger Messi at your peril, with the magician pulling out another magic trick from his hat as he got clear unadulterated revenge on Sanchez and Espanyol. 
       Messi had 10 dribbles and carved out 2 chances to go with his brace of goals,  keeping him near the top of our list as he keeps chugging in what might be his greatest season ever.
       The Argentine now has 41 goals and 18 assists in 38 appearances, an astounding number (the man missed 5 matches when he broke his arm in October and has been playing with groin and calf injuries for a month). This 41 goal season in 2019, joined with his 18 assists, gives him 40+ goals and 11+ assists every season for the last decade (he had 16+ assists per year most of the decade, too).
        We've never seen such consistent dominance of this kind...and we won't ever see it again. Enjoy him while he's here, just as Espanyol's manager said post-game.
        Cristiano will always have his fans in rapture, but only Lionel Messi receives the same standing ovations from opposition fans as he does from the Blaugrana fans who fill Camp Nou.
      If only Argentina could realize how lucky they are to have Messi, support him with surrounding talent and respect the jewel they've always had....


2
MEMPHIS DEPAY 
(Lyon / Netherlands)
Image result for memphis depay
-14 assists overall 
-124 chances created total 
(8 vs Rennes)
-COOL STAT: 3 assists & 3 goals for the Netherlands in 2 matches last week 
(vs Germany & Belarus)
-NETHERLANDS: 7 goals, 4 assists 

       Depay proceeds to put himself in the talisman role for the Dutch national team, taking the confidence and trust given to him by Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman and running with it, registering another 2 goals and 2 assists vs Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying and then adding another goal and assist vs Germany in a narrow 2-3 defeat that showed the Dutch in a good light.

       While containing flaws in their squad such as a lack of experience at the back and a dirth of depth in midfield (missing the last two tournaments can hamper an entire generation of national team players), the Dutch still came from behind 2 goals to tie Germany, both moments coming from Depay. 
      To supplement that achievement, Memphis has 7 goals and 4 assists for the Dutch since September, simply staggering for a player not often considered among the best in the world. No other player even comes close to that tally internationally.
      And to add to his superb week, he went off against Rennes in Ligue 1 play, creating 8 chances before being subbed off late in the 1-0 Lyon victory.  Depay was sending in a multitude of accurate crosses and through balls, turning Rennes inside out, only to see his teammates shank many of his creative efforts wide. 
      While he didn't notch another assist, the Dutchman stands firm at the top of the list for total chances created in Europe and his filthy international displays put him ahead of Lionel Messi on this edition of Assist Kings Quarterly.

1
JADON SANCHO
(Dortmund / England)
Image result for jadon sancho
-15 assists overall
-3 assists in his last 2 matches for Dortmund
-ENGLAND: 1 assist last week 
 (2 assists for ENG in 4 apps.)
-UDGC: 4

        And at the top of our list, taking his place at #1 for the first time, England and Dortmund attacking midfielder Jadon Sancho continues his flight up the chart of 'best players in the world' with yet another magical set of matches to go with his (already) remarkable campaign.
         The 18 year old not only secured a late win for Dortmund with a lovely fast break assist to Paco Alcacer, sealing the 2-0 stoppage time win with his 13th league assist (#1 for league assists in Europe), he even achieved his 2nd assist for England in their qualifier against the Czech Republic.
Image result for jadon sancho       Sancho started at his favored right wing station and England boss Gareth Southgate gave him and Raheem Sterling complete and utter freedom to combine and connect with Harry Kane as the target man. Sancho was creating at will and was largely involved in 3 of England's goals, with a pinpoint, on-the- ground cross to Sterling who pounced on the tap-in, being a piece de resistance that put the Czechs to sleep.
       Sancho fell right into place with England, almost as if he should've started for them in the last World Cup: driving at left backs, cutting the ball inside, crossing dangerously in front of the face of goal, pulling the ball back patiently and recycling possession, all while channeling a heatseeking missile of a shot and dribbling around and through challenges with a grace unseen from teenagers, albeit except ones like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and before them, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. 
      The way in which Sancho has embraced his national side,  and the manner in which they've welcomed him, has set about a falling of dominoes that may end in England's success at a major tournament. 
      Yes, getting to extra time of the semifinal for this England squad in the last World Cup was huge, but with added ammunition in Jadon Sancho, Trent Alexander-Arnold,  the absolute dynamism and confidence of Raheem Sterling and now, a resurgent Ross Barkley England look poised to go far in Euro 2020.
       And with Jadon Sancho going off for club and country, racking up assists and goals, leading his club and national side with his profoundly special and astonishing development, the sky is the limit for this kid that had already set the standard,  broken it, set the bar again and shattered it into a million pieces.

REST OF THE BEST / BEST OF THE REST

EDEN HAZARD (Chelsea / Belgium)
-11 assists overall 
-106 key passes
 (1 as a sub vs Cardiff)
-BELGIUM: 1 assist, 2 UDGC, 5 goals

RYAN FRASER 
(Bournemouth / Scotland)
Image result for ryan fraser

-11 assists overall (10 in the EPL)
-SCOTLAND: 4 assists  
(inc. 1 in Euro 2020 qualifiers)  

      The Scot returned to international duty this last week, only to see must-win points against Kazakhstan go begging as Scotland lost 3-0, a near calamity in a Euro 2020 qualifying group with the likes of Belgium and Russia (with only the top two sides directly qualifying). 
     But under the leadership of  the Bournemouth winger and forward, the Cherries talisman (and his compatriot: Liverpool left back, Andrew Robertson) held Scotland's usual sense of dismay and disgust when it comes to the national side (and their failures against countries it should be beating) at bay. 
    He created a litany of chances for the Scots against a porous San Marino side that were always going to lose on the night, yet many of Fraser's easy openings and offerings went wide of the mark as Scotland fans have to put up with some more horrendous finishing from their attacking players. 
   Though Scotland found the time to at least bury 2 goals, sealing the important 3 points in qualifying, and it was all down to the man: Ryan Fraser.

KYLIAN MBAPPE (PSV / France)
Image result for kylian mbappe
-13 assists overall
-UDGC: 2
-FRANCE: 4 goals and 3 assists, 1 UDGC post World Cup 
 2 assists and 2 goals 
(In last 2 matches vs Iceland and Moldova)

    Mbappe was clinical for both country and club, with 1 goal and 2 assists in one match for France against Iceland and scoring another goal against Moldova, Mbappe marches on with his all-action exploits against anyone and everyone and fires France's Euro 2020 qualifying campaign to a flying start: 8 goals in 2 matches, half from Mbappe and half coming from goals and assists from Antoine Griezmann.
       In 30 matches for France,  Mbappe now has 12 goals and 10 assists, a stunning rate at just under a goal and an assist per match on average and he didn't disappoint with his displays: scooping and cushioning a Pavard long ball out of the air on the left wing and deftly chipping a cross on to the skull of Samuel Umtiti, providing France with the breakthrough goal, though most importantly, a goal of significance for Umtiti as he marks his return from long-term injury with a thudding header, cultivated by the right foot of Kylian Mbappe, unselfishly displaying his electric touch on the ball and sharing freely and openly with his teammates. 
       While his assists have dried up at PSG (he's still first in UCL assists with 5), the Frenchman has been as big as ever in the goalscoring department for his side: in the last 7 matches, Mbappe has grabbed 9 goals, winning 12 points directly for them over that span, including scoring the only goal vs Toulouse, utilizing the same cushioning of a cross as he executed against Iceland, only this time, he killed the pace on the cross with a flat touch, then stabbed the ball, bouncing into the corner, a completely unsaveable shot.
       Carrying on from his brilliant creative play for France, Mbappe created 2 chances for PSG in the ponderous match, one from a blasted shot that the Toulouse keeper spilled directly on a plate to Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, only for the Cameroonian to sky the point blank opportunity into the 100th row, wasting an incredible chance set up, yet again, by the mesmerizing,  intense play of Kylian Mbappe. 
         We don't know what makes Mbappe progress at the frightening rate that he does...maybe it's the training instilled in him since his youth days at Clarefontaine, or his humility and supreme confidence combined with supernatural footballing abilities...maybe he made a deal with Satan...who knows...but all we hope is that he never goes to Real Madrid. 
    

DAVID NERES (Ajax / Brazil)
Image result for david neres brazil
-11 assists overall 
-UDG (awful dive) vs PSV
-BRAZIL: 1 assist on his debut this last week as a substitute 

         The Brazlian prodigy registered his 1st assist for the national team only 10 minutes into his debut,  coming off of the bench and setting up Gabriel Jesus for what would end up being the match winner.
         The Ajax youth product is a stunning new development in world football, at a time when Brazil host such young talents as Gabriel Jesus, Vinicius Junior, Malcolm, Richarlison, Lucas Paqueta, Lucas Lima among a plethora of others.
       And while Neres hasn't had to wait long for his chance, he has risen to the occasion: sending in chances and shots on goal like he was born to play at the highest level possible in his outstanding Brazilian debut.
      In league play for Ajax, Neres earned a penalty against PSV in what only can be described as a blatant dive, yet the penalty  proved monumental when Neres scored himself, rounding off the 3-1 win with a pass into the net after a fine Ajax run through the doggedly tired PSV team in the last minutes. 


MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)
Image result for salah tottenham
-9 assists overall
-UDGC: 9 
(another vs Tottenham, header turned into own goal)


      Salah hasn't been untouchable, he hasn't  been consistently amazing,  yet his contributions to Liverpool's Premier league title race (17 Premier league goals, 8 assists) cannot go unnoticed.
     Yet again, Salah's propensity to try a shot on goal has turned into massive good fortune for Liverpool:
     In the final moments against Tottenham, with the score at 1-1, Salah received a long cross from Alexander-Arnold at the back post and headed the ball into Hugo Lloris, a shot the French captain should've caught, but one he shouldn't have had to, as Toby Aldierwierld, the Belgian Spurs center back was there to clear,  yet only arrived just in time to see the parried shot ricochet slowly off of his leg and go rolling into the back of the net in what was a ridiculous, bizarre and fascinating culmination that made me think the Belgium defender has some money riding on Liverpool winning the league.

DAVID SILVA (Man City)
Image result for david silva

-10 assists
-91 total key passes (2 vs Fulham)

LEROY SANE (Man City / Germany)
DID NOT PLAY
Image result for leroy sane
-16 assists 
-GERMANY: 3 goals in 4 apps. 

ALEJANDRO "PAPU" GOMEZ (Atalanta)
Image result for alejandro gomez
-9 assists overall
-Four 2 assist matches this season
-93 key passes in Serie A, Eur. League qual. & Coppa Italia
-1 UDGC

NICOLAS PEPE (Lille)
Image result for nicolas pepe
-10 assists overall 
-1.9 key passes per match
-56 key passes in Ligue 1

-IVORY COAST: 1 goal


MOST CHANCES CREATED:
 (ALL COMPS.)

1. HAKIM ZIYECH: 126
2. MEMPHIS DEPAY: 124
3. WILLIAN: 122
4. LIONEL MESSI: 114
5. DUSAN TADIC: 109
6. EDEN HAZARD: 106






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