The 2025/26 Premier League got underway this past weekend, and the fans are already drawing their conclusions for the season.
Arsenal and Manchester United locked horns in a high-profile fixture for Matchday 1 at Old Trafford, with the visitors coming out on top. Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City also picked up the three points on offer on game day 1.
The Premier League is a brilliant spectacle of some of the finest playmakers in football. We at Essential Football asked Artificial Intelligence giant, Perplexity.AI, to predict the top 5 assist makers for the 2025/26 season, and the results will leave you perplexed depending on the team you support.
Here are the results of the AI predictions:
Number 1 – Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian winger can barely put a foot wrong in the Premier League. After topping the assists chart last season, AI predicts Salah to hold onto the title.
Salah is projected to finish the current season with as many as 18 assists. Salah’s overall contribution in the final third in the form of goals and assists will be integral if Liverpool are to successfully defend the English top-flight crown.
Number 2 – Bukayo Saka
Arsenal fans will be delighted to see Saka feature in the number 2 spot in this list. The Gunners attacker will likely be in lethal form this season as he grows older and gets better with the players around him. It is predicted he will set up as many as 17 assists for his teammates.
Mikel Arteta will be delighted to see his attacking line gel well as the season progresses. Saka and Gyokeres linking up could mean danger for several defences in the league.
Number 3 – Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer has been central to Chelsea’s plans and will continue to be so this season. In the previous two campaigns, Palmer has amassed 19 assists for the Stamford Bridge side.
However, as per artificial intelligence, Palmer will turn provider for 16 goals this season. Enzo Maresca’s side were crowned Club World Cup champions recently and will be seeking to build on that.
Read – AI’s Predicted Top Goal Scorers
Number 4 – Bruno Fernandes
The Manchester United captain has been the top performer at Old Trafford in recent years.
Bruno Fernandes has consistently displayed creative genius on the pitch and with the better supporting cast he could be even more deadly now he has Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo.
Ruben Amorim could be in for a good season with Perplexity.AI predicting 15 assists from the Portuguese international and you would imagine he would grab that many goals too.
Number 5 – Florian Wirtz
The marquee Liverpool summer signing is expected to hit the ground running from his very first season in the Premier League. The German youngster is predicted to deliver 14 assists for Arne Slot’s side this season.
The Reds are in for a treat with Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz among the top 5 projected assist providers this season.
Read all about the Fantasy Premier League here
Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka have emerged as clear favourites to win the top assists provider title this season. However, it will be an extremely tightly contested race with Cole Palmer, Bruno Fernandes and Florian Wirtz following shortly behind.
Who else could break into the top 5 assist leaders?
Everton new signing Jack Grealish might have something to say about this list as he looks to show Thomas Tuchel what he can offer England at the World Cup. The on-loan City star could be the steal of the summer if he works out on Merseyside at Everton’s new stadium.
Another candidate likely to perform well is young French, Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki who joined the club from Lyon. Cherki has impressed in preseason and in the first game and looks like another great signing.
Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimarães could also break into the top 5 depending on what the club does in the transfer window. Eddie Howe must surely need to sign a quality finisher given Callum Wilson is gone not to mention the massive hole that Alexander Isak will leave if he joins Liverpool.
Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard could also end up in the top 5 once the season finishes and who knows maybe Eberechi Eze will make the list depending on where he ends up playing this season.
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