With an average of 2.86 per match, this season is the Premier League’s most productive in terms of goals per game since the 2011/12 campaign. The importance, then, of a good goalscoring combination is vital. Here, WhoScored.com runs down the most profitable goal combinations (measured in goals scored and assisted by the pair) in England’s top tier this term…
THREE GOALS
Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana (Liverpool)
The summer arrival has formed a solid attacking partnership __with the rejuvenated England international.
Dimitri Payet and Winston Reid (West Ham)
Dimitri Payet may want out of West Ham but his set-pieces teed up Winston Reid twice, __with the New Zealander returning the favour once.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
Two of Anthony Martial’s three Premier League assists have been for a Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal.
Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool)
Like Mane, summer arrival Georginio Wijnaldum has also formed a good rapport with the Englishman.
Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud (Arsenal)
The most memorable combination between these two was no doubt Olivier Giroud’s scorpion kick on New Year’s Day.
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
Liverpool boast one of the best attacks in England and much of that has been down to the relationship between Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Fernando Llorente and Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea)
The partnership between Llorente and Sigurdsson will no doubt be crucial to Swansea retaining their top-flight status.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Manchester United fans were enthused by the potential partnership between Ibrahimovic and Pogba and they haven’t been let down.
Christian Eriksen and Heung-min Son (Tottenham)
Heung-min Son may have gone off the boil of late, but he was the happy recipient of three Christian Eriksen assists earlier this season.
Dimitri Payet and Michail Antonio (West Ham)
Michail Antonio has been excellent for West Ham, with his partnership with Payet returning three goals.
Diego Costa and Willian (Chelsea)
Of Diego Costa’s five assists, three have been for Willian, who has just five league goals to his name.
Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)
Provider turns goalscorer as Costa benefits from the creative side of Nemanja Matic’s game, with three of the Serbs’ six assists teeing up the Chelsea striker.
FOUR GOALS
Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)
While Mesut Ozil is traditionally a provider for Arsenal, he’s been on the receiving end of chances for the Gunners this season with Alexis Sanchez not only hitting the back of the net, but creating for others. The Alexis to Ozil assist-to-goalscorer combination is the joint-best in the Premier League this season, but the latter is yet to provide an assist for the former. Nevertheless, the four goals scored between Alexis and Ozil is one of the best pairings in England’s top tier.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
While Wayne Rooney sits level with Sir Bobby Charlton on 249 goals as Manchester United’s all-time record goalscorer, he’s willing to bring teammates into play with the Englishman registering five league assists so far this season. Four of those have been for new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has 14 goals to his name this term. But Ibrahimovic – who has registered three Premier League assists – has to date failed to create a Rooney goal, which is easier said than done given the captain’s 14-game goal drought in the league.
Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli (Tottenham)
An assist for Harry Kane’s opener in Tottenham’s 4-0 trouncing of West Brom took Christian Eriksen to eight league assists this season; only Kevin De Bruyne (9) has more in Europe’s top five leagues. Three of those have been for Dele Alli to score, including his memorable brace in the 2-0 win over Chelsea earlier this month. Alli has also turned provider for his creative teammate and while his assist for Kane’s third at the weekend was just his second in the Premier League this term, his first came for Eriksen to fire past Chelsea in the 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge in November. with Spurs now firing on all cylinders, the link between the duo – which has returned a combined four goals – will be crucial in the second half of the season.
FIVE GOALS
Romelu Lukaku and Yannick Bolasie (Everton)
Yannick Bolasie was unfortunate to see his campaign cruelly cut short last month after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United. Prior to that, the 27-year-old had been in excellent form for the Toffees, with his link-up play with Romelu Lukaku certainly turning heads. The Bolasie to Lukaku assist-to-goalscorer combination remains the joint-best in the Premier League having returned four goals, while one of Lukaku’s four league assists was for Bolasie to hit the back of the net. With that, a combined five goals between the pair means that – despite Bolasie’s injury – theirs is the most profitable combination in England’s top tier this term.
Ben McAleer