Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago, Antoine Semenyo and Joao Pedro are chasing the 2026 Premier League Golden Boot, with the Manchester City man forging ahead, and these are the guys who routinely grab the headlines with their match-winning exploits.
But they can’t do it all on their own.
For every net-busting winner, there is a world-class save at the other end, equally vital in securing a 1-0 win; and the midfield generals battle for territory which frees up space for the attacking unit. But the man the goal-getters really love the most is the player who tees up that golden chance.
So let’s take a look at my SBOTOP pick of the four best playmakers in the Premier League.
Bruno Fernandes: Manchester United
In six campaigns with Manchester United, since his 2020 switch from Sporting Lisbon, Bruno Fernandes has been a shining light amidst the intermittent gloom at Old Trafford. With 134 goal involvements in 221 games (69 goals and 65 assists) he has never hidden from the limelight, and this season the Portugal star, now 31, has been at his best. His seven goals and 14 assists mean Fernandes is the most prolific assist-maker in the league, six ahead of his nearest rivals and his efforts have seen an uptick in Manchester United’s Premier League 2026 results. Now sitting third in the top-flight table the Red Devils have a great chance of achieving Champions League football… and that’s where Fernandes belongs.
Rayan Cherki: Manchester City
Twenty-two-year-old France star Rayan Cherki is one of the new generation of Sky Blues who are tasked with taking the baton from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, David Silva and Sergio Aguero. City have been in a transition phase over the past 18 months and Cherki arrived from Olympique Lyonnais as part of a group of exciting young players, with Omar Marmoush, Tijjani Reijnders and Marc Guehi all arriving at the Etihad.
Cherki is a mercurial player with superb ball skills, a lightning turn of pace and superb distribution. He has an eye for goal but, often operating on the flank, Cherki has made eight assists so far this term to lead the way for his club. He seems to have been around for a while, with 146 appearances for Lyon, but Cherki has his best years ahead of him and that is great news for fans of the Sky Blues and Les Bleus.
Harry Wilson: Fulham
Euro chasers Fulham have struggled for consistency at times this season and if they can put a run together now, the prize is not so far away. Sitting in tenth place and just four points behind Brentford in seventh, the Cottagers have plenty to play for over the next couple of months and they will hope that Welsh wizard Harry Wilson continues his rich vein of form. With six assists and nine goals this season, the 28 -year-old right winger has been Fulham’s best player and he has made his home at Craven Cottage since his arrival in 2022.
Wilson picked up an ankle injury during Fulham’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur last week and he missed the 1-0 defeats to both West Ham United, in the league, and Southampton in the FA Cup, and manager Marco Silva is keen to get him back for the run-in. And, with his contract due to expire this summer and Aston Villa reported to be keen, the Fulham board should get moving on a new contract pretty quickly.
Declan Rice: Arsenal
With eight games left to play the Premier League 2026 betting odds say this is finally the year that Mikel Arteta will deliver the title to the Emirates. There will be twists and turns to come and there are plenty of Big Six clashes on the way over the next few weeks. Arsenal still have to visit Manchester City who, despite trailing by seven points, have a game in hand. Arsenal will need to have clear heads in the run-in and leaders on the pitch. And that’s where Declan Rice comes in. The England man is a box-to-box midfielder who scores goals as well as breaking up opposition play and he is one of the best passers in the game, with a whopping 1719 completed passes this season.
In this measure Rice stands among a group of defenders who rack up the numbers by passing the ball along the back line; but the Arsenal man is as incisive as he is measured and he can pick out an attacker with precision.
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