Ederson and other goalkeepers are changing from saving shots to creating plays and giving their sides vital assists.
Peter Schmeichel, Alisson, and Tim Howard are notable goalkeepers with a high assist rate.
Ederson’s playmaking abilities in Manchester City’s squad have earned him the Premier League record for most assists in a season by a custodian.
Being the final line of defence and observing the action from a distance, the custodian position is frequently referred to as the most lonely on the field. However, a maverick in goal occasionally chooses to change the course of events. Some goalkeepers refuse to be merely spectators, whether it’s out of pure boredom or an insatiable need to make an impression. This is also true in the Premier League.
Some goalkeepers consider themselves dribblers, swerving like an unfit No. 10 between charging attackers. Others practise mind games, teasing opponents with a word or two and a sneaky smile. But which breed is the most electrifying? The playmaking shot-stoppers are the ones who, when their team is at a loss for ideas, suddenly turn defence into attack by launching a precision ball over the top like a quarterback dropping a dime.
In light of this, we’ve examined the nine goalkeepers with the most assists in Premier League history after Ederson ignited Manchester City’s scoring with a laser-guided pass to Omar Marmoush against Newcastle on February 15. He doesn’t play, much to Joe Hart’s dismay. Gary Lineker made fun of the former Manchester City player for it live on Match of the Day (see the video below).
Low blow, @GaryLineker 😂#BBCFootball #MOTD #MCINEW pic.twitter.com/5nT4ukrQtu
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 15, 2025
Mark Crossley (3 Premier League assists)
Premier League clubs: Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Fulham
Mark Crossley, one of five goalkeepers in the 1990s to record three Premier League assists, was a model of consistency. His finest time in England’s top division was with Nottingham Forest, where the Wales international played more than 300 league games over ten years. He had previously played for Fulham and Middlesbrough.
Even though he never won any awards during his prime, Crossley is one of only a select few goalkeepers to have contributed to multiple goals, which is an incredible accomplishment for someone who isn’t as well-known for having an unusual style of play as the other players on this list.
Jussi Jaaskelainen (three assists in the Premier League)
Premier League teams: West Ham and Bolton Wanderers
It’s difficult to find a career more “Barclays” than Jussi Jaaskelainen’s. The Fins’ professional stint in England consisted of Bolton, West Ham, and Wigan; Sam Allardyce’s Wanderers was where he was at his best. Jussi was the epitome of what a cult hero goalie ought to be; he could make a spectacular save or have a moment of insanity that cost him the game, and you never knew which would come next.
In the 2006–07 season, he had his best moment when he saved two penalties in three minutes during a 1-0 victory at Blackburn, briefly moving Bolton to third place in the table behind Manchester United and Chelsea. However, in addition to maintaining more than 100 clean sheets in the Premier League, he also has three assists. The Fin deserves his reputation as a “streets won’t forget” figure.
Peter Schmiechel (3 Premier League assists)
Premier League clubs: Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City
Even though he wasn’t a very good shooter, Peter Schmeichel was a fantastic goalie (albeit he’s shockingly not in the top 10). Before hammering a stunning volley home for Aston Villa and adding another goal for the Red Devils in a 1995 UEFA Cup encounter against Rotor Volgograd, the Manchester United and Premier League icon had already scored six goals for Hvidovre and two more for Brondby.
Perhaps he only (only!) managed to provide three assists throughout his stint in the Premier League because of his insane selfishness in front of goal. However, with five goal involvements overall for English teams, he is always brought up by commentators and people in their homes across the nation whenever a goalie enters the box during stoppage time.
Remember when Peter Schmeichel scored this volley for Aston Villa?pic.twitter.com/zJILkWH8Hf
— 90s Football (@90sfootball) August 27, 2018
Tim Howard (3 Premier League assists)
Premier League clubs: Manchester United & Everton
Having grown up in America, where sports like baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and hand-held football were more common than “soccer,” Tim Howard easily used his enormous paws to become one of the Premier League’s most dependable glove-bearers from 2006 to 2017 and unquestionably one of the greatest American football players of all time.
At the drop of a hat, he could also send the Toffees on the attack with his punter-like kick power. In addition to having three assists on his resume, he also scored an amazing 80-yard goal against Adam Bogdan of Bolton Wanderers in 2012; nonetheless, he quickly apologised to his opposite number since he felt horrible after the wind certainly had a role.
Alisson (3 assists in the Premier League)
Premier League teams: Liverpool
Alisson’s late header against West Brom to lead Liverpool to Champions League qualification in 2021 is the most dramatic goalkeeping moment in recent memory. The club may be in a far worse situation now if it weren’t for his goal in the 95th minute, which stabilised the team during an injury-plagued season.
The Brazilian, who is currently regarded as the best custodian in the world, has a song that honours that momentous occasion and includes lyrics praising his constant linkup play with Mohamed Salah. Opposition defenders are advised not to switch off when the goalie claims the ball because he might put it through someone’s letter box if it meant his Egyptian buddy was on the opposite side.
Every other Liverpool player was out on their feet by this point, as Alisson sprints past them all to celebrate his assist with Salah pic.twitter.com/fF51zxfzGl
— James Nalton (@JDNalton) January 19, 2020
David Seaman (4 Premier League assists)
Premier League clubs: Arsenal & Manchester City
David Seaman, one of the greatest goalkeepers of the Premier League era, won two league titles with Arsenal under Arsene Wenger and is rightfully remembered. Only three goalkeepers in the history of the division have kept more clean sheets than Seaman’s 141, and the former England number one was a member of a renowned Gunners backline that took pleasure in their defensive prowess.
During his illustrious 12-year Premier League career, Seaman also contributed four assists. The goalie later joined Manchester City before retiring from football in 2004.
Pepe Reina (four assists in the Premier League)
Premier League teams: Aston Villa and Liverpool
Even though Jerzy Dudek had performed heroically in the Champions League final only months previously, Rafael Benitez lured his countryman to Liverpool in 2005. The transfer proved to be a brilliant one, as Pepe Reina immediately established himself as one of the Premier League’s best goalkeepers, winning the Golden Glove award three times in a row from 2006 to 2008.
While playing English football, Reina not only shown his ability to stop shots but also provided four assists, including a long pass to Albert Riera that was expertly weighted in a 2009 victory over Aston Villa. In some instances, it would have seemed that the Spaniard was fed up with the inadequacies of the attacking players while the Reds went about their wilderness years. His hopeful hoists forward were a welcome change of pace for those in the fans who were also fed up with seeing Andriy Voronin and similar players.
Paul Robinson (five assists in the Premier League)
Premier League teams: Burnley, Blackburn, Tottenham, and Leeds United
During his nearly two-decade career at the top of the English football pyramid, former Leeds, Spurs and Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson set five goals, making him the former record holder for the most Premier League assists by a goalie.
Robinson, who was well-known for his strong kicks, could score goals in addition to creating plays. He made Premier League history in 2007 when he scored a bizarre goal against Watford after Ben Foster was caught off guard by a looping 95-yard clearance that bounced over the stranded custodian and into the net.
Ederson (6 assists in the Premier League)
Premier League teams: City of Manchester
Has the Englishman not watched enough of Ederson in recent years? Joe Hart said that hopeful balls forward, not intended laser-guided through-balls, account for the majority of custodian assists. Since rejoining Manchester City, the Brazilian has continued to play more like a midfielder, even after briefly losing his number one shirt to Stefan Ortega for being too eccentric. He never stops pulling out tricks.
