Florian Wirtz damned lies debunked but he is in top 10 PL creators

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann got it wrong when he said that Florian Wirtz had created the most chances in the Premier League, but there are numbers that suggest he has been the Reds’ most creative player this season.

Nagelsmann attempted to blame Wirtz’s Liverpool teammates for his 007 start but was quoting the wrong statistics; he has actually created the joint-15th-most chances in the Premier League this season, which is not quite so impressive.

But when you look at the statistics for shot-creating actions this season, Wirtz is joint-seventh on the list and ahead of every other Liverpool attacker, including Mo Salah in 80th.

What are shot-creating actions?

According to Opta, they are the two offensive actions directly leading to a shot, such as passes, take-ons and drawing fouls.

For fairness, we look at SCAs per 90, so that players are not rewarded for just playing all of the football like Bruno Fernandes and Elliot Anderson. Though to be fair, they do not need any help.

So the top 10 creative players in the Premier League by the fairest metric are…

10) Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton): 4.33 SCAs per 90
Having a bloody lovely time at the right size club and thriving in that No. 10 role with Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish either side. If Everton had a halfway competent striker, they would be flying.

9) Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United): 4.40 SCAs per 90
Pretty much takes all the set-pieces, putting him behind only Granit Xhaka in terms of SCAs from dead balls this season. But he’s also creating chances from open play, none of which have been taken by a blunt Newcastle attack so far.

7=) Oscar Bobb (Manchester City): 4.48 SCAs per 90
When you play on the same team as Erling Haaland, you are going to log some serious chances. Bobb may not be a guaranteed starter in this Manchester City team but he is making a serious case for his involvement, notching six SCAs v Brentford in their last fixture before the international break.

7=) Florian Wirtz (Liverpool): 4.48 SCAs per 90
There he is. Not the highest chance-creator in the Premier League, but up there when it comes to involvement in Liverpool moves leading to shots on goal. There were eight such SCAs on his truly competitive debut against Bournemouth but you’re only as good as your last game…and that was poor v Chelsea.

6) Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest): 4.57 SCAs per 90
He’s played himself into the England team as a more defensive option but he is Forest’s most creative player this season, which is likely to make him the subject of serious transfer interest (most notably from Manchester United) in 2026. He was involved in all three Forest goals on the opening day of the season, before things went a bit mental.

5) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): 4.68 SCAs per 90
Easing himself back into serious form and back into the England starting XI this season. The next Arsenal player on the list would be Noni Madueke in 22nd, which suggests that Mikel Arteta might have to find a way to get them both in the side.

4) Jack Grealish (Everton): 4.86 SCAs per 90
Everton have scored nine Premier League goals this season; Grealish was involved in the build-up of six and scored one more. He is having a bloody lovely time on Merseyside. Again, imagine if Everton had a proper striker.

3) Amad Diallo (Manchester United): 5.03 SCAs per 90
Involved in both Manchester United goals v Sunderland, Amad is one good reason why the club may still be clinging onto the idea that this formation would work under this manager.

2) Jeremy Doku (Manchester City): 6.03 SCAs per 90
“I ask the wingers in the final third to go one vs. one or one vs. two and I have the feeling that Jeremy’s decision-making in the final third improved, like, wow!”. Like wow indeed.

1) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United): 6.18 SCAs per 90
None of it has really come off as yet, but the idea that playing deeper is stymying his creativity is clearly a nonsense. Nobody creates more from open play in the Premier League; he was particularly brilliant against Arsenal on the opening day.