NOW LEFT BACKS ARE PLAYMAKERS

KEVIN DE BRUYNE won the first-ever Playmaker Award last season for most assists, but the player making the early running this time is a left back.

Benjamin Mendy, De Bruyne’s Manchester City team-mate, took his tally to four when he set up Raheem Sterling against Newcastle.

Mendy was one of five left backs to set up goals on Saturday, alongside Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso, Everton’s Lucas Digne, Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson, and Southampton’s Matt Targett.

Managers are more frequently giving their left backs licence to get forward — particularly if they have pacy centre backs and midfielders who can cover.

Mendy is one of the best crossers in the Premier League while Alonso has the freedom to play almost as a No10 when Chelsea are on the attack. Both players can be deadly when striking with their left foot and are being encouraged to use their attacking qualities.

Now, it is not uncommon to see a left back as the player furthest forward in a team.