Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne is hoping to overhaul Mesut Ozil’s assist total for Arsenal before the end of the season.
De Bruyne moved to City in a £55 million deal from Wolfsburg last summer after earning a reputation for creating chances while playing in Germany.
Last season he equalled the Bundesliga record for assists with 21 as Wolfsburg finished runners-up in the league and won Germany’s domestic cup competition.
He also created 112 chances — the second most in Europe’s top five leagues behind Marseille’s Dimitri Payet.
This season he has nine assists — seven adrift of Ozil — but he knows that if he can close that gap, City will have a good chance of beating the Gunners in the title race.
“I know Ozil is leading and last year I had 21,” the Belgium international told the Manchester Evening News. “You can quickly get 10 or 11 in half a season.
“You can sometimes have six or seven matches with nothing, then go on a run. For me personally it does not matter, but the more I give, the better it is for the team.
“The teams know me a bit more than in the beginning, but I notice little difference. I know a lot of people look at my stats.
“I think I am someone who has created many opportunities. Sometimes the ball goes in, sometimes not. I’ve had a little bit everywhere. So long as I create, I am happy.”
There is no doubt who is winning the goal-scoring battle between the two players — De Bruyne has 11 goals for City in all competitions this season compared to Ozil’s five.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate