Kevin De Bruyne will be looking to break a Premier League assist record when Manchester City welcome Southampton to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The 31-year-old is expected to return to Pep Guardiola's starting lineup after watching on from the substitutes' bench in City's 5-0 Champions League victory at home against Copenhagen on Wednesday.
Last season's Premier League Player of the Season has enjoyed an impressive start to the new campaign, providing 10 assists in 11 games across all competitions.
Eight of those assists have been registered in as many Premier League matches this term, already equalling his tally for last season having played 22 games fewer.
De Bruyne provided an assist in each of his opening three top-flight games this season before registering another in gameweek six, taking him to the top of the division's assist charts.
The Belgium international has maintained his position at the summit after providing two assists in each of his last two Premier League matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United, becoming the first players to do so since former teammate David Silva in August 2019.
Should De Bruyne set up two more goals against Southampton on Saturday, the playmaker will become the first player in Premier League history to record two assists in three successive games in the competition.
Indeed, De Bruyne has an impressive record against the Saints, scoring five goals and providing eight assists in 12 meetings including five goal contributions in his last five encounters.
The playmaker's two assists in the 6-3 derby victory over Man United saw him move ahead of both Steven Gerrard and David Silva into joint-fifth on the all-time Premier League assist list.
De Bruyne now sits level with Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp with 94 assists, and he is in a strong position to become only the fifth player in Premier League history to record a total of 100 assists in the competition.
The Belgian currently sits eight assists behind Frank Lampard (102) in fourth, nine behind Wayne Rooney (103) in third and 17 behind Cesc Fabregas (111) in second, while Ryan Giggs leads the way by some distance with 162 assists.
De Bruyne will also have one eye on breaking the all-time record for the most assists in a single Premier League season.
City's No.17 provided 20 assists during the 2018-19 campaign, which is the joint-most by any player in Premier League history along with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who also registered 20 assists back in 2002-03.
De Bruyne has already formed an eye-catching partnership with goal machine Erling Braut Haaland this season, with five of the Belgian's 10 assists in all tournaments setting up City's summer signing.
Both Haaland (17) and De Bruyne (10) are now the highest scorer and creator in Europe's top-five leagues in all competitions, and the duo will be looking continue their fine form in front of goal against Southampton this weekend.
The Citizens currently sit second in the Premier League table, but securing at least a draw would see them climb to the summit above Arsenal, who lock horns with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. body check tags ::
