Ederson's Assists Outshine Antony's Price Tag
The Citizens faced a tough match against Brentford at the Etihad this afternoon. The 1-1 stalemate was broken by none-other than Erling Haaland - who also netted the equaliser - giving Man City the lead with a goal that ended up sealing the win against the Bees.
The Norwegian cyborg has his teammate to thank, though, as it was Ederson who provided the assist for the second goal. The Brazilian goalkeeper spotted the Haaland and sent a long ball across the pitch, handing the Man City number nine a one-on-one opportunity to put the ball past Brentford's Pinnock.
Ederson's Assist Record
With his latest assist, Ederson now counts 4 assists in the Premier League with City, an extraordinary number for a goalkeeper. And even more so if said number exceeds that of Manchester United's Antony. The Red Devils signed Antony from Ajax in 2022, splashing £82m in the process. Despite the obvious expectations that came with the price-tag, the Brazilian has only managed to provide 3 assists in his two years at Manchester United so far - one less than the Man City star. Two assists were registered in his first season at the club - against Wolves and Nottingham Forest - while the third came in his second season against Chelsea.
Antony's Struggles
While he had had 5 less years than Ederson in the Premier League, Antony is a forward who is not restricted to his team's penalty area for majority of his matches. The player has now entered his third season at the club, but continues to struggle, showcasing poor performances in the opening three matches.
Ederson's Continued Success
Ederson, on the other hand, has been in good form and continues to be a crucial element in Manchester City's successes. His previous three assists came in matches against Huddersfield Town (2018), Tottenham (2021) and Brighton (2022), though he also counts one assist in the Champions League against Shalke in 2019, bringing up his total for the club to 5 assists.
Ederson's Impact on the Pitch
The Brazilian's impressive assist tally is a testament to his vision and passing range. While many may question the value of an assist from a goalkeeper, Ederson's ability to launch accurate long passes can create dangerous scoring opportunities for his teammates. This unique skillset has become a valuable weapon in Pep Guardiola's arsenal, making Ederson more than just a traditional shot-stopper. Ederson's performance also highlights the growing importance of goalkeepers in modern football. With teams increasingly looking to build attacks from the back, goalkeepers are expected to play a more active role in possession and distribution. Ederson's success in this area could be a sign of things to come for goalkeepers in the future. It will be interesting to see if Antony can turn his fortunes around and finally live up to the hefty price tag attached to him. However, for now, Ederson's impressive assist record has him standing out amongst the Premier League's best players, proving that sometimes, value can be found in the most unexpected of places.
