No Chelsea player has provided more Premier League assists than Mykhailo Mudryk this season

No Chelsea player has notched more Premier League assists than Mykhailo Mudryk this season after he played a key role in their opener against Brighton on Saturday.

The 22-year-old winger, who joined the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk in January for a reported £88 million, has been criticised by some fans following a goalless start to life in West London.

He is yet to find the back of the net in 11 games for Chelsea since his highly-anticipated move.

But despite a far-from-inspiring record in front of goal, Mudryk now has the joint-most assists for Chelsea in England's top flight this season – a stat that sums up their creative woes.

After making a positive start to the game, the Ukraine international teed up Conor Gallagher, whose shot took a wicked deflection to beat Robert Sanchez in the Brighton net.

Mudryk is now level on Premier League assists with Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Enzo Fernandez, Marc Cucurella and Thiago Silva.

Here's how fans reacted to his efforts against Brighton.

One said: "Mudryk is cooking. If you can’t see the talent then that’s on you," while another commented: "Mudryk’s pace is absolutely frightening. He’s genuinely quicker than Mbappe."

A third wrote: "Mudryk is the most obvious superstar signing I’ve seen, but our fanbase want to judge him off of 7 bench appearances."

A fourth added: "It was a lucky goal, but take nothing away from Mudryk’s run and assist. Quality."

Mudryk ball carrying👁️ pic.twitter.com/pVj9wZfQnb

— ™️ (@_yj144) April 15, 2023

Before kick-off on Saturday, Brighton manager Robert De Zerbi said he hoped Frank Lampard would bench his former player Mudryk for the game at Stamford Bridge.

"Me and my staff have a special relationship [with Mudryk],’ De Zerbi said at his pre-match press conference. "He is like a son to us.

"I hope he stays on the bench and doesn’t play but I love him. We hope the best for him… from the next game.

"I think for Chelsea it has been a difficult season but they are still a big, big, big team. One season can happen like this. For any young player it is more difficult to adapt to another country and another style of football.

"Chelsea have many big players and I think it is a normal situation for him, he has to adapt and to understand his life has changed but I think he is good, smart guy. He can become a top, top player."

De Zerbi added: "Mudryk is a top player and I think for him, it’s difficult to start in another country, in another team.

"Everyone knows the situation of Chelsea this year, it’s very difficult especially for a young player, for a young guy. But he has the quality to become a star in the Premier League."