The German playmaker laid on a goal for the 13th time this season, a benchmark no player has ever hit in so few games, and he is only seven away from Henry's record
Mesut Ozil recorded his 13th assist of the season against Aston Villa and is on track to obliterate Arsenal legend Thierry Henry's long-standing Premier League assist record.
The French striker racked up 20 assists in the 2002-03 season - as well as scoring 24 goals, one less than the campaign's topscorer, Ruud van Nistelrooy - and has clung onto the record for 12 years, despite strong challenges from Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard.
But Ozil could be the man to finally dethrone Henry after all these years, and only needs seven assists in his next 22 games to equal the record (he's already assisted in seven straight games this season, another record).
At his current rate - assisting a goal every 0.81 games Arsenal have played this term - he will collect an astonishing 31 assists (well, 30.8 to be precise) by the end of the season, or 18 in his next 22 games. That's 55 per cent more than Henry managed!
In fact, Ozil is in such fine form that, after just 16 games of the season, he has already racked up more assists (13) than all but four Arsenal players have managed in entire seasons.
As well as recording 20 assists in 2002-03, the Frenchman also managed 14 two years later, while Robert Pires racked up 15 in the 2001-02 campaign, and Cesc Fabregas collected 17 in 2007-08.
Former Gunner Fabregas does provide a stark warning for Ozil, however; twice the Spaniard was on course to break Henry's assist record, though each time he fell away in the second half of the season.
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