The last few decades have signaled the end of many a sacred tradition for the beautiful game.
While pies and pints may have bitten the dust for a long time, the classic strike partnership has made a comeback in recent years. Five of the eight occasions when two players combined for a double-digit Premier League number occurred during the 20th century – four of which were between 1994 and 1996 – at the height of the 4-4-2 formation.
When the popularity of this system declined in the mid-2000s in favor of a striker, so did the number of productive duos. Still, the last trio of Premier League campaigns have produced a new contestant each on this selected list, reflecting the favored front three of the day, as each pair includes a striker and a winger rather than the archetypal two through the middle.
The Wolverhampton Wanderers seemed to have stumbled across a cheat code during the 2019/20 season, with all seven Adama Traore’s assistants to frontman Raul Jimenez following the same pattern.
Traore charged against the guideline, leaving a pile of twisted defenders in the wake before cutting Jimenez’s back and shaking the box.
Dennis Bergkamp (left) and Nicola Anelka (center) only had two full seasons together at Arsenal Clive Mason / Getty Images
Ian Wright? No. Thierry Henry? No.
Surprisingly, Nicolas Anelka was the man Dennis Bergkamp singled out as the other half of his favorite double act at Arsenal and revealed: “As a strike partner, Nicolas was probably the best I’ve had at Highbury in terms of understanding.”
Since the first two names do not appear in this list, the numbers back – at least for the 1998/99 season – Bergkamp’s gut feeling.
Stan Collymore (right) played the role of supplier much more often than Robbie Fowler | Getty Images / Getty Images
The roles of Liverpool’s dreaded front duo in the mid – 1990s were clearly defined.
Nine of the ten goals the pair combined in 1995/96 were assisted by Stan Collymore and completed by Robbie Fowler, including all three for the latter hat-trick against Arsenal. The man who was only called “God” would never play another violin.
Mike Newell was not Alan Shearer’s most productive partner at Blackburn but the two had an excellent relationship both on and off the pitch | Gary M. Prior / Getty Images
From a pre-season tour of Scotland after Alan Shearer’s arrival at Blackburn Rovers in 1992, he and Mike Newell were close friends. Shearer would later describe Newell as ‘an ideal striking partner, so selfless and willing to cover every blade of grass’.
Despite their immediate connection from the pitch, the couple’s best campaign came to combine during their last season together at Blackburn – although a certain other forward later in the list struck.
Les Ferdinand was half of the productive duo for Queen’s Park Rangers in the mid-1990s Phil Cole / Getty Images
Kevin Gallen’s meteoric rise through the Queen’s Park Rangers – after breaking Jimmy Greave’s longtime youth team with a record – caught fire on the senior stage when he shone with Les Ferdinand in 1994/95.
But that duo lasted only one season before “Sir Les” joined Newcastle. QPR moved the following campaign but Gallen would bounce back to enjoy an impressive career with Rs.
12 – Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson combined for 12 Premier League goals 2018-19 – only Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton (13 1994-95) have combined for more in a single campaign in the competition. Toons. pic.twitter.com/HnaNA0eWKC
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 7, 2020
Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson’s telepathic connection to Bournemouth 2018/19 was not exactly easy to predict.
During each of the five seasons on both sides of the excellent campaign, the pair were not combined for more than one league goal. But between August 2018 and May 2019, the couple merged to devastating effect. Guess.
Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton. What a duo! pic.twitter.com/nOZ83z4efN
– 90s Football (@ 90sfootball) January 2, 2021
They may have had the direct record for 15 years and may still have the best partnership name in English football history, but SAS – probably – never clicked as well off the pitch as on it.
Chris Sutton would later reflect on the “lack of warmth” from Shearer during their two seasons together at Blackburn, with the presence of Newell always thought to be threatening over the new first-line duo.
Still, Shearer and Sutton sparkled for the first campaign – 1994/95 – and 63% of Rover’s goals between them on their way to the only Premier League title would either lift.
14 – Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min have now assisted each other for 14 Premier League goals this season, breaking Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton’s record of 13 times set at Blackburn 1994-95. Telepathy. pic.twitter.com/rewuUwCxPG
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 7, 2021
After receiving a late winner against Burnley, Son Heung-min waited for his Tottenham team-mate to join him with open arms and a question: “Did you get the assistance?”
Harry Kane gave a gentle nod.
It took the Spurs duo less than half a season to match the long-standing Premier League record, prompting their manager Jose Mourinho to aptly describe their scary link as a continuation of “special things”.
Then, against Crystal Palace in early March, they combined for a 14th time, when Son dressed up Kane to become a record breaker.
