Hidden beneath the celebrations following West Ham’s 4-0 win over Wolves at the London Stadium was a statistic that deserves far more attention.
It’s not about the recent run of form or the climb out of the relegation zone — this one is individual, and it’s genuinely eye-catching.
Bowen’s numbers defy West Ham struggles
Jarrod Bowen’s two assists on the night moved him level with Rayan Cherki in second place in the Premier League assist charts.
Only Bruno Fernandes sits above them, with 16 assists compared to Bowen’s eight — but the context makes Bowen’s numbers stand out.
Context makes it even more impressive
One player is operating in a top-four side, the other in a team that has spent much of the season in the bottom three.
That contrast makes Bowen’s output all the more remarkable.
England question refuses to go away
What adds further intrigue is that Bowen is comfortably the top English assist provider.
Given that, questions over his place in England’s World Cup plans feel even more surprising.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is known to favour Arsenal’s Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka, neither of whom appear near the top of the assist charts.
In fact, another West Ham player, El Hadji Malick Diouf, sits ahead of them with five assists.
Leadership and output beginning to align
It’s been a challenging season for Bowen, particularly early on as he adjusted to the captaincy.
But his output has remained strong throughout, even when his form dipped at times.
That consistency, in a struggling side, says plenty about both his quality and his importance to West Ham.
Bowen is West hams captain and talisman! He just gets better and better !!! He is a shoe in for tuchels England squad and should be included in the first eleven?