• Premier League

Chelsea's Fabregas wants to break Henry's assist record

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas admits he is hoping to break former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry's record for assists in the Premier League.

Henry registered 20 in the 2002-03 campaign as Arsenal finished runners-up to Manchester United, but Fabregas is on course to surpass the Frenchman, having already set up 15 goals in the league this season.

Cesc: I'm a leader with or without the armband

• Cesc Fabregas has not ruled out the possibility of succeeding John Terry as Chelsea captain one day.
• The Spaniard was handed the Arsenal armband when he was just 21 in 2008, and Jose Mourinho has hinted Fabregas could indeed captain Chelsea in the future.
• "First, there are many great characters and John Terry will play for a few more years," Fabregas said. "But if they ask me [to be captain], then why not? It's not something I think about, though.
• "Players at Arsenal can tell you better, when I was captain or wasn't captain it didn't change what I do.
• "Even at Barcelona or here, if I have to tell something to the team or some players, I will do it. That's my personality, that's how I am. With the armband or without the armband, I feel always the same."

"Of course, I would like to beat Thierry's record, but it's not an obsession," Fabregas told the Daily Telegraph. "Sometimes you go five games without any assists and all of a sudden in one game you have three. It's always been a part of my game. I think every year I have good numbers in assists. I have a soft spot for assists and killer passes since I am very, very young. I like it."

He added: "You sense situations. I'm just thinking always for the next move, what will happen. I always try to look around before the ball comes to me, but I don't know specifically how I do it. It just comes naturally. Sometimes it goes good, sometimes it doesn't go good, but I try, I keep trying and I'm persistent in some final balls.

"You have to have the eye for it. You can see a pass and decide not to play it. Me, I see 10 passes and I will try eight, so I am very persistent. I know this will make me lose more balls than normal because I could play two-metre passes but, instead, I prefer to try for the 30 metre passes.

"I know like this I will always lose more balls, but at the same time I will create many opportunities for my team-mates."

Fabregas said his favourite assist in Chelsea colours came when setting up Diego Costa to score in October's 2-0 win over Arsenal, and added that his pass to set up Andres Iniesta's winner in the 2010 World Cup final "will always stay with me".

• Cesc Fabregas to score first against Liverpool tonight, at 15/2 with bet365*
• For full odds visit www.bet365.com >>
• *All odds correct at time of publishing.

He also reflects fondly on his cross for David Silva's opener in Spain's 4-0 win over Italy in the Euro 2012 final and his superb chip for Dani Guiza in the 3-0 win over Russia in the Euro 2008 semi-final.

He said: "I remember assists like a goalscorer remembers goals. I have a soft spot for them. The pass I was disappointed that it wasn't a goal was the other day against Swansea.

"I hit a volley to leave Diego [Costa] one on one with the goalkeeper and he didn't score, and I killed him afterwards because it could have been one of my best ever."

Cesc Fabregas is close to breaking Thierry Henry's record for assists in the Premier League © Getty Images

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