Barnett rivals Saka and Palmer after assist hat-trick

Ryan Barnett is rivalling Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer for assists this season after the Wrexham defender’s hat-trick of set-ups against Northampton.

Barnett laid on goals for Elliott Lee and James McLean in the 4-1 Racecourse win.that kept Phil Parkinson’s side second in the League One standings.

It took the 25-year-old right-back’s tally for assists to five for the season after also laying on goals in the wins over Reading and Shrewsbury.

Only Arsenal ace Saka and Chelsea star Palmer have registered more in the Premier League, with Saka already with seven assists to his name in the top-flight. England midfielder Palmer also has five, as has West Brom midfielder Tom Fellows.

Barnett was named Wrexham’s man of the match against Northampton having also had a role in Jack Marriott’s strike, the former Derby striker’s fifth goal of the season.

It also takes Barnett’s assists past last season’s tally of four as he played a key role in Wrexham’s promotion back to the third tier for the first time in 19 years.

The performance against Northampton earned Barnett a standing ovation, something the player admitted was “brilliant”.

On social media, captain McClean described the display as a “masterclass” while executive director replied to Shrewsbury-born Barnett’s own post celebrating the win dubbing him “The Shropshire Shevchenko”.