Pascal Gross is enjoying his most productive season in top-flight football.

The stats tell you that after he assisted on two goals against Crystal Palace.

In fact, he would have set a new personal best already had his miscued volley been turned in by a twisting Ansu Fati near the end of that 4-1 win.

Gross is on eight league assists for the campaign, matching his previous best in an Albion season.

He also had eight last term, behind closed doors in 2020-21 and in his debut campaign back in 2017-18.

There is an argument that eight assists for that first Prem team finding their feet under Chris Hughton is as good an achievement as his eight now.

But he still has plenty of time in which to add to his current tally.

Gross’s 0.39 assists per 90 minutes is his best for the Seagulls, ahead of 0.29 in 2020-21 and 0.24 in 2017-18.

But he is now averaging slightly better than one goal involvement in every two games.

That is unprecedented for him in top-tier football either here or in Germany.

He averaged 0.7 goal involvements per 90 minutes back in 2014-15 when helping Ingolstadt to the title in the German second tier.

Albion were delighted to score from a set-piece against Palace and it was simple enough as Gross put his corner on to Lewis Dunk’s head.

The second goal was classic Gross.

It felt a bit like that goal he scored against Manchester United two seasons ago although this time he used his left foot to play a short pass to Facundo Buonanotte rather than to finish himself.

He gave some idea of how much was going through his head in those couple of seconds or so as he spoke afterwards.

Gross said: “I got the ball, I faked the shot and Anderson was on the floor but I saw the defender with my right eye, Facundo’s man, coming across to try to block the next shot.

“I thought if I gave him the ball with a good weight of pass, he had a better chance than me of taking the shot.”

Gross’s tally of eight assists in the Prem is currently bettered only by Olie Watkins (10) and Kieran Trippier (9).

Mo Salah and Pedro Neto are also on eight.

But there is another aspect to those Gross assists when compared with the big names alongside whom he ranks.

Or when compared to the eight he had in the 2017-18 team which battled against relegation.

Back then, he was operating very much as a No.10 – an advanced midfielder or even second striker – in support of Glenn Murray.

These days, he does so much more about the pitch, drops into various positions and helps others show their skills.

We have seen him playing his own interpretation of a right-back role.

After the Palace game, Gross said: “I don’t have a position I prefer.

“Whatever is needed, I’m a team player.

“Wherever I’m needed, I’m happy to play. I can adapt myself.

“I think a lot about football, a lot about tactics anyway, all the time.

“I want to be good in different positions, so wherever I’m needed I’m happy to play.

“We can adapt to what the opponent tries to do. We try to have solutions. We work on that in training. I just try to adapt my position.”

Gross did not seem to appreciate a suggestion from one reporter amid the little huddle of awaiting him some time after the Palace game that showing such versatility would help him claim a place in the Germany team this summer.

He said: “No, that’s not the reason.

“I can play different positions anyway, already very often but that has nothing to do with international football, just the game today – what was needed, and I was needed there for ten minutes. And that’s no problem.

“It obviously would be a dream or me to be part of that. But it’s a long way to there.

“We are in three competitions. The second part of the season is going and I need to focus on that. The rest, we will see.”

Gross averaged 0.63 goal involvements per 90 minutes back in 2010-11 with but that was down to one goal in three outings and was in the second division.

Pascal Gross goal involvements per 90 minutes (Prem only).

2017-18: 0.46

2018-19: 0.29

2019-20: 0.30

2020-21: 0.40

2021-22: 0.26

2022-23: 0.47

2023-24: 0.54.