Top 10 English Premier League individual records

We’re only five games into the 2020-21 Premier League season, and already we’ve had shocks, excitement and goals galore. Things may still be a little different, with fans unable to go to the stadiums and support their teams, but the online betting markets continue to go crazy. But with a new season comes new belief, and records that are there to be broken. We’re going to focus on the players, and some of the Premier League records that are currently held.

1. Most appearances: Gareth Barry (653)

In a Premier League career that spanned 21 seasons, Gareth Barry racked up a remarkable 653 appearances for four clubs: Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton and West Bromwich Albion. He is one of three players to reach the milestone and be a part of the 600-club. After West Brom were relegated in 2017-18, he spent two seasons in the Championship, before retiring.

2. Most appearances as a substitute: Peter Crouch (158)

While the giant striker notched 468 Premier League appearances, 158 of those came from the substitutes’ bench – making Crouchy the most ‘subbed on’ player. He played in the Premier League for six clubs, with the majority of his appearances coming while at Stoke City (2011-12 to 2017-18), before he retired in 2019.

3. Most goals: Alan Shearer (260)

He scored an incredible 112 Premier League goals in 138 appearances for Blackburn Rovers, before notching 148 in 303 appearances for Newcastle United. Shearer not only became the Magpies top goalscorer in history, but he cemented his place at the summit of the Premier League’s top goalscorers too. Only he and Wayne Rooney have made it over the 200-goals landmark in the top flight, and of the players still active, Sergio Agüero is hot on their heels with 180.

4. Most goals as a substitute: Jermain Defoe (24)

He may have swapped England’s Premier League for Scotland’s, but Jermain Defoe spent 20 seasons in the top flight, scoring a total of 162 goals – and 24 of those came from off the bench. He’s ranked the eighth highest goalscorer in Premier League history, but lays claim to the record of scoring the most goals as a substitute. Sadly, towards the end of his career in the English top-flight, he gained a reputation of being a benchwarmer.

5. Most hat-tricks: Sergio Agüero (12)

The Argentine has had a successful career in Manchester. He’s been an integral figure in the squad that have won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four League Cups – with success in Europe only eluding him. As an individual, Agüero won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2014-15 and is well on his way to bagging 200 league goals. A few more hat-tricks to add to his tally would do the job nicely.

6. Most assists: Ryan Giggs (162)

We turn our attentions now to a player that won all that there is to win, and Giggsy’s name stands firmly at the top of many Premier League record lists. The most Premier League medals (13), the most Premier League seasons scoring a goal (21), and of course, the most Premier League seasons (22). When it comes to assists, the Welsh Wizard stands head and shoulders above the rest, with nearest challenger Cesc Fàbregas only on 111!

7. Most own goals: Richard Dunne (10)

Not a record to be proud of, but Dunne heads up the list of players to score the most goals – at the wrong end! The former Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and QPR man notched double figures when it came to own goals. His final one came during a 3-2 defeat against Liverpool in October 2014, he retired that season… and it’s the not the last time we see the Irishman’s name on a record.

8. Most clean sheets: Petr Čech (202)

It could only be one man, and the former Chelsea and Arsenal shot-stopper (who incidentally, has re-joined the Blues as ‘emergency cover’) not only holds the record for the most clean sheets, but most clean sheets at one club, and the fewest goals conceded in a single Season. The Czech goalkeeper won the Premier League Golden Glove a record four times – 2004-05, 2009-10, 2013-14 and 2015-16 – and it was during that first season that he kept 24 clean sheets.

9. Most yellow cards: Gareth Barry (123)

It’s the second time Barry’s name appears in our top 10, but this is probably a record he would like to forget. It has to be said that he was never malicious, he just wasn’t blessed with pace and would quite often be too slow to the tackle, sliding in late to challenges as the game picked up pace. But he was a very good servant to the Premier League and at the end of the day, his positive attributes will be remembered more… maybe!

10. Most red cards: Various players (8)

Three footballers hold this record: Duncan Ferguson, Patrick Vieira and of course, the aforementioned Dunne. Ferguson amassed his dismissals during an 11-year spell at Everton, while Vieira’s all came in seven years at Arsenal – the most in the shortest period of time. Dunne’s came during spells with both Everton and Manchester City – meaning he played for both Aston Villa and QPR without being sent-off, an achievement in itself!