Premier League Records: Goals, Assists and Appearances

Introduction: The Premier League Record Book

Since its formation in 1992, the Premier League has established itself as the most-watched football league in the world. Over three decades, extraordinary players have set records that define the league's history. From Alan Shearer's 260 goals to Ryan Giggs' 632 appearances, from Petr Cech's 202 clean sheets to Erling Haaland's remarkable 36-goal debut season, this comprehensive record book covers every major milestone in Premier League history. For the latest standings and statistics, visit our /competitions page.

All-Time Top Scorers: The 200 Club

Alan Shearer — 260 Goals

Alan Shearer is the Premier League's all-time leading scorer with 260 goals in 441 appearances. His record has stood since he retired in 2006 and is widely considered the most difficult record in English football to break. Shearer scored 112 goals for Blackburn Rovers between 1992 and 1996, including 34 goals in the 1994-95 season when Blackburn won the Premier League title. He then scored 148 goals for his boyhood club Newcastle United between 1996 and 2006.

Shearer's goal-scoring prowess was built on power and precision. He scored with both feet, was dominant in the air, and possessed one of the most feared shots in the league. His 11 hat-tricks place him second on the all-time hat-trick list.

Harry Kane — 213 Goals

Harry Kane is second on the all-time list with 213 goals, all scored for Tottenham Hotspur before his move to Bayern Munich in 2023. Kane's goal-scoring consistency was extraordinary: he won the Golden Boot three times (2015-16, 2016-17, 2020-21) and scored over 20 goals in six consecutive Premier League seasons. His 213 goals came in 320 appearances, giving him a superior goals-per-game ratio to Shearer (0.66 to 0.59).

Wayne Rooney — 208 Goals

Wayne Rooney is third with 208 goals for Everton and Manchester United. Rooney's record is particularly remarkable because he was not a pure striker — he played as a second striker, attacking midfielder, and even wide forward during his career. He scored 183 goals for Manchester United (a club record) and 25 for Everton. His most prolific season was 2009-10, when he scored 26 goals.

Andy Cole — 187 Goals

Andy Cole is fourth with 187 goals for Newcastle United, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, and Sunderland. Cole's best season was 1993-94, when he scored 34 goals for Newcastle United — a record he shared with Alan Shearer until Erling Haaland broke it in 2023.

Sergio Aguero — 184 Goals

Sergio Aguero is fifth with 184 goals, all scored for Manchester City. The Argentine striker had the best goals-per-minute ratio in Premier League history (a goal every 108 minutes) among players with over 20 goals. His most famous goal is the 93rd-minute strike against Queens Park Rangers in 2012 that won Manchester City their first Premier League title. Aguero won the Golden Boot in 2014-15 with 26 goals.

The rest of the top 10 includes Frank Lampard (177 goals for West Ham, Chelsea, Manchester City), Thierry Henry (175 goals for Arsenal), Robbie Fowler (163 goals for Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester City), Jermain Defoe (162 goals for six clubs), and Michael Owen (150 goals for Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United, Stoke). For a complete list of all Premier League scorers, visit our /knowledge page.

Most Assists: The Creators

Ryan Giggs — 162 Assists

Ryan Giggs holds the record for the most assists in Premier League history with 162. The Welsh winger played 632 Premier League matches for Manchester United, a club record, and his assist tally reflects his remarkable longevity and consistent creativity. Giggs won 13 Premier League titles, more than any other player, and his ability to beat defenders and deliver crosses was unmatched for over two decades.

Cesc Fabregas — 111 Assists

Cesc Fabregas is second with 111 assists for Arsenal, Chelsea, and a brief spell at Manchester United. The Spanish midfielder's assist record is particularly impressive given that he spent his peak years at Arsenal, a team that did not win the league. His vision, passing range, and understanding of forward runs made him one of the most creative midfielders in Premier League history.

Wayne Rooney — 103 Assists

Wayne Rooney is third with 103 assists, adding to his 208 goals to make him the second player in Premier League history to reach 100 goals and 100 assists (after Ryan Giggs). Rooney's versatility allowed him to create chances from deep positions, set-pieces, and wide areas.

Other players with 70+ assists include Frank Lampard (102), Dennis Bergkamp (94), David Beckham (80), Steven Gerrard (92), Kevin De Bruyne (80+ and counting), and James Milner (80+ across multiple clubs). For the complete assist leaders table, see our /guides page.

Appearance Records: The Iron Men

Gareth Barry — 653 Appearances

Gareth Barry holds the record for the most Premier League appearances with 653 across Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, and West Bromwich Albion. The midfielder's career spanned from 1998 to 2017, a remarkable 19-year journey through English football. Barry won the Premier League with Manchester City in 2012 and was known for his consistency, professionalism, and tactical intelligence.

Ryan Giggs — 632 Appearances

Ryan Giggs is second with 632 appearances, all for Manchester United. His career spanned from the Premier League's inaugural season in 1992 to his retirement in 2014. Giggs won 13 Premier League titles and played in 24 consecutive Premier League seasons, a record for the most seasons played by any player.

Frank Lampard — 609 Appearances

Frank Lampard is third with 609 appearances for West Ham, Chelsea, and Manchester City. The midfielder scored 177 goals from midfield, a remarkable total for a player who was not a striker. His 609 appearances include a record 164 consecutive Premier League starts for Chelsea between 2001 and 2005.

Other players with 600+ appearances include David James (572), Gary Speed (535), Emile Heskey (516), Mark Schwarzer (514), Phil Neville (505), Rio Ferdinand (504), Steven Gerrard (504), and Paul Scholes (499).

Clean Sheets: The Goalkeeping Giants

Petr Cech — 202 Clean Sheets

Petr Cech holds the record for the most clean sheets in Premier League history with 202, achieved in 443 appearances for Chelsea and Arsenal. The Czech goalkeeper's record is all the more remarkable given a serious head injury early in his Chelsea career that required him to wear a protective helmet for the rest of his career.

Cech holds the record for the most clean sheets in a single Premier League season: 24 clean sheets in 2004-05, when Chelsea conceded just 15 goals all season. He also holds the record for the longest run without conceding a goal (1,025 minutes across the 2004-05 season).

David James — 169 Clean Sheets

David James is second with 169 clean sheets in 572 appearances for Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham, Manchester City, and Portsmouth. "Calamity James," as he was nicknamed early in his career, overcame reputation issues to become one of the most consistent goalkeepers in Premier League history.

Mark Schwarzer — 151 Clean Sheets

Mark Schwarzer is third with 151 clean sheets in 514 appearances for Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea, and Leicester City. The Australian goalkeeper had extraordinary longevity, playing in the Premier League from 1997 to 2015.

Single-Season Records: The Greatest Campaigns

Most Goals in a Season: Erling Haaland (36 Goals)

Erling Haaland set a new Premier League record in his debut season, scoring 36 goals in 35 appearances for Manchester City in 2022-23. Haaland broke the previous record of 34 goals shared by Alan Shearer (1994-95) and Andy Cole (1993-94). His record is all the more impressive because it came in his first season in English football, with no time to adapt to the league's demands. Haaland's 36 goals included 4 hat-tricks and a remarkable streak of 10 goals in his first 6 home games.

Previous Record Holders

Before Haaland, Alan Shearer and Andy Cole shared the record with 34 goals each. Shearer's 34 goals for Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95 guided them to the Premier League title. Cole's 34 goals for Newcastle United in 1993-94 came in a 42-match season, while Shearer's came in 42 as well. Haaland's 36 goals came in 38 matches.

Luis Suarez scored 31 goals for Liverpool in 2013-14, a remarkable total that included a hat-trick against Norwich City and a stunning volley against Newcastle United. Mohamed Salah scored 32 goals for Liverpool in 2017-18, his first season at the club, setting a record for the 38-game format. Cristiano Ronaldo scored 31 goals for Manchester United in 2007-08, the most by a winger in a single season.

Hat-Tricks Record

Sergio Aguero holds the record for the most Premier League hat-tricks with 12, all scored for Manchester City. The Argentine's hat-tricks included five goals against Newcastle United in 2015 and a 16-minute hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Alan Shearer is second with 11 hat-tricks. Robbie Fowler and Erling Haaland have 9 each. Harry Kane scored 8 hat-tricks.

The fastest hat-trick in Premier League history was scored by Sadio Mane for Southampton against Aston Villa in 2015, completing his hat-trick in 2 minutes and 56 seconds. Robbie Fowler scored a hat-trick in 4 minutes and 33 seconds for Liverpool against Arsenal in 1994.

Youngest and Oldest Players

The youngest player to appear in the Premier League is Harvey Elliott, who was 16 years and 30 days old when he played for Fulham against Wolves in 2019. The youngest goalscorer is James Vaughan, who scored for Everton against Crystal Palace in 2005 at 16 years and 270 days.

The oldest player to appear in the Premier League is John Burridge, who was 43 years and 162 days old when he played for Manchester City in 1995. The oldest outfield player is Ryan Giggs, who was 40 years and 228 days old when he played for Manchester United in 2013.

Fastest Goals

The fastest goal in Premier League history was scored by Shane Long for Southampton against Watford in 2019, finding the net after just 7.69 seconds. Long broke the previous record held by Ledley King (9.87 seconds for Tottenham in 2000). Other fast goals include Alan Shearer (10.4 seconds for Newcastle against Manchester City in 2003) and Christian Eriksen (10.7 seconds for Tottenham against Manchester United in 2018).

Golden Boot Winners

The Premier League Golden Boot is awarded to the top scorer each season. Notable winners include:

- 1992-93: Teddy Sheringham (22 goals)

- 1993-94: Andy Cole (34 goals)

- 1994-95: Alan Shearer (34 goals)

- 1995-96: Alan Shearer (31 goals)

- 2007-08: Cristiano Ronaldo (31 goals)

- 2013-14: Luis Suarez (31 goals)

- 2017-18: Mohamed Salah (32 goals)

- 2019-20: Jamie Vardy (23 goals)

- 2021-22: Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min (23 goals each)

- 2022-23: Erling Haaland (36 goals)

- 2023-24: Erling Haaland (27 goals)

Alan Shearer won the Golden Boot three times, the most by any player. Thierry Henry also won it four times (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006).

Related Content

Explore the Premier League hub for comprehensive competition coverage.

Explore the Champions League hub for comprehensive competition coverage.

Visit the Manchester City team page for detailed squad and performance data.

Visit the Liverpool team page for detailed squad and performance data.

Read our in-depth history of the Premier League article.

Read our in-depth Premier League title races article.

Learn more with our Premier League European qualification guide.

Learn more with our Premier League squad rules.

Browse our club history blueprints for more football content.

Browse our player profile blueprints for more football content.

Discover more football guides.

Discover more football news.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the all-time top scorer in Premier League history?

Alan Shearer holds the record with 260 Premier League goals for Blackburn Rovers (112) and Newcastle United (148). Harry Kane is second with 213 goals, followed by Wayne Rooney with 208.

Who has the most assists in Premier League history?

Ryan Giggs holds the record with 162 assists, all for Manchester United across 632 appearances. Cesc Fabregas is second with 111, and Wayne Rooney is third with 103.

Who has the most Premier League appearances?

Gareth Barry holds the record with 653 appearances across Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, and West Bromwich Albion. Ryan Giggs is second with 632, and Frank Lampard is third with 609.

Who scored the most goals in a single Premier League season?

Erling Haaland scored 36 goals for Manchester City in 2022-23, breaking the previous record of 34 held by Alan Shearer (1994-95) and Andy Cole (1993-94).

Who has the most clean sheets in Premier League history?

Petr Cech holds the record with 202 clean sheets for Chelsea and Arsenal. He also holds the record for most clean sheets in a single season (24 in 2004-05) and the longest run without conceding (1,025 minutes).

Who has scored the most Premier League hat-tricks?

Sergio Aguero holds the record with 12 hat-tricks for Manchester City. Alan Shearer is second with 11, followed by Robbie Fowler and Erling Haaland with 9 each.