By starting Brighton & Hove Albion’s home match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, James Milner has moved second in the all-time Premier League appearance charts.
It is Milner's 633rd Premier League match, moving one clear of Ryan Giggs on 632 and only 20 behind the record holder, Gareth Barry, who made 653 appearances.
The 2nd most appearances in Premier League history ✊
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 22, 2024
Congratulations on another landmark, @JamesMilner! pic.twitter.com/d5EBYNRwnh
"He is younger than his real age and he can play in any position on the pitch," Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi told TNT Sports ahead of kick off.
"For us it is a good thing to have his experience and his leadership on the pitch."
Most Premier League appearances
| Player | Appearances |
|---|---|
| Gareth Barry | 653 |
| James Milner | 633 |
| Ryan Giggs | 632 |
| Frank Lampard | 609 |
| David James | 572 |
The 38-year-old made his Premier League debut in November 2002, coming on as a substitute for Leeds United against West Ham United to become - at the time - the second-youngest player to play in the competition.
Milner then became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history when he scored in a 2-1 victory over Sunderland on Boxing Day that same year at the age of 16 years and 309 days.
During his career, Milner has played for six clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle United, winning three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two EFL Cups and one UEFA Champions League.
Although Milner is closing in on Barry, he cannot break the record this season as Brighton have only 17 matches left.
Milner is on a one-year contract at Brighton, but the Seagulls do have an option to extend it by a further 12 months.
Milner's Premier League career
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leeds | 48 | 5 | 0 |
| Newcastle | 94 | 6 | 8 |
| Aston Villa | 100 | 12 | 28 |
| Man City | 147 | 13 | 25 |
| Liverpool | 230 | 19 | 26 |
| Brighton | 14 | 0 | 2 |