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Saka equals Arsenal record for consecutive appearances

21 Aug 2023
Crystal Palace v Arsenal

Winger matches Paul Merson's tally of playing in 82 successive Premier League matches for Gunners

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As referee David Coote blew the whistle to start Monday's London derby between Crystal Palace and Arsenal, Gunners winger Bukayo Saka instantly equalled a club record that had stood for over 26 years.

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The 21-year-old has now featured in 82 consecutive Premier League matches for Arsenal, matching the tally achieved by Paul Merson between February 1995 and February 1997.  

Centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes remains in the running for the club record after 75 successive appearances, the latest of those coming against Palace.

But after being named on the bench for the last two matches, coming on in the second half, his sequence appears to be at risk of ending soon.

Most consecutive PL matches for Arsenal
Player Matches Run started Run ended
Bukayo Saka 82 9 May 2021 -
Paul Merson 82 4 Feb 1995 23 Feb 1997
Gael Clichy 78 31 Mar 2007 4 Apr 2009
Gabriel Magalhaes 75 11 Sept 2021 -
Nigel Winterburn 66 15 Apr 1996 8 Feb 1998

Saka's run of appearances is the longest current sequence among outfield players in the Premier League.

Gabriel is in second place, ahead of Brentford's Yoane Wissa, who looks set for a sustained spell in the Bees' line-up while Ivan Toney is banned. His team-mate Bryan Mbeumo is also among the top five Premier League players.

Longest current PL runs of outfield players
Player Club Matches
Bukayo Saka Arsenal 82
Gabriel Magalhaes Arsenal 75
Yoane Wissa Brentford 66
Dan Burn Newcastle 64
Bryan Mbeumo Brentford 59

The all-time Premier League record for outfield players remains a long way away.

Indeed, Saka has exactly half the tally of the No 1 Frank Lampard, who made 164 consecutive appearances for Chelsea between October 2001 and December 2005.

Longest ever PL runs of outfield players
Player Club Matches Run started Run ended
Frank Lampard Chelsea 164 13 Oct 2001 26 Dec 2005
Wayne Bridge Southampton 113 4 Mar 2000 18 Jan 2003
Darren Fletcher West Brom, Stoke 112 8 Feb 2015 30 Dec 2017
Alan Shearer Blackburn 108 18 Sep 1993 16 Mar 1996
Jonathan Walters Stoke 104 2 Feb 2011 30 Nov 2013

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