Which Premier League outfield player has played the most minutes this season?
An Englishman leads the charts in minutes played showing his importance to his club
Seven of the top 10 players in Premier League minutes this season are goalkeepers. Makes sense. Teams rarely rotate their goalkeepers and barring injuries, shot-stoppers are often the first player on the team sheet.
With 28 matchdays finished, Luton Town goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski leads the Premier League in minutes with 2,610. Kaminski has played every minute of every match for Luton Town.
Fulham shot-stopper Bernd Leno is level on minutes played with Kaminski. Like the Luton goalkeeper, Leno has played every minute of the season.
While goalkeepers lead the way in terms of minutes, three outfield players rank in the top 10 for most minutes played this season.
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, has compiled the most minutes of any outfield player, with 2,568. Watkins is having a brilliant campaign, as is the entire team. Villa are fourth in the table after 29 matches — having played one more game than the chasing pack.
The big-spending Villains could qualify for the Champions League for the first time this season. Although there is a lot of football left to play. Regardless of the amount of football left to play, Watkins will be on the pitch for the majority of matches, barring injuries.
The former Brentford man has scored 16 Premier League goals and added 10 assists. He has accounted for over a quarter of Villa’s scoring this season (goals-plus-assists). Watkins averages a goal or assist every 98.8 minutes in the league. Watkins is in the running for the Premier League Golden Boot award. Just two goals separate the Englishman from goal leader Erling Haaland (18).
Watkins’ form led to Gareth Southgate calling him up to the national team for the March friendlies. The “experts” are still debating whether Watkins should be picked for the Euro 2024 tournament. It feels a bit ridiculous if Southgate leaves the highest-scoring English player out of the squad.
Who else ranks in the top 10 of most minutes played in the Premier League this season?
Thomas Kaminski 2,610
Bernd Leno 2,610
Ollie Watkins 2,568
Max Kilman 2,520
Emi Martinez 2,520
Andre Onana 2,520
Jordan Pickford 2,520
William Saliba 2,520
James Trafford 2,520
Guglielmo Vicario
Which outfield player played the most Premier League minutes in 2022-23?
Everton defender James Tarkowski logged the most Premier League minutes in 2022-23. He played a total of 3,420. Gabriel (Arsenal), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Alex Iwobi (Everton), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), and Kieran Trippier (Newcastle) were also in the top 10.
The player with the most minutes a season ago was, of course a goalkeeper. Indeed, it was three goalkeepers: David De Gea (Manchester United), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), and David Raya (Brentford).