EPL or English Premier League is the top-tier tournament in English Football League system. The best teams or the richest clubs of Football Association England broke off from the Football League to start an exclusive, elite league. The Premier League started in 1992 with 22 teams playing in the inaugural season. The number of teams reduced to 20 later. Each team plays 38 matches in total where they meet the other teams at home and away grounds. Total number of matches played comes out to be 380.
How many games are played month-wise in an EPL season?
EPL starts in August and continues till May. The fixtures are decided in advance. There is an English Premier League season that coincides with August to May period. And, there is an offseason period, too, that goes from Late May to Early August. The offseason period is utilized in deciding fixture using the random draw. The month-wise count of games played in an EPL season is as under:
- August: 30 Games
- September: 30 Games
- October: 39 Games
- November: 38 Games
- December: 63 Games
- January: 30 Games
- February: 40 Games
- March: 30 Games
- April: 50 Games
- May: 30 Games
Which teams have always been there in an English Premier League (EPL) season?
EPL follows promotion-relegation format. The teams try their best to be on the positions table. They defeat other teams to fetch the positions. The last three rankers in the points table are relegated to second tier of English Football, that is, Championship. These relegated teams are replaced by the Championship’s three toppers.
Thus, often it happens that a few teams may miss English Premier League due to relegation. That is why; the sides appearing in the EPL season are not the same always. In fact, about 50 clubs in total have made appearances in EPL during various seasons.
The teams that have been there in all the seasons of EPL are – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. It means these teams were never relegated to second tier tournament.
Which teams have played maximum games in EPL?
Here is the record of all the teams that have played EPL so far:
Team name First Season Last season total seasons Times won
AFC Bournemouth 2015-16 2022-23 6
Arsenal 1992-93 2022-23 31 3
Aston Villa 1992-93 2022-23 28
Barnsley 1997-98 1997-98 1
Birmingham City 2002-03 2010-11 7
Blackburn Rovers 1992-93 2011-12 18 1
Blackpool 2010-11 2010-11 1
Bolton Wanderers 1995-96 2011-12 13
Bradford City 1999-2000 2000-01 2
Brentford 2021-22 2022-23 2
Brighton & Hove Albion2017-18 2022-23 6
Burnley 2009-10 2021-22 8
Cardiff City 2013-14 2018-19 2
Charlton Athletic 1998-99 2006-07 8
Chelsea 1992-93 2022-23 31 5
Coventry City 1992-93 2000-01 9
Crystal Palace 1992-93 2022-23 14
Derby County 1996-97 2007-08 7
Everton 1992-93 2022-23 31
Fulham 2001-02 2022-23 16
Huddersfield Town 2017-18 2018-19 2
Hull City 2008-09 2016-17 5
Ipswich Town 1992-93 2001-02 5
Leeds United 1992-93 2022-23 15
Leicester City 1994-95 2022-23 17 1
Liverpool 1992-93 2022-23 31 1
Manchester City 1992-93 2022-23 26 6
Manchester United 1992-93 2022-23 31 13
Middlesbrough 1992-93 2016-17 15
Newcastle United 1993-94 2022-23 28
Norwich City 1992-93 2021-22 10
Nottingham Forest 1994-95 2022-23 6
Oldham Athletic 1992-93 1993-94 2
Portsmouth 2003-04 2009-10 7
Queens Park Rangers 1992-93 2014-15 7
Reading 2006-07 2012-13 3
Sheffield United 1992-93 2020-21 5
Sheffield Wednesday 1992-93 1999-2000 8
Southampton 1992-94 2022-23 24
Stoke City 2009-10 2017-18 9
Sunderland 1996-97 2016-17 16
Swansea City 2011-12 2017-18 7
Swindon Town 1993-94 1993-94 1
Tottenham Hotspur 1992-93 2022-23 31
Watford 1999-2000 2021-22 8
West Bromwich Albion2002-03 2020-21 13
West Ham United 1993-94 2022-23 27
Wigan Athletic 2005-06 2011-12 8
Wimbledon 1992-93 1999-2000 8
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2003-04 2022-23 9
The teams that have played maximum number of seasons of EPL are – Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea, and Arsenal.
Maximum number of times a team has won EPL is 13. This honor is won by Manchester United.
Which players have made maximum appearances in EPL?
There are about 13 players that have made more than 500 appearances in EPL. The record constitutes the appearances since the inception of the league in 1992-93. These players with maximum appearances are:
- Gareth Berry – 653 appearances. This player played for clubs such as Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, West Bromwich Albion.
- Ryan Giggs – 632 apps. He played for Manchester United in all these appearances.
- Frank Lampard – 609. He was selected by Chelsea, West Ham United and Manchester City during different seasons.
- David James – 572. He was not only the player with maximum appearances but the goal keeper, too, with most seasons played. He represented Liverpool, Aston Villa, Portsmouth, Manchester City, and West Ham United in different years.
- Gary Speed – 535. His last season was 2007 and first was 1992. He was picked by clubs like Newcastle United, Leeds United, Bolton Wanderers, and Everton during transfers.
The players with their sheer dedication to the sport and unmatchable talent manage to stay in the Premier League. This league earns them maximum popularity and money as well. Several players rose to positions like coaches and managers once they stopped playing professional football but could not stay away from the scene.
Which players have scored more than 100 goals in EPL games?
The players that have sent the ball across the net maximum times in EPL games are – Alan Shearer – 260, Wayne Rooney – 208, Andy Cole – 187, Sergio Aguero – 184, and Harry Kane – 183 goals. Of these, Harry Kane will be appearing in 2022-2023 season too.
Summing up,
EPL season spans over a period of 10 months and sees a lot of action. The games are played mostly on weekdays and holidays. Fixtures are designed in a way to provide a fair chance to each team. The teams are not made to travel much. Also, the teams are not made to wait to play at their home ground for long. It helps keep the excitement alive and brings in phenomenal footfall to the stadiums as well.