James Milner, Ryan Giggs, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney: top 25 players with the most Premier League appearances – in pictures

After Liverpool veteran Milner broke into the top five last week, we take a look at the great and the good at the top of the English top-flight longevity list

25: Kevin Davies (Southampton, Blackburn, Bolton) 444 games. Getty

24: John O'Shea (Manchester United, Sunderland) 445 games. Action images

23: Brad Friedel (Liverpool, Blackburn, Aston Villa, Tottenham) 450 games. Getty

22: Shay Given (Blackburn, Newcastle, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Stoke) 451 games. AFP

21: Aaron Hughes (Newcastle, Aston Villa, Fulham) 455 games. Getty

20: Peter Crouch (Aston Villa, Southampton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Tottenham, Stoke, Burnley) 468 games. Reuters

19: Sylvain Distin (Newcastle, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Everton, Bournemouth) 469 games. Getty

18: Michael Carrick (West Ham, Tottenham, Manchester United) 481 games. Reuters

17: Wayne Rooney (Everton, Manchester Uinted) 491 games. Getty

16: John Terry (Chelsea) 492 games. Getty

15: Jermain Defoe (West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Bournemouth) 496 games. Reuters

14: Paul Scholes (Manchester United) 499 games. Getty

13: Sol Campbell (Tottenham, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Newcastle) 503 games. Getty

=11: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 504 games. Getty

=11: Rio Ferdinand (West Ham, Manchester United) 504 games. Getty

10: Phil Neville (Manchester United) 505 games. Action Images.

9: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool) 508 games. Getty

8: Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea, Leicester) 514 games. AFP

7: Emile Heskey (Leicester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Wigan, Aston Villa). 516 games. Allsport

6: Gary Speed (Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton) 535 games. Getty

5: James Milner (Leeds, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool). 536 games. PA

4: David James (Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham, Manchester City, Portsmouth). 572 games. Getty

3: Frank Lampard (West Ham, Chelsea, Manchester City) 609 games. AFP

2: Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) 632 games. Action Images

1: Gareth Barry (Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, West Bromwich Albion) 653 games. Getty

As Liverpool continued their remarkable season with yet another victory, this time against Brighton last week, one of their veteran players was making his own mark on the record books.

When 34-year-old James Milner was brought on as an 80th-minute substitute on the south coast, he made appearance No 536 in the Premier League.

The utility player overtook the late Gary Speed to move up to fifth in the all-time list of most appearances since the English top-flight was revamped in 1992.

Milner made his Leeds debut against West Ham in November 2002 at the age of 16 years and 309 days – making him the second-youngest person ever to play in the Premier League at the time.

He would go on to play for Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester City and finally joining the Merseysiders in 2015.

To see who else makes up the top 25 in the most appearances list, click on the arrows in the gallery above or swipe on your mobile device.