20 Best Left-Backs in Premier League History
da poker： Full-backs in today’s game have to be as good offensively as they are defensively, with modern-day managers wanting to see them high up the pitch in the final third.
da betobet： However, it wasn’t always like that, and we have seen some brilliant no-nonsense left-backs since 1992. But who is the best left-back in Premier League history?
Ranking factors Appearances Longevity Titles Goals Clean sheets What others have said about them 20 best left-backs in Premier League history: in pictures
Top 20 left-backs in Premier League history
Rank
Player
Clubs played for
1
Ashley Cole
Arsenal, Chelsea
2
Andy Robertson
Hull, Liverpool
3
Denis Irwin
Man Utd, Wolves West Ham
4
Patrice Evra
Man Utd, West Ham
5
Nigel Winterburn
Arsenal, West Ham
6
Leighton Baines
Wigan, Everton
7
John Arne Riise
Liverpool, Fulham
8
Graeme Le Saux
Chelsea, Blackburn, Southampton
9
Stuart Pearce
Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, West Ham
10
Ian Harte
Leeds
11
David Unsworth
Everton, West Ham, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Wigan
12
Gael Clichy
Arsenal, Man City
13
Luke Shaw
Southampton, Man Utd
14
Marcos Alonso
Bolton, Sunderland, Chelsea
15
Danny Rose
Tottenham, Sunderland, Newcastle, Watford
16
Wayne Bridge
Southampton, Chelsea, Fulham, Man City, West Ham, Sunderland
17
Gabriel Heinze
Man Utd
18
Mikael Silvestre
Man Utd, Arsenal
19
Phil Neville
Man Utd, Everton
20
Aleksandar Kolarov
Man City
20 Aleksandar Kolarov Man City
Serbian left-back Aleksandar Kolarov spent seven years at Man City and won two Premier League titles titles, proving to be worth the £16m transfer fee.
A powerful full-back who looked more like a centre-back than a left-back, Kolarov could also get forward and would also be on free-kick duty, scoring a goal in all seven of his top flight seasons at the Etihad.
Aleksandar Kolarov’s Premier League stats
Games
165
Goals
11
Assists
20
Clean sheets
46
Titles
2
19 Phil Neville Man Utd, Everton
A proper Premier League ‘Barclaysman’, Phil Neville could play as a right-back, holding midfielder or left-back, and was an extremely reliable performer for both Man Utd and Everton.
After winning six titles at Old Trafford, Neville moved to Goodison Park with the Toffees and continued to be a solid option at full-back, captaining Everton as he reached more than 500 Premier League appearances.
Phil Neville’s Premier League stats
Games
505
Goals
9
Assists
25
Titles
6
18 Mikael Silvestre Man Utd, Arsenal
With Man Utd having plenty of world-class options to choose from at centre-back, Mikael Silvestre would be used as a left-back on a regular basis by Sir Alex Ferguson between 1999-2008.
The Frenchman was able to play there due to his pace and would win four Premier League titles at Old Trafford, with Ferguson calling Silvestre “a great servant and a wonderful professional”.
Mikael Silvestre’s Premier League stats
Games
275
Goals
9
Assists
19
Clean sheets
83
Titles
4
17 Gabriel Heinze Man Utd
Another Man Utd left-back, Gabriel Heinze’s time at Old Trafford was short but sweet and would eventually leave after a falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Signed from PSG and sold to Real Madrid highlights just how good Heinze was, and he was named the Red Devils’ Player of the Year in his first season, winning the title in his last campaign with United.
Gabriel Heinze’s Premier League stats
Games
52
Goals
1
Assists
1
Clean sheets
18
Titles
1
16 Wayne Bridge Southampton, Chelsea, Fulham, Man City, West Ham, Sunderland
Wayne Bridge played for multiple Premier League clubs between 1998-2012, and the Englishman would have won more caps for England if it wasn’t for somebody else on this list.
He liked to get forward and cross at every opportunity, while also being solid defensively, which resulted in Chelsea spending £7m on his services in 2003, with Bridge winning one title at Stamford Bridge.
Wayne Bridge’s Premier League stats
Games
315
Goals
3
Assists
21
Clean sheets
100
Titles
1
15 Danny Rose Tottenham, Sunderland, Newcastle, Watford
Arguably Danny Rose’s career highlight came on his Tottenham debut against rivals Arsenal, where he announced himself in north London with a brilliant long-range goal.
Rose would go on to have a successful career in the Premier League, with Thomas Tuchel even admitting previously it took him three days to work out how to stop the left-back and his attacking threat ahead of a Champions League clash with Spurs.
Danny Rose’s Premier League stats
Games
202
Goals
9
Assists
17
Clean sheets
42
14 Marcos Alonso Bolton, Sunderland, Chelsea
Marcos Alonso made a name for himself as a left-back who could score from distance at Chelsea following spells with Bolton and Sunderland, winning the Premier League and Champions League at Stamford Bridge.
The Spaniard’s tally of 26 goals and 17 assists in just 179 appearances in defence shows how good he was in the final third, and he was called a “spectacular signing” for Barcelona when leaving the Blues.
Marcos Alonso’s Premier League stats
Games
179
Goals
26
Assists
16
Clean sheets
63
Titles
1
13 Luke Shaw Southampton, Man Utd
After bursting onto the scene as a teenager at Southampton, Man Utd paid a then-world-record £30m fee for a teenager to sign Luke Shaw.
Since then, Shaw has been named in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions and voted Man Utd’s Players’ Player of the Year twice. Called “the best left-back in the world” by former Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag, Shaw has also had his critics but there has been more positives than negatives in his Premier League career.
Luke Shaw’s Premier League stats
Games
258
Goals
3
Assists
17
Clean sheets
69
12 Gael Clichy Arsenal, Man City
Part of Arsenal’s Invincibles side in 2003/04, Gael Clichy would also win two more titles with Man City and would make himself known as a brilliant attacking left-back in north London and Manchester.
The Frenchman was also solid defensively and had a great passing vision that was hailed by Arsene Wenger, who labelled Clichy as “awesome”.
Gael Clichy’s Premier League stats
Games
325
Goals
3
Assists
18
Clean sheets
115
Titles
3
11 David Unsworth Everton, West Ham, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Wigan
David Unsworth, a left-back who could also play as a central defender when needed, is the highest-scoring full-back in Premier League, becoming somewhat of a penalty king in the top flight.
Best known for his time at Everton, Unsworth, in his prime, was extremely pacey and powerful on the left-hand side, acquiring the nickname of “Rhino” during his time at Goodison Park.
David Unsworth’s Premier League stats
Games
364
Goals
38
Assists
18
Clean sheets
90
