Updating Arsenal’s all-time Premier League appearance & goal leaders (2021)

We are just about one week away from the start of the 2021-22 Premier League season and with it a fresh start for Arsenal. Two straight seasons of finishing in 8th place, the first time Arsenal has finished that low in back-to-back campaigns since the 1975-76 and ‘76-77 seasons, has the players, coaching staff, and supporters ready to take the next step towards rebuilding Arsenal.

While the future lies in the Gunners’ young talent, such as Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White, Kieran Tierney, Gabriel, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, all of whom are under 25, Arsenal have several players who have racked up Premier League goals and appearances during their time in North London. Before we kick off a new season here is a quick look at where the current players land in Arsenal’s all-time appearance and goals charts in the Premier League.

All-Time Premier League Appearances

• Hector Bellerin - 23rd - 183 appearances
• Granit Xhaka - 29th - 161 appearances
• Alexandre Lacazette - 42nd - 128 appearances
• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 47th - 114 appearances
• Bernd Leno - 63rd - 97 appearances
• Sead Kolašinac - 74th - 78 appearances
• Calum Chambers - 77th - 72 appearances
• Rob Holding & Mohamed Elneny - tied for 78th - 69 appearances
• Ainsley Maitland-Niles - 82nd - 64 appearances
• Nicolas Pépé - 87th - 60 appearances
• Bukayo Saka - 90th - 59 appearances
• Kieran Tierney - 100th - 42 appearances

Bellerin enters the season as Arsenal’s active leader in appearances but is expected to exit before the transfer window closes, just like the active leader heading into last season, Mesut Ozil, eventually did. Xhaka seemed set for a move to Roma before reportedly deciding to sign a new contract with Aresnal. If Granit has another year like ‘20-21, he could end the season in 18th place just ahead of Ian Wright. Neither Lacazette or Aubameyang are likely to make the Arsenal top-20, but we could definitely see Bernd Leno, Pepe, Bukayo Saka and/or Kieran Tierney land there in the future.

All-Time Premier League Goals

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 7th - 64 goals
• Alexandre Lacazette - 10th - 50 goals
• Nicolas Pepe - 34th - 15 goals
• Granit Xhaka - tied for 45th - 9 goals
• Hector Bellerin - tied for 51st - 8 goals
• Bukayo Saka - tied for 64th - 6 goals
• Gabriel Martinelli & Eddie Nketiah - tied for 69th - 5 goals
• Calum Chambers - tied for 80th - 3 goals
• Emile Smith Rowe & Gabriel - tied for 94th - 2 goals

If Aubameyang can replicate his performance from last season of 10 league goals he would overtake Theo Walcott and Oliver Giroud into 5th place. Similarly, if Lacazette was able to hit 13 Premier League goals for a second straight season he would jump into 8th passing Alexis Sanchez and Robert Pires. While Pepe took a big step forward last season, scoring 10 league goals moving up from 68th on the all-time list to 34th. Another year at that pace and he would be tied for 20th with Marc Overmars and Santi Carzola.

Once again, thanks to 11v11 for providing this data. Can the three active goal leaders replicate, and hopefully improve upon, their seasons last year? And will we see Saka, Smith Rowe, and Martinelli make further strides forwards translating their attacking talent into higher goal production? Of the current active players which can one day make it to 200 Premier League appearances?