Lampard Barry Downing and all the Mr Reliables that have started every League match this season
05 Mar 2009 - 14:39:59
Frank Lampard made it 28 consecutive Barclays Premier League games on the trot in Chelsea 1-0 win over Portsmouth, but which players are first on the team sheet for the other top flight clubs?
Ever-ready man: Frank Lampard has started all of Chelsea's League matches this season
As is to be expected, several goalkeepers (Manuel Almunia, Brad Friedel, Scott Carson, David James, Tim Howard, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Pepe Reina) are among this season's ever-presents, it is Bolton Wanderers and Fulham who top the league in terms of consistency.
Kevin Davies, Jaaskelainen, Fabrice Muamba and Jlloyd Samuel have played in every one of the Trotters' 27 Premier League games and Aaron Highes, Simon Davies, Danny Murphy and Mark Schwarzer have featured in each of Fulham's 26 fixtures.
James Milner is the only Premier League player on the maximum number of appearances to have played for two clubs - Newcastle United and Aston Villa - although former Magpies team-mate Shay Given has played in 26 Premier League games this season.
Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United, Manchester City, Stoke and Sunderland are the only Premier League clubs which have failed to field the same player in every match.
Here is Sportsmail's club-by-club guide to the players who have started every Premier League game so far. Who do you think has made the most impact? Tell us using the comments box below.
ARSENALManuel Almunia has started every Premier League game for Arsenal. In fact, he has only missed 20 minutes of the Gunners' league campaign. The goalkeeper (pictured) was substituted in the 78th minute of Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Manchester United in November, a match in which six minutes of added time were played.
Reserve goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski's duties were limited to picking Rafael da Silva's 90th-minute consolation goal out of the net that night.
Gael Clichy has also featured in all 28 of Arsenal's Premier League games this season, although he came off the bench in Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Boxing Day and was substituted in the Gunners' 3-1 win over Bolton in September.
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ASTON VILLAVilla's first choice goalkeeper, the evergreen Brad Friedel, has played every minute of every Premier League game for Martin O'Neill's side this season.
Gabriel Agbonlahor and Gareth Barry have also started all 27 of Villa's league games this season. Agbonlahor has scored 10 league goals and has failed to play the whole 90 minutes on just two occasions (against Spurs in September and Blackburn in October), whilst Barry has contributed four goals to Villa's cause and has been substituted on just one occasion, during Villa's 4-0 win over Wigan in October.
James Milner has also made 27 Premier League appearances this season, but for two clubs. The midfielder started Newcastle's first two League encounters (against Manchester United and Bolton) and has played in 25 league games for Villa (five as a substitute) since moving to the Midlands.
BLACKBURNNo Blackburn player has featured in every one of the team's Premier League games this season, which is possibly a reflection of the managerial changes at Ewood Park. Ryan Nelson has made 26 appearances for Blackburn in 2008-09.
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BOLTON Jussi Jaaskelainen (pictured) has played every minute for Bolton in the Premier League this season, whilst Jlloyd Samuel has started every game alongside the goalkeeper.
Kevin Davies and Fabrice Muamba have featured in all of the 28 games. Muamba has been a substitute on three occasions and Davies just the once, in Bolton's 3-0 loss at Anfield on Boxing Day.
CHELSEAOnly Frank Lampard has appeared in every Premier League game for the Blues this season. The England midfielder has started every match for Chelsea and has been substituted just once, in the Blues' 4-0 win over Portsmouth in September.
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EVERTONGoalkeeper Tim Howard and defender Phil Jagielka have been ever-present for David Moyes' side in the league this season, playing every minute of Everton's 28 games.
FULHAM Mark Schwarzer, another ever-present goalkeeper, and defender Aaron Hughes have played every Premier League minute for Fulham. Simon Davies and Danny Murphy (pictured) have also started every game for Roy Hodgson's side, but have not lasted the full 90 minutes in every league match.
HULL CITYMichael Turner (pictured) has played every minute of Hull City's first campaign in the top flight, contributing four goals to the Tigers' cause along the way.
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LIVERPOOLJose Reina has been ever-present for Liverpool and Jamie Carragher and Dirk Kuyt have played in all 28 game for Rafa Benitez's side this season.
Kuyt has been substituted six times and Carragher on just one occasion, in Liverpool's 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough last week.
MANCHESTER CITYNo ever-presents for Mark Hughes' side, although Shay Given has 27 Premier League appearances to his name this season (20 of which were with Newcastle). Stephen Ireland has only missed one game for City and has made 27 appearances, one as a substitute.
MANCHESTER UNITEDThe Champions have not had an ever-present player this season, but Nemanja Vidic would have been a candidate had he not got himself sent off for a second bookable offence against Liverpool in September.
The Serbia defender was suspended for United's next Premier League clash against Chelsea - the only league game he has missed all season.
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MIDDLESBROUGHStewart Downing has started all of Middlebrough's 28 Premier League games. The winger has been substituted on just one occasion.
NEWCASTLEFabricio Coloccini (pictured) has started all of Newcastle's 28 league games this season and is one of the few players to have been ever-present in League and FA Cup duties as well. Two appearances in each of the domestic knock-out competitions means the Argentina defender has started 31 games for the Magpies so far in 2008-09.
PORTSMOUTHDavid James (pictured) and Sylvain Distin have played every Premier League minute for Portsmouth this season, managing five clean sheets in 27 games under three managers.
Peter Crouch, Portsmouth's leading goal-scorer with eight top flight goals, has started every game for Pompey and has been substituted on three occasions.
STOKE CITYNo ever-presents for Stoke, but defender Abdoulaye Faye has started 26 games for Tony Pulis' side this season.
SUNDERLANDNo player has started every Premier League match for Sunderland, but Steed Malbranque has made 26 appearances, missing just one match. The midfielder was suspended for Sunderland's 2-1 loss at home to Aston Villa on January 17 after picking up five yellow cards.
Like Coloccini at Newcastle, Malbranque has also featured in four Cup games for Sunderland this season.
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPURAaron Lennon has played in each of Spurs' 27 league games this season, although nine of his appearances have come as a substitute.
WEST BROMWICH ALBIONScott Carson (pictured) has started every match for the Baggies, letting in 54 goals in his 28 Premier League matches as West Brom goalkeeper this season.
WEST HAM UNITEDRobert Green has played every Premier League minute for West Ham this season and Matthew Upson (pictured) has started every game for the Hammers.
WIGAN ATHLETICMaynor Figueroa (pictured) has started every Premier League game for Wigan this season, scoring one goal and picking up four bookings.
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