As we approach the finale of the 2022/23 Premier League season, data shows that age is not getting in the way of some players’ abilities, with 43 footballers aged 33 or older making at least one appearance in the top flight this season.
With the final round of Premier League fixtures taking place this weekend, the team at betting.com have assessed the season’s statistics, to reveal the oldest players to have featured in each position during this Premier League season, assembling them into a starting eleven.
Often in football, our attention is drawn to the young players coming through and their potential for the future. However, there are more than a few prolific names proving that experience matters when it comes to success in the Premier League.
One current Aston Villa player, as well as a former Villa midfielder also feature in the list.
To feature in this XI, a player needs to have made at least one appearance - as a starter or substitute - for one of the 20 teams to feature in the Premier League this season. The information in this XI is accurate prior to the 38th and final round of fixtures of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Let’s take a look at the oldest 11 in the Premier League this season, including a goalkeeper, four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards.
1. Lukasz Fabianski - West Ham: 38 years, 1 month & 3 days on 21/05/2023
Experience is key between the sticks, and that certainly showed this season, with 4 of the 10 oldest Premier League footballers this season playing in goal. The competition was high to be the oldest Premier League goalkeeper in 2022/23, with the likes of Keylor Navas, Hugo Lloris, and Wayne Hennessey all being deployed during the season. However, it was West Ham’s Lukasz Fabianski who was the oldest goalkeeper this season. The former Poland international was a truly safe pair of hands as he started an impressive 35 out of 37 Premier League games so far for the Hammers this season, even with the tough competition of Alphonse Areola.
2. Ashley Young - Aston Villa :37 years, 10 months & 11 days on 20/05/2023
Ageing like a fine wine, Ashley Young has reinvented himself in the latter half of his career as one of the most consistent full-backs in the Premier League. The former England international has made 29 league appearances so far this season, including a cameo off the bench in Villa’s most recent game - a 1-1 draw away to Liverpool.
3. Thiago Silva - Chelsea: 38 years, 7 months & 29 days on 21/05/2023
As well as being the oldest player to feature in his position on the pitch, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva is also the oldest player to feature in the Premier League overall this season. After sustaining an injury in February in a game against Tottenham Hotspur, it looked as if the Brazilian centre back’s season might have ended prematurely, but the veteran footballer returned to action to see out the remainder of what was an underwhelming season for Chelsea. The 38-year-old is expected to call time on his stint in the Premier League this summer, and return to his boyhood club Fluminense in Brazil.
4. Tim Ream - Fulham: 35 years, 6 months & 25 days on 30/04/2023
Since the arrival of Marco Silva in the Fulham dugout, American defender Tim Ream’s Fulham career has been rejuvenated. Ream’s last stint in the Premier League in 2020/21 saw him make just 7 appearances, compared to this season where he has been a key part of Fulham’s defence - making 33 appearances and even chipping in with a goal in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace. Ream’s return to form this season earned him a place in the USA squad at the 2022 World Cup, where he played an essential role in helping his country reach the last 16 Photo: Bryn Lennon