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Top 25 Manchester United players of the Premier League era - #1

Sports Mole's countdown of the top 25 Manchester United players in Premier League history concludes with number one - Ryan Giggs.

Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs in action for Manchester United against Crystal Palace on December 01, 1991.© Getty Images

When looking for the perfect mix of longevity, quality and success, there are no better examples in English football history than Ryan Giggs.

Having made his Manchester United debut in 1991, Giggs outlasted even Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford during a 23-year playing career that saw him become one of only 18 players in football history to have made more than 1,000 career appearances for club and country.

A club-record 963 of those came for the Red Devils, during which time he scored 168 goals to leave him joint seventh on the all-time list of United scorers.

That includes goals in each of his first 23 seasons with the club - including the unprecedented achievement of scoring in all of the opening 21 years of the Premier League - and he was also a creative force with a Premier League-record 271 assists to his name.

At the time of writing, no player has made more Premier League appearances than Giggs's 632, while the Welsh wing wizard was the first player in history to win consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards, going on to scoop the main prize in 2009 at the age of 36.

Giggs eventually called time on his illustrious career in 2014 aged 40, by which point he had played a part in all 13 of Manchester United's Premier League title triumphs in addition to helping the club to four FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League crowns.

Perhaps the abiding memory of Giggs is his solo goal in the semi-finals of the 1999 FA Cup against Arsenal - a moment which proved crucial to the club clinching the treble that year.

In all, Giggs won a staggering 35 trophies during his time at Old Trafford to make him one of the most decorated footballers ever, and he holds a very strong claim to being both United's and the Premier League's greatest player of all time.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Manchester CityMan City33237380324876
3Liverpool34228475344174
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton331111115254-244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


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