The 10 players with the longest unbeaten runs in Premier League history

Arsenal’s legendary Invincibles of 2003-04 unsurprisingly dominate the list of the Premier League’s longest unbeaten runs – but Manchester City star Rodri may soon beat all of their records.

It’s now over 400 days since Rodri last tasted a Premier League defeat with Man City. The defensive midfielder is arguably the most important player in English football right now, a claim underlined by City losing all three of the matches he was suspended for, after a red card he picked up in September.

But where does Rodri rank in terms of the longest unbeaten runs in Premier League history? We’ve broken down the top 10.

=10. Robert Pires – 45 matches

One of the iconic figures of the Gunners’ Invincibles, Pires was a near ever-present, featuring in 36 of the 38 matches in that unforgettable 2003-04 campaign.

The mercurial French midfielder took his usual place on Arsene Wenger’s teamsheet in the two matches that bookended their record 49 matches unbeaten, the 3-2 home loss to Leeds that ended their title hopes in 2002-03 and the infamous ‘Battle of the Buffet’ defeat to Manchester United in October 2004.

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=10. Gilberto Silva – 45 matches

The Brazilian took his usual place alongside Pires in Wenger’s first-choice midfield in the aforementioned Leeds match, but he was actually sidelined – perhaps not coincidentally – when Arsenal lost at Old Trafford.

Gilberto spent seven months out in 2004-05, eventually returning in April. His own personal run of 45 unbeaten matches was ended up on the final weekend of that season, when Emile Heskey scored an injury-time winner to give Birmingham City a famous 2-1 victory.

=7. Lauren – 46 matches

If you’re sick of reading about the Invincibles, you might as well stop reading here.

Another stalwart and undisputed member of Wenger’s best XI of that era,  Lauren played in 32 matches of the unbeaten 2003-04 season.

Oleh Luzhny actually played in his place in the loss to Leeds, so prior to Old Trafford the Cameroonian right-back’s unbeaten run stretched back to a 2-0 defeat at Blackburn in March 2003.

=7. Joel Matip – 46 matches

Another Cameroonian, Matip holds Liverpool’s record for the longest unbeaten run.

The centre-back went 46 matches unbeaten between the Reds’ 2-1 defeat away to Manchester United in March 2018 and shock 3-0 loss to Watford in February 2020.

Liverpool only suffered a couple of Premier League defeats in that two-year period – away to Chelsea in May 2018 and away to Man City in January 2019 – but Matip was present for neither.

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TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player to appear for Arsenal in the Invincibles season?

=5. Jens Lehmann – 47 matches

The loveably erratic German was still at Borussia Dortmund when Arsenal started their 49-match unbeaten run at the tail end of 2002-03. David Seaman stood between the sticks for the defeat to Leeds.

He started every match of the Invincibles campaign and extended his own personal run to 47 matches. His first Premier League defeat was the one at Old Trafford.

=5. Ricardo Carvalho – 47 matches

Another rare non-Invincibles entry in the top 10, the legendary Portuguese defender went 47 matches unbeaten with Chelsea between October 2004 and February 2006.

Jose Mourinho’s Blues only lost one match in 2004-05 – falling to a single-goal defeat at pre-takeover Manchester City.

Carvalho was present that day, but he was an unused substitute for their next league defeat, another 1-0 in Manchester (United; November 2005) and didn’t suffer a second Premier League defeat until a shock 3-0 to Steve McClaren’s Middlesbrough.

Carvalho didn’t suffer a home Premier League defeat until his fifth season with the club. Liverpool’s 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in October 2008 ended their record 86-match home unbeaten streak, of which Carvalho and trusted partner John Terry played the vast majority.

=2. Thierry Henry – 48 matches

The Arsenal icon features just ahead of Lehmann, having had a two-match headstart on the German from the end of 2002-03.

Henry missed just one match of the Invincibles season.

=2. Kolo Toure – 48 matches

As above; Toure started in the defeats to Leeds and Manchester United, and all but one of Arsenal’s matches in 2003-04.

=2. Rodri – 48 matches

Moving level with two legendary Invincibles into the second place after another masterclass performance in Manchester City’s 4-0 victory over Fulham, Rodri has extended his own personal unbeaten run to 48 matches.

Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions have lost three league matches this season, but Rodri wasn’t present for any of them.

Rodri’s last defeat was a 1-0 away to Tottenham in February 2023. What’s City’s next match? Oh…

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name the 10 longest unbeaten runs in Europe’s top 10 leagues?

1. Sol Campbell – 56 matches

It’s not often that Campbell will cheer on his former club Tottenham, given the stick he’s received over the years, but he’ll surely make an exception on Tuesday.

Not only would City losing hand his beloved Gunners a massive boost in the title race, but it would also preserve his own proud Premier League record.

The centre-back remained unbeaten in 56 consecutive league games for Arsenal between November 2002 (a 3-2 reverse at Southampton) and October 2004.

He was on the pitch when Arsenal’s streak fell at Old Trafford, but he had a considerable head-start on his Invincible team-mates.

Campbell’s red card against Manchester United meant he was suspended for the loss to Leeds, while an Achilles injury kept him out of previous defeats at Blackburn Rovers and United.