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Very few leagues in the footballing world have the capacity to compete with the Premier League, with intensity and high drama underpinning almost every week in England’s top division.
Picking up Premier League wins is never easy to do and with so many outcomes in play, there is no surprise that there is plenty of EPL betting traction from punters and EPL best betting sites.
While headline makers and stars have adorned the Premier League over the past 30 years, there have been a myriad of underrated Premier League players, who have snuck under the radar and helped their teams achieve great things.
Lists of the top players/goal scorers/play makers in Premier League history are easy to access, with opinions all to happy to swirl about the best players to have ever graced the EPL.
However, underrated players rarely get the level of credit they deserve, so here is a rundown of 10 of the most underrated players in Premier League history:
10. Leighton Baines – Wigan Athletic & Everton
420 PL Appearances
Few players in Premier League history have possessed a left foot as wicked as Leighton Baines and the Liverpudlian enjoyed well over a decade as an EPL mainstay for both Everton and Wigan Athletic.
It was in Lancashire at Wigan where Baines made his name, before he moved on to Goodison Park, to become a cult hero at Everton.
Despite not always getting the acclaim his performances his deserved, Baines was a solid performer for the Toffees, and he stepped away from the game in 2020.
9. Pablo Zabaleta – Manchester City & West Ham United
413 PL Appearances – 2 PL Titles
Signed at a time where Manchester City came into plenty of money, the acquisition of Pablo Zabaleta in the summer of 2008 hardly set any tongues wagging.
The Argentine full-back arrived from Espanyol for just over £6 million and with Robinho signing later in the week, his arrival had almost been forgotten.
However, ‘Zaba’ as he became affectionately known, soon became a fans favourite at the Etihad, for his all action style and his versatility for the blues.
He scored in City’s 3-2 win over QPR to lift their first Premier League title and he spanned the ages with City, picking up another PL title in 2014, before departing the club for West Ham in the summer of 2017.
8. Darren Fletcher – Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion & Stoke City.
341 PL Appearances – 5 PL Titles
Scot Darren Fletcher emerged through Manchester United’s infamous academy to become a mainstay within many successful Sir Alex Ferguson sides.
Despite not having any stand out attributes, Fletcher’s willingness to cover ground on the pitch and distribute the ball with good vision, saw him force his way into the first team at Old Trafford.
In one of United’s most successful spells, Fletcher was a linchpin in midfield and was voted into the PFA Team of the Year in 2010.
He finished his time at Old Trafford in 2015, with 5 PL titles to his name, before going on to play for West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City.
7. Gareth Barry – Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton & West Bromwich Albion
653 PL Appearances – 1 PL Title
The all-time appearance maker in the Premier League is Gareth Barry, who spanned two decades in the top flight as one of the most consistent performers in the division.
Having joined Aston Villa from Brighton as a teenager, Barry made his name at Villa Park, before pursuing success with Manchester City, where he won the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League in 2012.
Barry’s metronomic ability to control the tempo of games from midfield often went unnoticed but he was highly valued at every club he played for.
Having left City in 2013, Barry went to make strong contributions for Everton and West Bromwich Albion, and he still plays in the lower leagues of the English football pyramid today.
6. Andy Cole – Newcastle United, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham, Portsmouth & Sunderland.
414 PL Appearances – 5 PL Titles
With 187 Premier League goals to his name, Andy Cole is by no means an unknown quantity, but his record often goes under the radar with many EPL pundits and analysts.
Having played for 7 clubs, it was with Manchester United where Cole had the most success, winning 5 titles at Old Trafford – after breaking the British transfer record to sign for the Red Devils back in 1995.
Goals followed Cole everywhere he went, and his laser sharp finishing saw him sought after by clubs throughout his superb career.
5. Park Ji-sung – Manchester United & Queens Park Rangers
154 PL Appearances – 4 PL Titles
Despite only sending 8 seasons in the Premier League, Park Ji-sung made his mark on the competition for Manchester United in a seismic way.
The ultimate in versatility, Park Ji-sung was happy to play in any position under Sir Alex Ferguson and he was an integral part of United’s success at the end of the 2000’s.
He won 4 Premier League titles and the Champions League at Old Trafford, before joining Queen’s Park Rangers for a season and then returning to his home land in South Korea.
4. Michael Carrick – West Ham United, Tottenham & Manchester United
481 PL Appearances – 5 PL Titles
English midfielders who are as industrious as they are confident on the ball are often hard to come by as Michael Carrick and he would often go unnoticed in big games.
However, for West Ham, Tottenham and Manchester United – as well as for England, Carrick was one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League for well over a decade.
Sir Alex Ferguson was able to call upon Carrick in multiple big games and his ability to dominate proceedings from midfield was a huge factor in the success that was enjoyed in Salford by United.
3. James Milner – Manchester City, Leeds United, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Leeds United & Brighton.
641 PL Appearances – 2 PL Titles
When it comes to longevity, James Milner is in a class of his own, as one of the oldest and youngest players ever to net Premier League goals.
Beginning his career at Leeds, where he scored as a teenager, Milner’s industrious style of play and quality off both feet earned him moves to Newcastle United and then Aston Villa.
Manchester City came calling, with Milner landing trophies for the first time, before he went on to enjoy further success with Liverpool.
Now approaching his 40’s, Milner still plies his trade in the top flight with Brighton and his versatility makes him a Premier League legend.
2. David Silva – Manchester City
309 PL Appearances – 4 PL Titles
Moments of quality that changed games were essential for Manchester City in the 2010’s and more often than not, David Silva was at the heart of them.
The Spaniard won 4 titles during his time at the Etihad, showing creative flair without never getting the plaudits his performances deserved.
Silva won the Euros and the World Cup with Spain and his place as a Premier League and Spanish icon is secured.
1. Claude Makelele – Chelsea
144 PL Appearances – 2 PL Titles
With a now defined role for his efficiency in key Premier League games, Claude Makelele is undoubtedly one of the most underrated players to have ever featured in the EPL.
Putting out fires in midfield and feeding other players to go ahead and play was exactly what Makelele was brought to Stamford Bridge to do, and he won the EPL title in two of his 5 Premier League seasons.
A star for Real Madrid, Chelsea and PSG, Makelele was arguably the most underrated player of a generation, and his impact is still being felt on the EPL today.
