Nowadays, defenders and even goalkeepers are expected to be just as comfortable on the ball as midfielders, but sometimes, an old-fashioned clearance can be the best way to relieve pressure on your own goal.
Clearances made 2026-27: Which players have made the most clearances in the Premier League?
These are the players who have made the most clearances in the Premier League this season.
Clearances made 2026-27: Which teams have made the most clearances in the Premier League?
These are the teams that have made the most clearances in the Premier League this season.
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What is a clearance?
Opta’s definition of a clearance is quite simple. A clearance is logged when:
- A player successfully attempts to get the ball away from a dangerous zone on the pitch
- There is no immediate target regarding a recipient for the ball
So, for example, if an attacker crosses the ball into the box, and a defender deals with the cross by hoofing the ball away from his own goal and upfield, he will be credited with having made a clearance, regardless of whether or not the ball finds a teammate or an opponent.
Additionally, when a player clears the ball with his head, these will also be logged separately as a ‘headed clearance’ with those added to the player’s total clearances during a match.
What do clearance numbers tell us about a player?
While it’s not the most glamorous stat in the world, the number of clearances a player makes offers a real insight into his defensive style and qualities. Especially when it comes to defenders and defensive midfielders.
Clearances can be used to judge how well a player positions themselves to deal with dangerous crosses into the box and how well they can read the game.
But on the flipside, a high number of clearances would also suggest the player is part of a team that is struggling or regularly coming under heavy pressure.
That isn’t always the case, of course, with Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool topping the respective player and team charts for clearances at the start of 2026/27, despite taking maximum points from their three games.
This highlights that while Liverpool have been getting results, they haven’t been overly convincing in their performances, often inviting pressure and relying on a high volume of defensive interventions to get over the line.
Who are the best players in Premier League history for clearances?
Two former Everton stalwarts sit atop the table for all-time Premier League clearances with Sylvain Distin’s total of 3167 beating his former Toffees teammate Phil Jagielka by a comfortable distance of 171.
Gary Cahill, Ryan Shawcross and James Collins make up the next three in the list, with Brede Hangeland’s total of 2387 from his 238 appearances for Fulham and Crystal Palace being particularly impressive and averaging out at just over 10 per appearance.
The top 10 is rounded out by Michael Dawson, Robert Huth and Manchester United duo Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans. The most recent topper of this particular stat table was Nottingham Forest’s Murillo in 2024-25 with 242, with Nathan Collins, Max Kilman, Dara O’Shea, James Tarkowski, Maxence Lacroix and Murillo’s Nottingham Forest teammate Nikola Milenkovic the only other players to reach 200.
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Premier League clearance stats 2026/27
Sven Botman leads the Premier League clearance stats for 2026/27 with 42 from five games for Newcastle United, and 28 of those have come with his head.
John Egan is next on 39 for Hull City, with Antonio Silva on 38 at AFC Bournemouth. Tarik Muharemović and Kristoffer Ajer then share 37 for Leeds United and Brentford respectively.
The headed share is the interesting split. Botman has cleared with his head two-thirds of the time, where Murillo of Nottingham Forest has just 14 headed clearances in his 35. That is the difference between a centre-half attacking crosses and one sweeping up on the ground.
As ever, a high clearance count is as much a verdict on the team as the player. Five of the top eight play for sides in the bottom half of the Premier League table.