He has seen much change and improvement in the past 12 years of the Premier League, so Theo Walcott is proud he has been able to keep pace and reach 300 appearances in the competition.

"As a personal achievement, it’s fantastic," said the Everton winger, who joined from Arsenal in January 2018. "A lot’s changed up until now – a new football club as well – and I couldn’t have dreamt this from day one."

The landmark appearance was December’s 2-2 draw against Watford, when Lucas Digne scored a 90th-minute equaliser at Goodison Park.

Walcott made his Premier League debut the day Arsenal played their first match at Emirates Stadium, in August 2006.

Over the 12 years since, he has seen how greatly things have changed. Where his youth and pace were once seen as an exception in the League, Walcott admits such traits are much more common, making it an even greater challenge to reach the 300 mark, for which he received a special Milestone award.

“The Premier League has got better," he says. "The level is just increasing every single year. Young players are coming through now, more so as well.

"The level was so different to every other team but now everyone can beat everyone. That’s why it’s the best league in the world."