There can’t be many things better for a football fan than to see your side score within the first minute of a game.
And since the Premier League’s creation, we have seen some very early goals.
In early 2023, Philip Billing scored a very quick goal for Bournemouth against Arsenal
It seems incredible, but all the goals that make the top ten were scored in under 14 seconds from the initial kick-off.
And these players will forever be etched in top-flight history…
What are the quickest Premier League goals ever?
10. James Beattie (Chelsea vs Southampton, 2004/05) – 13.52 seconds
The majority of the goals on this list come from some form of defensive mistake.
However, James Beattie’s goal for Southampton at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea was an absolute screamer.
Immediately after the game started, the ball dropped to the Englishman 25 yards out.
He watched it onto his foot and sent a stunning dipping half-volley beyond Petr Cech.
Unfortunately, he later scored an own goal in a 2-1 defeat.
Beattie was mobbed by his jubilant teammates
9. Kevin Nolan (Blackburn vs Bolton, 2003/04) – 13.48 seconds
Nolan, in his prime, was a great goalscoring midfielder, and he showed his instincts here to put Bolton into the lead at Ewood Park.
As a long ball was pinged into the Blackburn half, Kevin Davies managed to flick it into the box, and Nolan slammed a shot into the roof of the net beyond Brad Friedel.
He went on to score another in a thrilling 4-3 win for the Trotters.
But this is the goal everyone remembers, and rightly so.
Nolan’s goal left his teammates shocked
8. Chris Sutton (Everton vs Blackburn, 1994/95) – 12.94 seconds
This goal is about as route one as you can get, and the original SAS combined for it.
From kick-off at Goodison Park, Blackburn launched a long ball up to the edge of Everton’s box.
Chris Sutton headed it across for Alan Shearer.
The striker then returned the favour as he flicked the ball into the box for Sutton, who brought it down and finished as Rovers went on to win the Premier League for the first and only time.
Sutton and Shearer were a sublime partnershipGETTY
7. Dwight Yorke (Coventry vs Aston Villa, 1995/96) – 12.16 seconds
Coventry fans were left wondering where on earth their left-back had gone when Dwight Yorke headed home in this Premier League clash.
Aston Villa started the game and launched a ball down the right for Ian Taylor.
He raced onto it, chopped back in on his left and curled a cross into the box.
Yorke rose above everyone to power the ball home and for a long time, this was the Premier League’s quickest goal.
Yorke’s goal was the Premier League’s fastest for the rest of the 20th century
6. Mark Viduka (Charlton vs Leeds, 2000/01) – 11.9 seconds
There was a time when Leeds were one of the Premier League’s best teams and regularly competed in Europe.
And in Mark Viduka, they had a born goalscorer, and on this day, he was too sharp for the Charlton defenders.
Ian Harte drilled a pass up the pitch.
Alan Smith flicked it on, and Viduka finished as Leeds won 2-1 at The Valley.
Viduka’s goal got Leeds off to the perfect start
5. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham vs Manchester United, 2017/18) – 10.54 seconds
Before Eriksen played for Manchester United, he was a key part of Mauricio Pochettino‘s Tottenham side.
The Dane is one of the Premier League’s most creative players, and here he popped up with a ridiculously early goal.
While Spurs played at Wembley, Jan Vertonghen smashed a pass up towards Harry Kane, who flicked it on for Dele Alli.
He diverted a pass into Eriksen’s path, who curled home from ten yards to set Tottenham up for a 2-0 win.
Eriksen’s goal left Jose Mourinho wondering what was going on
4. Alan Shearer (Newcastle vs Man City, 2002/03) – 10.52 seconds
From a defensive point of view, this could be the worst goal on this list because Man City had kick-off!
The Citizens played the ball all the way back to the goalkeeper, Carlo Nash, who took a heavy touch.
And as he tried to clear it to make up for his mistake, he whacked the ball straight off Shearer.
He then tapped into the empty net to send St James’ Park wild before Craig Bellamy added a second to seal a 2-0 win.
Shearer couldn’t believe his luck
3. Ledley King (Bradford City vs Tottenham, 2000/01) – 9.82 seconds
We are now at the sub-ten-second mark, and this goal by King was the quickest in the Premier League for nearly 20 years.
From kick-off, Tottenham played the ball forward.
Bradford cleared as far as King, who was relatively far out.
He aimed and hit a low shot that took a huge deflection and bounced into the bottom corner.
Billing’s goal left the Emirates stunnedGetty
2. Philip Billing (Arsenal vs Bournemouth, 2022/23) – 9.11 seconds
This is the most recent addition to this list and set Bournemouth off to a flier in north London.
Gary O’Neil’s side worked a really clever kick-off routine that set Dango Ouattara away.
His cross bobbled into the box, beating every Arsenal defender but not Billing, who tapped in from close range.
Long was too quick and too clever for Cathcart
1. Shane Long (Watford vs Southampton, 2018/19) – 7.69 seconds
It’s hard to see how anyone will ever beat this record.
Watford started the game, and hard-working striker Long charged down Craig Cathcart’s attempted clearance.
He raced through, brushed Cathcart off and then delicately chipped Ben Foster to write his name into Premier League history.
The mistake leading to the goal was poor, but the finish was excellent. Andre Gray did save Watford with an equaliser in the 90th minute.
However, we doubt Long is bothered about that anymore, who will most likely have his name in the record books forever.
