Ranking the Premier League’s top Boxing Day scorers

Boxing Day soccer in England is a convention that dates again over 160 years to when Sheffield FC and Hallam FC confronted one another on twenty sixth December 1860.

Sheffield, based in 1857 and recognised because the world’s oldest soccer membership, gained the sport 2-0.

It wasn’t till after the First World Conflict that Boxing Day fixtures grew to become an everyday function of the soccer calendar, they usually have since develop into probably the most eagerly anticipated highlights of the English soccer season.

Annually, followers throughout the nation flock to stadiums or collect round their screens to benefit from the festive fixtures, with matches usually delivering dramatic moments, iconic performances and loads of objectives.

Forward of this yr’s bonanza, we have now taken a take a look at the highest 10 Boxing Day goalscorers in Premier League historical past.

10

Frank Lampard

5 objectives

Frank Lampard loved a run of scoring on three consecutive Boxing Days between 1999 and 2001 – twice for West Ham United and as soon as for Chelsea.

His different two Boxing Day objectives had been scored for the Blues – in 2005 in a 3-2 victory in opposition to neighbours Fulham and in 2008 in a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

9

Steven Gerrard

5 objectives

Regardless of Steven Gerrard’s lengthy Liverpool profession, he did not notch on Boxing Day till 2004, when he scored within the Reds’ 5-0 smashing of West Brom at The Hawthorns.

Scoring 5 in complete, his last strike on Boxing Day got here in 2012 when Brendan Rodgers’ facet had been crushed by Stoke Metropolis.

One of the best of Gerrard’s Boxing Day strikes in all probability got here in 2005 when Liverpool beat Newcastle United 2-0 at Anfield. The previous England worldwide latched on to a move from Peter Crouch, took one contact into the field and thumped the ball into the highest nook.

8

Andrew Cole

5 objectives

Andrew Cole scored for 3 totally different golf equipment on Boxing Day, along with his first three coming for Manchester United in Nineteen Nineties. He additionally netted for Blackburn Rovers and United’s rivals, Metropolis, earlier than hanging up his boots.

Cole’s Boxing Day purpose for Blackburn Rovers in opposition to Liverpool in 2002 is likely one of the greatest Boxing Day objectives in Premier League historical past.

The Reds had been 1-0 up late into the second half when Cole chested down Stephane Henchoz’s clearance earlier than hitting a elegant volley into the web from 30 yards out.

7

Dimitar Berbatov

5 objectives

Three of Dimitar Berbatov’s 5 Boxing Day objectives all got here on sooner or later when the Bulgarian striker hit a hat-trick as Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 5-0 in 2011.

Park Ji-sung had opened the scoring inside eight minutes, with Berbatov hitting a brace earlier than half-time to make it 3-0. Antonio Valencia accomplished the scoring within the second half.

Berbatov had additionally scored a yr prior in opposition to Sunderland, whereas he additionally netted in 2012 in a 1-1 draw with Southampton whereas enjoying for Fulham.

6

Jermain Defoe

6 objectives

Jermain Defoe’s tally of 162 Premier League objectives ranks because the Tenth-highest within the competitors’s historical past.

Six of these strikes got here throughout 10 Boxing Day video games – one for West Ham and 5 for Tottenham Hotspur, together with twice in opposition to Aston Villa in a 2-1 win again in 2006.

Defoe additionally obtained within the act in Boxing Day thumpings in opposition to Fulham and Villa as soon as extra, however couldn’t add to his tally after 2012.

5

Thierry Henry

7 objectives

Like Berbatov, three of Thierry Henry’s seven Boxing Day objectives got here on sooner or later.

Arsenal thumped Leicester Metropolis 6-1 in 2000, with Henry scoring a elegant hat-trick. The Frenchman additionally offered two assists on the day, teeing up Patrick Vieira and Tony Adams. The hat-trick was Henry’s first of eight for Arsenal.

He additionally bagged in opposition to Leicester Metropolis, Wolves and Fulham throughout his time in N5, because the Gunners gained each time the King scored on Boxing Day.

4

Alan Shearer

8 objectives

Given Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time main scorer with 260 objectives, it is hardly shocking that he is additionally one of many division’s most prolific Boxing Day goalscorers.

He netted a brace in 1992 in opposition to Leeds and scored in back-to-back Boxing Day victories over Manchester Metropolis in 1994 and 1995. He continued his post-Christmas exploits for Newcastle, scoring 4 extra instances.

“For me as a participant, I completely cherished enjoying over the Christmas interval,” Shearer advised the Premier League’s official web site again in 2018.

On enjoying on Boxing Day particularly, he mentioned: “Whenever you’re driving to the bottom, whether or not that is in your individual automotive or on the group bus, it simply appeared a bit extra of a celebration ambiance. Everybody appeared up for it. There was a bit of little bit of a special ambiance. There was big pleasure and I loved all of it.”

3

Robbie Keane

8 objectives

Robbie Keane scored simply as many objectives as Shearer on Boxing Day, however in two fewer video games.

Essentially the most memorable of these got here in opposition to Arsenal in 1999, when the younger Irishman netted what proved to be the decisive purpose in a memorable 3-2 win for Coventry Metropolis.

Whereas enjoying for Tottenham in 2007, he additionally hit a brace in a 5-1 thrashing of Fulham, along with his second purpose being the one hundredth of his Premier League profession.

2

Robbie Fowler

9 objectives

Robbie Fowler had held the Boxing Day file for essentially the most objectives till Harry Kane got here alongside, with 9 coming throughout his enjoying days for Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester Metropolis.

Curiously, Robbie Fowler scored objectives for and in opposition to Leeds on Boxing Day. In 1997, he scored each objectives for Liverpool as they beat the Whites 2-0 at Anfield.

4 years later, this time carrying white, he scored a Boxing Day hat-trick as Leeds beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 at Elland Highway not lengthy after his controversial swap.

1

Harry Kane

10 objectives

Harry Kane is the Premier League’s highest Boxing Day scorer with 10 objectives.

The previous Tottenham Hotspur hitman surpassed the file beforehand held by Fowler in 2022 with a purpose in a 2-2 draw in opposition to Brentford.

Kane’s objectives got here on consecutive particular person Boxing Day appearances, along with his seven video games being the longest such streak in Premier League historical past.