Premier League goal fests
After Spurs' sensational scoring spree, we look at some of the biggest wins in Premier League history.
Tottenham Hotspur's remarkable 9-1 victory over Wigan Athletic was
the second biggest victory since the formation of the Premier League in
1992/93.
Only Manchester United have bettered that score with their 9-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town in March 1995.
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Spurs' result was all the more remarkable as they were only 1-0
up at half-time, making them the first team to score eight goals in one
half.
Jermain Defoe joined Andy Cole and Alan Shearer as the only players to score five goals in a Premier League match.
However the Tottenham Hotspur striker is out on his own as the only man to net five in one half.
Shearer was the last man to hit five in one match. He achieved the
feat in Newcastle United's 8-0 win at home to Sheffield Wednesday in
September 1999.
Cole became the first player to register five goals in a Premier
League fixture when he enjoyed a field day against Ipswich Town in
March 1995.
That 9-0 scoreline at Old Trafford remains the biggest win in Premier League history.
Here we look back at the top five victories.
Man Utd 9-0 Ipswich
This Old Trafford fixture in March 1995 looked an obvious home win -
but no-one could have foreseen the Premier League record scoreline.
Manchester United went into the match three points behind
leaders Blackburn Rovers while George Burley's Ipswich Town side were
second from bottom and eight points adrift of safety.
Roy Keane opened the scoring on 15 minutes before Andy Cole
hit a classic hat-trick, netting three in succession after 19, 37 and
53 minutes.
Mark Hughes made it 5-0 two minutes later and quickly added his second before Cole got his fourth on 65 minutes.
Paul Ince made it 8-0 with 18 minutes remaining and Cole rounded
off an astonishing afternoon with his fifth three minutes from time.
Spurs 9-1 Wigan
With the score 1-0 at half time at White Hart Lane, you would have
been forgiven for thinking this match was going to be decided by the
odd goal.
But after the break, a rampant Spurs side emerged from the dressing
room, putting a further eight goals past Wigan goalkeeper Chris
Kirkland, who would later be praised for making a string of fine saves
that prevented the scoreline from being even greater.
After Peter Crouch netted the opener in the first half, his strike
partner Jermain Defoe scored five goals in the second period, the only
player to do that in a match since Alan Shearer for Newcastle United in
1999. The former West Ham man scored his first three goals in seven
minutes the second fastest hat-trick in Premier League history, as
Harry Redknapp's side cruised to their biggest win for 32 years.
The victory sent ambitious Spurs fourth, to the Champions League
qualification places and level on points with local rivals Arsenal.
The returning Aaron Lennon was to prove majorly influential, setting
up three of the home side's goals and netting one of his own, with
Kirkland also on the score-sheet for an own goal, and Niko Kranjcar
putting the icing on the cake with a ninth on 90 minutes.
Paul Scharner had pulled one back for the Latics near the hour mark, but it was little more than a consolation.
Newcastle 8-0 Sheff Wed
Bobby Robson could not have wished for a better first home match as
Newcastle United manager as his rampant side rattled in eight without
reply at home to Sheffield Wednesday in September 1999.
With his side out to impress the new manager, they ended a run of 14
successive Premiership matches without victory in emphatic style.
Talismanic captain Alan Shearer scored a first-half hat-trick in 11 minutes, before adding two more in the second half.
Defender Aaron Hughes scored the opener at St James' Park after just
12 minutes, to get Robson's return to the club off to a flyer.
Shearer had the impressive Kieron Dyer to thank for his super quick
hat-trick, with the England man proving the creative force in the
Magpies' midfield.
And as the second half started in much the same vein as the first,
Dyer was rewarded for his troubles, getting a fifth goal early on, with
Gary Speed making it six 12 minutes from time.
But there was still so much more to come from the home side, with
Shearer adding another two to his tally in the last nine minutes to
complete a remarkable afternoon on Tyneside.
Nottingham Forest 1-8 Man Utd
Had it not have been for the introduction of super-sub Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer, this match may well have ended a mere 4-1 to the away side.
After first-choice strike pair Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole had each
netted a brace, Solskjaer came on to put his own stamp on the match,
scoring four times as Manchester United produced a magnificent
Premiership record away win.
Yorke had put the visitors ahead after just 85 seconds, before Alan Rogers had equalised for Nottingham Forest on six minutes.
But Ron Atkinson's men were shown what life in the top-flight is all
about when Andy Cole first restored the Red Devils' lead straight from
the restart, and then extended it just minutes after the break, netting
the rebound after Forest keeper' Dave Besant had saved a shot from
Yorke.
Yorke's second came midway through the second half, slotting home
into an empty net after Jon Olav Hjelde had inadvertently diverted
Jesper Blomqvist's low cross onto his own post.
Solskjaer replaced Yorke on 71 minutes and an already one-sided
match became a rout. By the first minute of stoppage time, the
Norwegian had sealed his hat-trick, before adding a fourth with just
seconds remaining.
The result left Forest rooted to the bottom of the league, while Sir
Alex Ferguson's United marched on to win the Premier League title among
an historic treble of trophies.
Middlesbrough 8-1 Man City
Middlesbrough ended the 2007/08 season in some style, putting eight
goals past Manchester City on what was to be the Blues' manager
Sven-Goran Eriksson's last match in charge.
Neither side had much to play for, with Middlesbrough already safe
from relegation and City unable to reach the UEFA Cup qualifying places.
But that did not stop Gareth Southgate's men from giving their home
fans a delightful memory to help get them through the long,
football-free summer months.
Riverside hero Stewart Downing fired home a 16th-minute penalty
after Richard Dunne was sent off for bringing down Tuncay Sanli, with
Afonso Alves slotting home the second from 14 yards eight minutes
before the break.
A superb volley with the outside of his left foot from Downing,
another strike from Alves, a deflected long-range effort from Adam
Johnson, Fabio Rochemback's 30-yard free-kick and a goal from Jeremie
Aliadiere were followed by a consolation for Elano before Alves
completed his hat-trick.
Most goals in a Premier League match
5 Jermain Defoe - Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Wigan Athletic November 2009
5 Alan Shearer - Newcastle United 8-0 Sheffield Wednesday September 1999
5 Andy Cole Manchester United 9-0 Ipswich Town March 1995
Fastest Premier League hat-tricks
4.5 mins Robbie Fowler - Liverpool 3-0 Arsenal August 1994
7 mins Jermain Defoe - Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Wigan Athletic November 2009
8 mins Gabriel Agbonlahor - Aston Villa 4-2 Manchester City August 2008
Well done Spurs
