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Quickest players to reach 50 Premier League goals

2023-11-24 05:28
The 10 Premier League players who were quickest to reach 50 goals in the competition.
Quickest players to reach 50 Premier League goals

Erling Haaland has already made light work of a number of Premier League records.

The Manchester City forward has smashed the record for the most goals scored in a single Premier League season, as well as being the fastest player to reach ten goals and three hat-tricks in the competition.

However, there is another record the unstoppable Norwegian is set to break - the fastest player to 50 Premier League goals.

Haaland needs just one more to reach a half-century in the English top flight and, providing he doesn't go on a mighty goal drought, he'll make a mockery of some of the big names currently in the top ten considering he has played only 47 matches to date.

Here are the ten players who have so far reached 50 Premier League goals quickest.

10. Diego Costa - 85 matches

Unfortunately for Diego Costa, Haaland will soon knock him out of the top ten. However, that shouldn't detract from the Spain international's impressive goalscoring numbers at Chelsea.

Costa only just passed the half-century, reaching a total of 53 Premier League goals after a brief spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but he netted his 50th in just his 85th match.

Costa hit the 50 during a 4-2 win over Southampton back in 2017 and would only score two goals for the Blues afterwards.

9. Kevin Phillips - 83 matches

While Kevin Phillips couldn't quite hit a Premier League century, finishing up on 92, it took the 1999/00 Player of the Year just 83 games to grab his 50th goal in the division.

Phillips achieved the feat at Sunderland during the 2001/02 season as his rich vein of goalscoring form in the Premier League began to slow down slightly.

8. Thierry Henry - 83 matches

Tied with Phillips, Thierry Henry also reached 50 goals in his first 83 Premier League games. Rather fittingly, the Frenchman grabbed his half-century in a 2-0 victory over Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham in 2001.

Henry did smash Phillips' Premier League goalscoring record, finishing his career with 175 goals in 258 matches. The fleet-footed forward also amassed four Golden Boot victories, two Player of the Season awards and a pair of Premier League trophies.

7. Sergio Aguero - 81 matches

It was never going to take Sergio Aguero too long to reach 50 goals given the Argentine's ruthlessness in front of goal, but he is currently the seventh fastest player to reach the total.

The prolific Manchester City forward scored his 50th in a 5-1 demolition of Tottenham at the Etihad during the 2011/12 season, going on to add another 134 Premier League strikes to his overall haul.

6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 79 matches

Impressively, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was able to better Henry's record, netting his 50th during his 79th league appearance for the Gunners - scoring a brace in a 4-0 win over Norwich in 2020.

While Aubameyang's time at the Emirates came to a bitter end in 2022, he remained a remarkable talisman for Arsenal during some difficult days.

5. Mohamed Salah - 72 matches

The only active Premier League player to make the top ten, until Haaland joins him of course, Mohamed Salah was unsurprisingly quick to 50 Premier League goals.

The Egyptian managed to achieve this total in just 72 matches, securing his spot in the list following a brace during a thrilling 4-3 victory over Crystal Palace with Liverpool back in 2019.

4. Fernando Torres - 72 matches

From one Liverpool icon to another, Fernando Torres is tied with Salah in joint fourth spot. The Spaniard also hit 50 in 72 games, doing so in dramatic fashion at Villa Park.

Torres' 93rd-minute winner against brought up his half-century and he would add another 15 to his Liverpool tally before his move to Chelsea. His time with the Blues was less fruitful, managing just 20 goals in 110 games.

3. Ruud van Nistelrooy - 68 matches

Ruud van Nistelrooy managed two impressive records with just one goal in a 2-1 win over Newcastle for Manchester United back in 2003. The Dutchman grabbed his 50th goal in just 68 Premier League matches, but also netted in a tenth consecutive appearance.

That was a record at the time for the former Manchester United striker, although it would later be topped by Jamie Vardy who scored in 11 straight league games in 2015.

2. Alan Shearer - 66 matches

The Premier League's record goalscorer is also the second quickest to hit 50. The Newcastle United legend actually got his half-century while at Blackburn Rovers, scoring a double against Everton in 1994.

Shearer would finish his Premier League career with 260 goals, a record that looks insurmountable at present. However, should he stick around long enough, Haaland could better it.

1. Andy Cole - 65 matches

It was certainly an afternoon to remember for Andy Cole and Manchester United.

During a 9-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town in 1995 - a record in itself for largest Premier League win - the striker scored five goals across 90 minutes to reach 50 in the Premier League.

It was just Cole's 65th match, making him the fastest to hit a half-century. He also became the first player to score five in a single Premier League game during the demolition of Ipswich.

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This article was originally published on 90min as Quickest players to reach 50 Premier League goals.