Unless your name is Jose Mourinho, then goals galore has been the way forward for the majority of Premier League managers to create one of the most entertaining spectacles in world football.
Whether it’s been dramatic draws or ruthless thrashings, English football has been treated to some historic moments over the years, but who takes the crown for the highest-scoring game in Premier League history? We’ve taken a look at the six matches to feature 10 goals or more.
Rank
Match
Date
Portsmouth 7-4 Reading
September 2007
West Brom 5-5 Man Utd
May 2013
Arsenal 7-3 Newcastle
December 2012
Man Utd 8-2 Arsenal
August 2011
Tottenham 9-1 Wigan
November 2009
Tottenham 6-4 Reading
December 2007
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ByRoss KilvingtonNov 13, 2024 6 Tottenham 6-4 Reading, December 2007 Four-goal Berbatov steals the show
In a game that ended 6-4 to Tottenham Hotspur, the most surprising fact is that Reading were level with the north Londoners at 1-1 when the break arrived. It was, for those 45 minutes, like any other Saturday afternoon fixture.
But Dimitar Berbatov’s seventh-minute opener, followed by Kalifa Cisse’s equaliser just nine minutes later, were by no means signs of what was to come.
At one stage, Reading were even on course to seal the points, only for Berbatov to cancel the Royals out not once but twice on his way to a hat-trick.
After Ivar Ingimarsson struck, the forward first levelled things up to make it 2-2 before Dave Kitson’s effort forced the Bulgarian to take matters into his own hands yet again with arguably the finish of the afternoon, with the scores now at 3-3 by the time the clock struck minute 72.
However, Reading and Kitson weren’t done there, adding yet another goal to take the lead once again only for Steed Malbranque to step up to level things for a defiant Spurs.
There was no fightback from the Royals following Malbranque’s effort, who paved the way for Jermain Defoe’s goal to hand his side the lead with 12 minutes to go and Berbatov to steal the show with his fourth goal of the game in the 83rd minute.
Date
29th December 2007
Venue
White Hart Lane
Tottenham goalscorers
Berbatov 7′, 62′, 72′, 83′, Malbranque 75′, Defoe 78′
Reading goalscorers
Cisse 16′, Ingimarsson 53′, Kitson 69′, 74′
5 Tottenham 9-1 Wigan, November 2009 Defoe enjoys five-star display as Tottenham thrash Wigan
As it turns out, anything Berbatov can do, Jermain Defoe can do better, much to the detriment of Wigan Athletic. Two years on from their 10-goal thriller with Reading, Tottenham enjoyed goals galore once again – and this time in far more comfortable fashion.
1-0 up at half-time courtesy of Peter Crouch, Defoe and the rest of the Lilywhites seemingly decided to change into their goalscoring boots at the break to hit Wigan for nine in sensational fashion.
Sealing the points and securing the match ball within the space of seven second-half minutes, Defoe found his first of five goals in the 51st minute before netting his hat-trick in the 58th following what proved to be a consolation from Paul Scharner a minute earlier. But Spurs weren’t done there.
In a ruthless mood, Aaron Lennon added a fourth and Defoe followed suit to stretch Spurs’ lead to 5-1 in the 69th minute. Many sides and many strikers would have been satisfied at that point, but Defoe found a fifth in the final three minutes of normal time before David Bentley and Niko Kranjcar turned a thrashing into a historic day for their side.
4 Man Utd 8-2 Arsenal, August 2011 Arsenal embarrassed at Old Trafford
Look away now, Arsenal fans. When it comes to Sir Alex Ferguson versus Arsene Wenger, Manchester United’s 8-2 thrashing of the Gunners is one that the former will enjoy looking back on a tad bit more than his counterpart.
This was the Red Devils at their ruthless best. As for the north London side, it almost sums up what was to come – this was Robin van Persie’s final trip to Old Trafford in Arsenal colours.
In the blink of an eye, Man United found themselves out of sight courtesy of Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young and the first of three Wayne Rooney goals. Theo Walcott’s effort just moments before the break gave Arsenal hope, but if ever that was crushed, it was in the second half.
Rooney recommenced the onslaught in the 64th minute before Nani made it a five-star display, with Park Ji-Sung ensuring the Gunners were hit for six.
Having missed a first-half penalty, Van Persie eventually got himself on the scoresheet at Old Trafford, only for Carl Jenkinson’s red card to open the door for further Arsenal embarrassment.
Completing his hat-trick, Rooney converted from the spot not long before Young found his brace for goal number eight. United had delivered a damning statement. Arsenal, in historic fashion, had been humiliated.
3 Arsenal 7-3 Newcastle, December 2012 Walcott stars as Arsenal reach seventh heaven
Theo Walcott for Arsenal.
A year on from their nightmare afternoon at Old Trafford, it was Arsenal who found themselves dishing out the goals as Theo Walcott became the star of the show.
Level at the break courtesy of efforts from the winger and Demba Ba, Arsenal and Newcastle United endured quite the 45 minutes in the second half.
Despite shipping seven goals, Newcastle gave themselves hope on two occasions after the interval.
Sylvain Marveaux’s effort levelled things up to cancel out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s effort and equalised once again courtesy of Ba’s second of the afternoon in response to Lukas Podolski’s header. However, that’s where the Magpies’ hope came to an end.
Sealing the three points, Walcott found his second just four minutes after Ba had equalised before Olivier Giroud’s quickfire brace in the final 10 minutes put the Gunners out of sight.
Star man Walcott then secured the match ball and a stunning 7-3 victory for his side at the Emirates.
2 West Brom 5-5 Man Utd, May 2013 Sir Alex Ferguson ends United career with ten-goal thriller
Even with nothing to play for and retirement to enjoy, it wouldn’t have surprised anyone if Sir Alex Ferguson ripped up his speech to give his side one final version of his infamous hairdryer treatment after they conceded a three-goal lead to eventually draw 5-5 against West Bromwich Albion in his final game.
The legendary manager was initially on course for the perfect farewell, with Manchester United sitting three goals to the good thanks to Shinji Kagawa, Jonas Olsson’s own goal and Alexander Buttner’s effort.
Even when James Morrison and substitute Romelu Lukaku handed West Brom hope, it looked as though the Red Devils would cruise to victory having gone on to gain a 5-2 lead through Robin van Persie and Javier Hernandez.
Almost foreshadowing the post-Ferguson era, however, the Baggies soon bounced back to hand the Manchester United icon the most dramatic final 10 minutes of his Premier League career that nobody saw coming.
As the clock struck the 80th minute, so did Lukaku, with Youssouf Mulumbu following up soon after. Suddenly a goal away from a dramatic comeback, a young Lukaku ensured that it was out with the old and in with the new when he made it five apiece in the 86th minute.
1 Portsmouth 7-4 Reading, September 2007 Pompey put seven past Reading in 11-goal epic
It’s the second time that Reading have featured on this list, and the second time that they’ve found themselves on the wrong end of the history books, as Portsmouth put seven past the Royals.
On another frustrating afternoon for the visitors, Reading were just 2-1 down at the break after Benjani’s brace was followed up by Stephen Hunt’s effort. They even found themselves level just three minutes after the break courtesy of Dave Kitson, only for a flurry of goals to arrive.
First came Hermann Hreidarsson’s equaliser in the 55th minute to open the floodgates, with Niko Kranjcar striking and Benjani completing his hat-trick to follow suit not long after.
Shane Long’s effort did at least interrupt the Pompey goals, leaving the score at a 5-3 thriller, before Ivar Ingimarsson’s own goal and Sulley Muntari’s spot-kick put the home side further out of reach at 7-3.
Sol Campbell then deflected in Nicky Shorey’s strike to end matters in what proved to be a historic 7-4 epic.
Date
29th September 2007
Venue
Fratton Park
Portsmouth goalscorers
Benjani 6′, 37′, 70′, Hreidarsson 55′, Kranjcar 75′, Ingimarsson og 81′, Muntari pen 90′
Reading goalscorers
Hunt 45′, Kitson 48′, Long 79′, Campbell og 90′