Premier League goal fests including Portsmouth v Reading, Tottenham v Arsenal and West Ham v Bradford
Eight goals at Stamford Bridge, six at Carrow Road and four at White Hart Lane, the Etihad, the Stadium of Light and the Liberty Stadium meant the spotlight was firmly on the league's defenders and goalkeepers over the past weekend. Meanwhile, goals have been rattling in since the start of the Premier League season, with an average of 2.97 per game so far. With that in mind, we decided to look back on some of the Premier League's top goal fests.
WEST HAM 5-4 BRADFORD: 12/02/00
Harry Redknapp's Hammers were trailing 4-2 with just 25 minutes remaining, but thanks to mad Italian Paolo Di Canio, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard, West Ham won this nine-goal thriller. Dean Windass put the Bantams in the lead after half an hour with Trevor Sinclair equalising five minutes later, while a long-range John Moncur effort flew past Aidan Davison just before half-time. Moments later the Irons midfielder brought down Dean Saunders, with Peter Beagrie tucking the penalty past teenager and third choice 'keeper Stephen Bywater – who was making his debut after replacing the injured Shaka Hislop early on – to ensure the teams went in level at the break. Bywater's mistake led to Jamie Lawrence edging Bradford ahead and the striker scored again to make it 4-2. The real memories, however, come from the performance of Di Canio, who, after failing to win any of his three penalty claims, ran to the bench in a strop and demanded to be substituted as Bradford were denied a fifth by the post. He eventually gave up trying to convince his manager to take him off and, as the fans chanted his name, the Italian scored from the penalty spot when the club were finally rewarded with a spot kick, though he had to fight a young Lampard to take it. Joe Cole then levelled and with seven minutes to go, before Di Canio set up Lampard for the game's ninth goal.
Portsmouth 7-4 Reading: 29/09/07
Despite the goal fest, Portsmouth led just 2-1 when the teams went in after the first 45 minutes thanks to a Benjani brace and a Stephen Hunt goal for the visitors. Dave Kitson levelled things after the break before Herman Hreidarsson and Benjani, who completed his hat-trick with 20 minutes to go, made it 4-2. Nico Kranjcar made it five for Pompey, though Shane Long pulled one back for the Royals with just over 10 minutes to go. An Ivar Ingimarsson own goal and Sulley Muntari pen put Pompey 7-3 up, before a Sol Campbell own goal completed the remarkable scoring four minutes into injury time.
MAN UNITED 8-2 ARSENAL: 28/08/11
Cruising after 45 minutes where they were 3-1 ahead, United put another five goals past Wojciech Szczesny in the second half as Wayne Rooney - a regular tormentor of the Arsenal - scored a hat-trick. Danny Welbeck opened the scoring with Ashley Young and Rooney making it 3-0, before Theo Walcott grabbed Arsenal's first in stoppage time in the first half. However, Rooney, Nani and Park put the club 6-1 ahead and Robin Van Persie notched another for the Gunners, though Sir Alex Ferguson's side were not quite finished as Rooney completed his hat-trick as Young added another. The weekend's other high-scoring fixture saw rivals Man City thrash Tottenham 5-1 at White Hart Lane.
TOTTENHAM 6-4 READING: 29/12/07
Ten goals were scored, yet it didn't look likely to become a goal fest at half-time with the team's level on a goal apiece. Dimitar Berbatov scored his first of four after seven minutes, with Khalifa Cisse equalising nine minutes later. Ivar Ingimarsson headed the Royals in front before Berbatov levelled, only for Dave Kitson to put Reading ahead again, though Berbatov completed his hat-trick a few minutes later. Just 60 seconds passed before Kitson put his club in front once more, but Steed Malbranque made it 4-4 just 23 minutes after the match had stood level at 1-1. Jermain Defoe, who had replaced Robbie Keane, scored Spurs' fifth three minutes later and Berbatov grabbed the sixth with seven minutes to go, to finally cap a crazy spell of seven goals in 20 minutes.
BLACKBURN 7-2 Sheffield Wednesday: 25/08/97
Four games into the 1997/98 season and after picking up just one point from their opening fixtures, Wednesday were hammered by a rampant Rovers side, who had the game wrapped up by half-time. A Kevin Gallacher brace for the home team, a Graham Hyde own goal and a Benito Carbone strike meant it was 3-1 after 10 minutes, though Jason Wilcox and Chris Sutton put Rovers 5-1 in front as the teams went in at the break. Lars Bohinen and Sutton again made it seven for Blackburn and despite Carbone scoring a wonder goal, he was sent off with 30 minutes to play. The Italian thrusted his head into Gallacher's face, but unlike most modern day footballers, the Scotland striker stayed on his feet as Carbone got his marching orders. Wednesday, who were also hammered 5-2 by Derby at Hillsborough and crashed to a 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford that season, avoided relegation by four points.
TOTTENHAM 4-5 ARSENAL: 13/11/04
A thrilling north London derby saw Arsenal eventually emerge victorious, though they were made to work hard for their three points. Noureddine Naybet and Thierry Henry scored before the break but it was the Gunners that came out stronger in the second half as Lauren and Patrick Vieira put Arsene Wenger's side two goals clear. Jermain Defoe quickly pulled one back for Spurs only for Freddie Ljungberg to double the lead again with Ledley King scoring Spurs' third. Robert Pires made it five and a late Freddie Kanoute goal ensured it was a nervy end to this White Hart Lane thriller.