?Shane Long etched his name into Premier League history when he netted in less than eight seconds in Southampton’s 1-1 draw with Watford on Tuesday.
It was the fastest goal that the division has ever seen, but there have been plenty of others who have come close to breaking this record before Long.
Here are the ten fastest goals in Premier League history.
10. Asmir Begovic (13.64 Seconds vs Southampton, November 2013)
Yes, you read that right. Asmir Begovic – the goalkeeper – currently has the tenth fastest goal in ?Premier League history.
Begovic’s ?Stoke City quickly gained control of the ball after kick-off and passed the ball all the way back to the towering shot stopper, who smashed the ball forward from just a few steps in front of his six-yard box.
The ball got caught up in the wind, before bouncing high over the onrushing Artur Boruc and into the back of ?Southampton’s net. Not a bad start.
9. James Beattie (13.52 Seconds vs Chelsea, August 2004)
Back in the 2004/05 season, ?Chelsea boasted one of the meanest defences in Europe, but that didn’t scare James Beattie and Southampton.
A poor back pass from? Joe Cole found Beattie just outside the penalty area, and the Saints star unleashed a stunning half-volley which flew past ?Petr Cech from around 25 yards.
Chelsea went on to win the game, and they lifted the Premier League trophy at the end of the season, so they’re probably not too upset about the whole thing.
8. Kevin Nolan (13.48 Seconds vs Blackburn, January 2004)
?Bolton Wanderers picked up a thrilling 4-3 win over ?Blackburn Rovers in January 2004, in a game which had everything you could want as a fan.
Kevin Davies managed to hook a low cross into the box, allowing Nolan to send the ball flying into the roof of the net with a smart finish from close range.
However, they barely had time to celebrate before Vratislav Gresko went down the other end to equalise a minute after. What a game.
7. Chris Sutton (12.94 Seconds vs Everton, April 1995)
Chris Sutton endured mix fortunes throughout his Premier League career, but the 1994/95 season was certainly a highlight for him.
When his Blackburn side met ?Everton, the ball was pumped forward, and Alan Shearer’s flick-on managed to find Sutton in the area, who calmly slotted home to give his side the lead before many fans had even found their seats.
Shearer added a second just five minutes later, and Blackburn stormed to the Premier League title.?
6. Dwight Yorke (12.16 Seconds vs Coventry, September 1995)
As one of the finest marksmen in the history of the Premier League, it should come as no surprise to see Dwight Yorke’s name on this list.
He gave his ?Aston Villa side the lead over Coventry City in 1995 after just 12 seconds, popping up in the box to net a header after a delightful cross from Ian Taylor to leave the hosts stunned.
Yorke helped the Villains qualify for the UEFA Cup that season, before moving on to ?Manchester United a few years later.
5. Mark Viduka (11.90 Seconds vs Charlton, March 2001)
?Leeds United may have narrowly missed out on ?Champions League qualification in the 2000/01 season, but that was not for lack of trying from Mark Viduka.
His side began against Charlton Athletic by firing a long ball towards the penalty area, and Alan Smith rose highest to nod the ball on to Viduka, who needed just two touches to direct it home to give his side an early lead.
They even netted 44 seconds into the start of the second half, proving the Whites were not there to mess about on the day.
4. Christian Eriksen (10.54 Seconds vs Man Utd, January 2018)
?Yet again, another speculative punt forwards leads to an early goal. This time it was ?Tottenham Hotspur who profited when they faced Manchester United in early 2018.
?Harry Kane’s flick found ?Dele Alli in the penalty area, who laid the ball backwards into the path of the onrushing ?Christian Eriksen, who showed his composure to slot the ball home and give his side the lead at Wembley Stadium.
However, this isn’t even Spurs’ fastest Premier League goal. Stay tuned.
3. Alan Shearer (10.52 Seconds vs Man City, January 2003)
Legendary ?Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan made his return to St James’ Park in early 2003, but this time leading ?Manchester City.? Alan Shearer quickly made sure it wasn’t a happy occasion for the boss.
City worked the ball back to goalkeeper Carlo Nash, who appeared to slip as he ran to clear the ball. That gave Shearer enough time to put the pressure on, and he managed to deflect Nash’s clearance, before slotting the ball into an open goal.
Nash had finally been given a chance in goal as a result of an injury to Peter Schmeichel, but it’s safe to say that he didn’t do himself any favours with this one.
2. Ledley King (9.82 Seconds vs Bradford City, December 2000)
The fist goal in Premier League history to clock in at less than ten seconds, Ledley King profited from a huge deflection to give Spurs the lead over Bradford City in December 2000.
He picked up the ball well outside the area, took a few steps forward, and fired a tame effort towards goal. However, it took a wicked deflection, leaving the goalkeeper completely wrong-footed before nestling into the bottom corner.
It’s Spurs’ fastest ever league goal and, for 19 years, it was the Premier League’s fastest ever, but not any more.
1. Shane Long (7.69 Seconds vs Watford, April 2019)
?Long did not just beat King’s record, he utterly shattered it, knocking off over two seconds from his time.
He managed to block Craig Cathcart’s clearance, before chipping the ball over Ben Foster, in a moment which most fans could hardly believe they had witnessed.
If King’s record stood for 19 years, just how long will this one remain?
Let’
