Top 10 fastest goals in the Premier League

Previously, all goal timings were rounded to the nearest second, meaning there wasn’t an exact ranking of the fastest goals in Premier League history.

That was updated in 2018. As the Premier League’s designated data provider, Opta reviewed archived footage and applied video analysis to calculate the quickest goals in league history to the nearest hundredth of a second.

So here it is: the definitive rundown of the fastest goals in Premier League history.

1. Shane Long (7.69 seconds)

Long’s strike versus Watford came during a strong run of form for the Southampton attacker. It marked the first occasion he had found the net in back-to-back Premier League starts since May 2016.

He even scored again in his following start, making it the first time he had netted in three straight Premier League starts, with those goals coming against Liverpool, Watford, and Bournemouth.

Still, he didn’t come close to matching Jamie Vardy’s feat of scoring in 11 consecutive matches for Leicester City in November 2015.

2. Phillip Billing (9.11 seconds)

Billing’s early strike for Bournemouth against Arsenal in March 2023 came after just 9.11 seconds, placing it as the second fastest goal scored in Premier League history.

Arteta’s men, who led the Premier League at the time, were further shocked when Marcos Senesi added a second.

However, goals from Partey, White, and a last-gasp winner by Nelson ensured Arsenal claimed all three points. It was the first time they had overturned a two-goal deficit to win a Premier League match since doing so against Spurs in February 2012.

3. Ledley King (9.82 seconds)

A natural centre-back, Tottenham icon and ex-captain King wasn’t typically known for scoring. He netted 10 times in 268 Premier League games, with six of those being headers.
His goal after 9.82 seconds against Bradford City was his first in the league, coming in just his eighth appearance, and at the time, it was the fastest goal in Premier League history.

Only two of his 10 Premier League goals came outside London: the first against Bradford in December 2000 and the last versus Man Utd in April 2010.

4. Abdoulaye Doucouré (10.18 seconds)

Garner to Pickford. Pickford to Doucouré. Goal.

That’s how simple it was for Everton to take an early lead against relegation rivals Leicester City in February 2025. It was direct football in its purest form.

Things improved further for the Toffees in what was Moyes’ third match back in charge. Beto added a second within six minutes, making it the earliest Everton had ever scored twice in a Premier League fixture.

5. Alan Shearer (10.52 seconds)

It’s hardly shocking that one of the 260 goals scored by the all-time leading Premier League scorer features here.

Shearer’s effort after 10.52 seconds against Man City was the fastest for a home team until Doucouré’s, and it remains the quickest left-footed goal in the league’s history.

It was the England striker’s first goal in the opening minute of a Premier League game and his 218th overall.
Across all Premier League matches, Shearer only failed to score in the 39th and 47th minutes.

6. Christian Eriksen (10.54 seconds)

Though the Danish playmaker’s goal isn’t the absolute quickest in Premier League history, at 10.54 seconds it stands as the fastest ever at the new Wembley, even with Gündoğan’s attempt in the 2023 FA Cup final.

Tottenham have a reputation for early goals. Only Chelsea (12) and Everton (14) have more goals in the first 60 seconds of a Premier League match than Spurs (11).

7. Mark Viduka (11.90 seconds)

Viduka’s goal after 11.90 seconds against Charlton was the second fastest goal in Premier League history at the time, coming shortly after King’s.

Interestingly, Leeds have scored six goals in the first minute of Premier League games, but none at Elland Road. Viduka remains the club’s top scorer in the Premier League era with 59 goals.

8. Dwight Yorke (12.16 seconds)

Yorke’s header against Coventry for Aston Villa is the fastest scored with the head in Premier League history, timed at 12.16 seconds.

He’s no stranger to records – in November 2000, he became the first non-English player to reach 100 Premier League goals.

He also held the record for the quickest hat-trick from kick-off (22 minutes vs Arsenal in 2001) until Mané broke it in 2015 with three goals in under three minutes.

Yorke ended his Premier League career with 123 goals in 375 games, winning three league titles, the FA Cup, and the Champions League with Manchester United.

9. Chris Sutton (12.94 seconds)

Just two of Sutton’s first 39 Premier League goals came in the opening 10 minutes, but five of his next eight did—including his strike against Everton after 12.94 seconds, the second on this list at Goodison Park.

Everton have a history of conceding early; they’ve let in 10 goals in the first minute of Premier League matches, more than any other team.

10. Kevin Nolan (13.48 seconds)

Nolan’s goal after 13.48 seconds against Blackburn was one of five Bolton scored in the first minute of a Premier League game, with three assisted by Kevin Davies.

He also scored another early goal—after 51 seconds—for West Ham against Fulham in 2012.
Only 12 other players have scored two or more goals in the opening minute of Premier League matches.