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The Premier League has staged a plethora of talented strikers over its 31-year history, though only 11 have scored 150 goals or more.

With that in mind, Football FanCast has decided to take a look at the top all-time Premier League goalscorers.

Without further ado, here is the list…

Rank

Player

Scored for

Goals

Alan Shearer

Blackburn, Newcastle

Harry Kane

Tottenham

Wayne Rooney

Everton, Man Utd

Andrew Cole

6 clubs

Mohamed Salah

Chelsea, Liverpool

Sergio Aguero

Man City

Frank Lampard

West Ham, Chelsea, Man City

Thierry Henry

Arsenal

Robbie Fowler

Liverpool, Leeds, Man City

Jermain Defoe

5 clubs

10 Jermain Defoe 162 goals

Jermain Defoe has enjoyed a marvellous career at a number of different clubs. The Londoner scored 162 goals across 496 appearances in the Premier League, which is a phenomenal total when you consider the fact he never featured for a title-challenging side.

The former England international produced his most prolific top-flight season in 2009/10, scoring 18 goals for Tottenham Hotspur, helping the Lilywhites achieve a fourth-placed finish.

The 41-year-old returned to the North London club in 2022 as part of the Academy coaching staff and as a Club Ambassador.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

57

20

6

Tottenham Hotspur

361

140

31

West Ham United

104

40

3

Sunderland

100

37

4

Rangers

74

32

10

Bournemouth

64

23

2

Portsmouth

36

18

5

Toronto

21

12

3

9 Robbie Fowler 163 goals

Robbie Fowler was a wonderfully gifted footballer and had a deadly left foot, striking 163 Premier League goals in 379 appearances for three different clubs.

Despite a prolific goal return, the Liverpool-born forward only amassed 26 caps for England, which he admitted was ‘nowhere near enough’.

“I only got 26 caps, which was nowhere near enough, and I always felt I was only there to make up the numbers, not be offered a real chance to play,” Fowler said.

Perhaps England undervalued his abilities but his hometown club certainly didn’t. Liverpool fans consider him one of the greatest-ever players to pull on the famous red shirt.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

26

7

3

Liverpool

369

183

49

Manchester City

92

27

5

Leeds United

32

14

1

Perth Glory

28

9

0

Northern Fury

26

9

4

Cardiff City

16

6

1

Blackburn Rovers

6

0

1

Muangthong United

2

0

0

8 Thierry Henry 175 goals

Thierry Henry is often namechecked in conversations regarding the greatest Premier League players of all time, which evinces just how ridiculously good he was.

The former Arsenal forward won a whopping four golden boots in England’s top flight and was a part of the infamous Invincibles team.

Jamie Carragher on Henry: “There is only one winner (greatest striker in Premier League history). It amazes me anyone would ever debate it. It is not even close. Thierry Henry is not only the greatest Premier League striker, he is the greatest Premier League player.”

The Frenchman has the second-best Premier League goal-to-game ratio (0.68) since 2000, a feat only bettered by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

Trophy

Year(s)

Supporters’ Shield

2013

UEFA Super Cup

2010

Supercopa de España

2010

Copa del Rey

2009

FIFA Club World Cup

2009, 2010

Champions League

2009

LaLiga

2009, 2010

Confederations Cup

2003

Community Shield

2002, 2004

FA Cup

2002, 2003, 2005

Premier League

2002, 2004

UEFA EURO

2000

World Cup

1998

Ligue 1

1997

7 Frank Lampard 177 goals

Frank Lampard is the only midfielder in the top 10, having netted 177 Premier League goals in 611 appearances.

The former Chelsea skipper had an uncanny knack for arriving late into the penalty area and slotting home, a trait that very few players possessed.

The three-time Premier League champion was one of the best players in the world during his pomp and came second in the 2005 Ballon d’Or rankings to Barcelona’s Ronaldinho.

The 106-cap England international is generally considered the best player to ever play for Chelsea.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

106

29

12

Chelsea

648

211

145

West Ham United

179

33

18

Manchester City

38

8

4

New York City FC

31

15

4

6 Sergio Agüero 184 goals

Sergio Agüero, who is synonymous with THAT goal against Queens Park Rangers, was a prolific marksman during his 10-year spell at Manchester City.

Quite remarkably, the Argentine forward only won one Golden Boot award, despite surpassing the 20-goal mark in six separate seasons.

Agüero left the Citizens in 2021 and Pep Guardiola was visibly upset when speaking to Sky Sports, admitting that he cannot be replaced.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

33

26

8

Champions League

7

6

1

FA Cup

1

0

0

League Cup

1

0

0

5 Mohamed Salah 185 goals

There is little doubt that Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah is one of the true PL greats. Approaching 200 goals after steering the Reds to another Premier League title in 2024/25, there seems to be no stopping the Egyptian, who is also set for another Golden Boot.

Only three players have reached a double century, so Salah’s recent contract extension at Liverpool will surely provide the goal machine enough time to get amongst the other heroes of Premier League history.

Salah also leads the way for African Premier League goalscorers by some margin, with former Reds teammate Sadio Mane his closest challenger in that regard, as the Senegalese trails by some 74 goals (and counting).

Season

Club

Appearances

Goals

2013/14

Chelsea

10

2

2014/15

Chelsea

3

0

2017/18

Liverpool

36

32

2018/19

Liverpool

38

22

2019/20

Liverpool

34

19

2020/21

Liverpool

37

22

2021/22

Liverpool

35

23

2022/23

Liverpool

38

19

2023/24

Liverpool

32

18

2024/25

Liverpool

36

28

4 Andrew Cole 187 goals

Andrew Cole held the record for the most goals scored in a 42-game Premier League season, netting a colossal 34 goals for Newcastle United during the 1993/94 campaign.

Another deadly period in front of goal ensued the following season before Manchester United acquired his services for a British transfer record fee worth £6.25m in January 1995.

Cole went on to enjoy a trophy-laden seven-year spell with United and formed a deadly partnership with Dwight Yorke. The duo amassed 53 goals between them during the treble-winning 1998/99 campaign.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

40

34

13

FA Cup

3

1

0

League Cup

2

6

1

3 Wayne Rooney 208 goals

Some will tell you Wayne Rooney underachieved in his career, which is extraordinary considering he became Manchester United and England’s record top goalscorer.

The top 10 players who have never won the Ballon d'Or award

Football FanCast has taken a look at the best players to have never won the award.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 1, 2023

The Birmingham City boss emerged as England’s golden boy as a 16-year-old and was thrust into first-team action thereafter – which was perhaps a contributing factor to his early decline.

And quite unfairly, people forget just how good he was because of that, though, his astonishing 208 Premier League goal tally speaks for itself.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

120

53

21

Manchester United

559

253

145

Everton

117

28

8

D.C. United

52

25

14

Derby

35

7

3

2 Harry Kane 213 goals

Harry Kane is the only active player on this list and was tipped to become the all-time leading Premier League goalscorer before he completed an £86.4m move to Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich in the summer, so that feat may not be achieved now.

The 30-year-old has started life at Bayern in electrifying form, scoring 21 goals whilst laying on seven assists in just 16 appearances.

Such form could see him acclaim the Ballon d’Or next year, though, he’ll likely have to triumph with England at the Euro’s.

Tottenham Hotspur do have a buyback option, so it will be fascinating to see if Kane does return to the North Londoners before the close of his career.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Bundesliga

13

18

5

Champions League

6

4

3

DFL-Supercup

1

0

0

1 Alan Shearer 260 goals

Alan Shearer tops the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer charts with a total of 260 goals, putting him 47 clear of second-placed Kane.

The Newcastle native collected three Golden Boot awards and fired home 34 goals in a single league season with Blackburn Rovers, helping the Lancashire club acclaim their first and only Premier League title.

Shearer remained loyal to his hometown club and famously turned down two offers from Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, which ultimately came at the expense of silverware.

But he cemented himself as a Newcastle United legend and now has a statue outside St James’ Park, evincing his heroic status at the Tyneside club.

Former Magpies boss Graeme Souness on Shearer: “In my opinion, Alan Shearer is the greatest English centre-forward there has ever been without a shadow of a doubt; he’s a very, very special player. He makes average balls into great balls.”

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

63

30

11

Newcastle United

405

206

58

Blackburn Rovers

162

123

30

Southampton

132

32

2

England put their recent indignities behind them to steal a march in the first ODI at The Kia Oval

The Report by Andrew Miller13-Jun-20181:56

Social story: England take the series lead

England 218 for 7 (Morgan 69, Root 50) beat Australia 214 (Maxwell 62, Plunkett 3-42 Moeen 3-43) by three wickets

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThey were handing out sandpaper boundary placards on the way up from Vauxhall Tube Station, but in the end, nothing could smooth away the rough edges in Australia’s new-look batting line-up. Despite their rookie bowling attack mounting a spirited defence of a substandard target of 215, England overcame a double dose of jitters to seal a three-wicket victory in the first ODI at The Kia Oval.Most of the pre-series focus had, rightly, been on the absence of Australia’s finest two batsmen, David Warner and Steven Smith, and, as might have been expected, they struggled to mitigate for that void in class. After winning the toss on a bright afternoon in South London, Australia mustered 214 in 47 overs, the sort of slow-death innings that exposed their shortcomings more comprehensively than a full-on batting collapse could have done.Nevertheless, England aren’t without a few notable embarrassments in their (very) recent history, and only days after failing to close out a chase of 372 to hand Scotland a famous victory, they came improbably close to stumbling in pursuit of a target of barely half that height. The beanpole seamer Billy Stanlake was the catalyst for Australia’s defiance, bowling Jason Roy second-ball for a duck as England slipped to 38 for 3 at the top of their innings, before Andrew Tye and his illegible T20 variations came to the fore in the tense closing stages.In the end it was left to David Willey to haul England over the line with an improbably grindy knock of 35 from 41 balls, with Liam Plunkett unbowed for the second match running on 3. But even then, England still won with a handsome 36 deliveries to spare, which spoke to the gulf in batting quality more eloquently than the official margin of victory.That was largely a testament to the elder-statesman class of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan. Their fourth-wicket stand of 115 in 21 overs managed to combine defensive accumulation with calculated aggression in a manner that Australia’s own middle order had been unable to replicate. Without such knowhow to rescue their innings, England really would have been in the soup. But then again, that is the entire point of experience.Before the start of play, Tim Paine had seemed visibly excited at the prospect of ending all the talk of sledging and cheating, and getting back to the day job. But, by the innings break, the captain who had instigated a pre-match handshake with his opponents to mark the start of a new era for his team might have been wondering if he was really that keen to starting talking about actual cricket once again.The early exchanges of Australia’s innings amounted to a vivisection of the tourists’ anxieties in overseas conditions. Willey’s prodigious new-ball swing accounted for Travis Head via a flat-footed slash to slip from his second delivery, before Moeen Ali came whirling through the middle overs, putting his miserable winter behind him with single-spell figures of 10-1-43-3 that might have been lifted straight out of the 1997 Texaco Trophy.Four balls into Moeen’s spell, Aaron Finch gave himself room outside off to pick out short third man with an ambitious wipe. Two balls into his second over, Shaun Marsh stayed leg-side of a well-flighted tweaker, a la Ben Duckett in Bangladesh, and lost his off stump for 24. And when Paine himself, desperate to set a tempo, any tempo, offered catching practice to short third man with a muffed reverse sweep, Moeen’s figures were 3 for 11 in 4.1 overs.After that, it was a given that he’d bowl his spell straight through. Adil Rashid kept him company for a six-over burst of his own, in which time he scalped Marcus Stoinis for 22, before Glenn Maxwell rode to the rescue of his team’s dignity, if not the overall match situation. A restorative 84-run stand for the sixth wicket ended when Plunkett induced a top-edged a pull to deep square leg, and when Ashton Agar misread the length of a Rashid legbreak to be plumb lbw for 40, the tail were rounded up meekly.But there was nothing meek about the response of Stanlake in particular. In the absence of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, this was his chance to demonstrate the timeless virtues of hitting a good length at 90mph. Roy survived one ball before losing the top of his off stump to a beautiful nipbacker, and when the debutant Michael Neser made it two wicket-maidens in the space of four overs by pinning Alex Hales on leg stump, the game was officially afoot.Jonny Bairstow, with three ODI hundreds in as many innings, once again looked a different class in easing to 28 from 22 balls with six outstanding boundaries. But then he nailed a pull straight into the hands of the lone man at square leg to give Kane Richardson his breakthrough, and England faced a test of their ego at 38 for 3.But Root and Morgan swallowed their pride and ate up the overs with deft sweeps, well-placed drives and sharp judgement of the quick singles. By the 29th over, they were 153 for 3 and cruising; three overs later, they’d lost both of their set batsman plus the dangerous Jos Buttler as well, who may be in some of the best form of his life, but today read Tye’s knuckle ball as if it was a Jaipur railway timetable. He had already been dropped off Stanlake – a swirling chance to Paine behind the stumps, who spilled it as his elbows hit the ground – when he scuffed a drive to mid-off.Moeen, determined to carry on playing his way despite criticism of his dismissal at the Grange, looked to have the chase in hand when he holed out to deep midwicket to give Neser his second and ignite that debate all over again. But in the end, he’d already done enough with the ball to ensure that England’s wobbles would not be terminal.

England will play their first three-Test series in Sri Lanka in 11 years, but the tour – which also features five ODIs and a T20I – may also clash with the island’s northeast monsoon

Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Mar-2018

Rangana Herath held England up again•Getty Images

England will play their first three-Test series in Sri Lanka in 11 years, but the tour – which also features five ODIs and a T20I – may also clash with the island’s northeast monsoon.England’s tour of Sri Lanka 2018

Oct 10 – First ODI, Dambulla
Oct 13 – Second ODI, Dambulla
Oct 17 – Third ODI, Pallekele
Oct 20 – Fourth ODI, Pallekele
Oct 23 – Fifth ODI, Khettarama (Colombo)
Oct 27 – Only T20I, Khettarama
Nov 6-10 – First Test, Galle
Nov 14-18 – Second Test, Pallekele
Nov 23-27 – Third Test, SSC

The matches will be played in Dambulla, Galle, Kandy and Colombo, with the SSC set to host the only Colombo Test. As it is the Tests – set for November – are more likely to be affected by rain than the limited-overs games, which end by October.SLC generally only hosts sides in November if there is no alternative, and given both teams’ busy 2018 schedule, that does appear to be the case. November Tests were last played in Sri Lanka in 2012, when both matches against New Zealand yielded results. However the previous series that began in November – the 2010 Tests against West Indies – were infamously rain-affected, and all three games ended in draws.The ODI series kicks off the tour on October 10, before the one-off T20I is played on the 27th of that month. There are then nine days before the first Test – time perhaps for England to play at least one warm-up encounter. The Test series begins in Galle on November 6, then moves to Pallekele, before the tour finishes up in Colombo.England last played Tests in Sri Lanka in early 2012, that two-match series finishing 1-1. Their most-recent three-Test tour of the island was in 2007.

Gayle’s innings at The Oval featured raw, unadulterated power. It was Twenty20 batting at its most violent

Alex Brown06-Jun-2009The Oval has witnessed many an astonishing innings since its first international match in 1880, but perhaps none featuring the raw, unadulterated power produced by
Chris Gayle on Saturday. Those residing within a half mile radius of World Twenty20 venues this month should be advised to board windows and shore-up roof tiling on the evidence of Gayle’s destructive innings, during which he deposited Brett Lee onto Harleyford Road and the top of the Bedser Stand in the space of three deliveries.This was Twenty20 batting at its most violent. Set a reasonable victory target of 170 by a scuffling Australian batting line-up, Gayle and opening partner Andre Fletcher afforded the opposition bowling all the respect of a park attack. By the end of the six-over Powerplay period, the West Indian duo had taken their team’s total to a rollicking 83 for 0. Australia, at the corresponding juncture of their innings, were 35 for 3. There ended the lesson.Rare is the time that a 31-ball half century is completely overshadowed, but such was Andre Fletcher’s lot on Saturday. For Gayle was simply awesome, whether slashing square or driving straight, prompting his opposing captain, Ricky Ponting, to wonder aloud whether he had ever witnessed an innings of such brute force in his 14-year international career.”Probably not many – in any form of the game,” Ponting said. “We obviously know what he’s capable of on his day. We tried a lot of different things to Chris. He got off to a great start and hit a couple of boundaries. We tried going around the wicket and taking his angles away and we tried bowling wide yorkers to him. Those things we did today probably weren’t executed perfectly, but he still came up with an answer and put the balls away.”SKY technicians measured Gayle’s square six off Lee, last seen headed towards Vauxhall, at 95 metres, and his ensuing blast over long-on at a monstrous 105 metres. After the initial six, Stephen Fay, the esteemed English cricket writer and former editor, remarked that not since Clyde Walcott could he recall a blast of such magnitude at The Oval. And Walcott, presumably, did not put one on the roof of the Bedser Stand roof two balls later. Or took the bowler for 27 runs off the over.By the time of Fletcher’s dismissal for a dashing 53, the West Indians were assured of victory with 133 runs from 11.3 overs. Gayle fell with the finish line in sight for an imperious 88 from 50 deliveries, and when Ramnaresh Sarwan sliced Mitchell Johnson to the fence for the match-winning runs with 4.1 overs remaining, West Indies had all but secured their safe passage through to the next phase of the tournament with a net-run rate of +2.413.When asked whether he could recall unleashing bigger sixes than those off Lee’s bowling on Saturday, Gayle paused momentarily in contemplation.”It’s the first time I’ve hit it so far,” he said. “Maybe I did [before], but I can’t remember. That was a good hit against a top-class bowler. It felt like the ball was in the slot and in Twenty20 these things will happen. There are other guys who can hit it further than me. I just stick to my strengths and once I’ve cleared the boundary I’m satisfied with that. It doesn’t matter how far it goes.”Lee’s figures of 1for 60 were the most expensive by an Australian in the short history of the World Twenty20 competition, and the sixth highest of any bowler in the tournament. But perhaps the more revealing statistic of the West Indians’ dominance was that of the net run-rate, which could force Australia into an embarrassing first round exit. Only an emphatic victory against Sri Lanka on Monday will keep them afloat in the tournament.”We wanted to lose as few wickets as possible because there might by a situation where it goes down to run rates,” Gayle said. “Australia might beat Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka might beat us. It’s a situation we have to be aware of and make sure our run-rate is good.”We are very satisfied. After a tough series against England we put back some smiles on the West Indies’ fans faces. But it’s not over. This is the first game. There’s still a long way to go.”

Celtic picked up their first point of the Champions League season as they were held by Spanish giants Atletico Madrid to a 2-2 draw at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

The Hoops were twice in front during the first half, thanks to goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma, but Diego Simeone's star-studded frontline produced the goods as goals from Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Mortata secured a point for their side.

Whilst it was disappointing for Brendan Rodgers' team not to walk away with all three points after going 1-0 and 2-1 up, there were plenty of positives to take from the game; including performances from Matt O'Riley and Liam Scales.

Matt O'Riley's statistics against Atletico Madrid

The Denmark U21 international was an influential figure in the middle of the park for Celtic as he showcased his ability at both ends of the pitch.

He provided a sublime assist for the opening goal from Kyogo with a perfectly-weighted first-time pass through to the Japan international, which split open the Atletico defence.

The former Fulham man went on to create one more chance and enjoyed 70 touches of the ball in total as he displayed his creativity in midfield.

O'Riley also made an impact out of possession. The left-footed whiz won six of his 11 duels and made three tackles and two interceptions in total, which shows that the central midfielder also worked hard to win the ball back for his team with a number of defensive interventions.

Liam Scales' statistics against Atletico Madrid

One player who stood out alongside O'Riley and caught the eye with his immense display at the back for Rodgers was central defender Scales.

The Ireland international, who started the game alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers at the heart of the defence, produced an impressive performance to keep Atletico quiet for large spells during the match.

Firstly, the former Aberdeen loanee displayed superb composure in possession of the ball with 103 attempted passes from 114 touches, which was 44 more than O'Riley had, and completed 86% of those passes.

He also dominated the opposition in his individual duels against the Atletico forwards. As per Sofascore, the 25-year-old machine won 70% (7/10) of his battles, which included six of his eight aerial contests, and this shows that the Spanish side found it difficult to get the better of him.

Scales also made two blocks, three clearances, and one tackle to help out Joe Hart to keep him as quiet as possible outside of the two Atletico goals.

His performance resulted in a Sofascore rating of 7.1 and this was 0.3 higher than any other starting member of the back four, and 0.6 higher than both of the full-backs – Alistair Johnston and Greg Taylor.

This shows that the Irish colossus was Rodgers' standout performer in defence for Celtic with his fantastic play in and out of possession over the course of the 90 minutes.

Therefore, Scales was immense for the Hoops and the Scottish giants may need him to maintain that level over the remaining three group stage games in order to stand a chance of securing qualification for the knockout stages.

Across Sir Alex Ferguson's 26-year Manchester United career, the 13-time Premier League winner has tutored a plethora of talented players and coaches.

Many of his former players have become managers themselves, like Wayne Rooney for example, who was appointed Birmingham City boss this week.

So today at Football FanCast, we've decided to list and rank 15 of Sir Alex's pupils who became managers.

They'll be ordered by win percentage…

15 Paul Scholes – 27%

Kicking off the list is 11-time Premier League winner Paul Scholes, whose managerial record has been far less fruitful than his playing career.

However, in fairness, it must be noted that he has only taken charge of 11 games throughout his brief managerial career, winning three of those.

The legendary United midfielder got his first gig in the dugout with Oldham at the beginning of 2019 but resigned after seven games due to 'interference' from the chairman.

Scholes' second role came in October 2020, when he took over as caretaker manager at Salford City – the club he part-owns. His record at the Ammies was pretty decent, winning two of his four games in charge and only conceding defeat once.

14 Wayne Rooney – 28%

United's all-time top goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, has opted against the popular route of a career in the media – post-retirement – and instead has chosen a life in the dugout.

Rooney has certainly not had it easy during his fledgling managerial career, having first received his breakthrough with Derby County, who were in dire straights on and off the pitch.

The Rams entered administration during his 19-month reign and were handed points deductions, leaving the Liverpool-born head coach with a mammoth task of avoiding relegation from the Championship.

Unfortunately, despite a valiant effort, Derby suffered relegation to the third tier in May 2022, and Rooney departed for D.C United that summer.

Having managed in the MLS for 15 months, the former Everton forward is now back in England with Birmingham City, where he'll be hoping to improve his pretty underwhelming 28% win rate.

13 Mark Hughes – 38%

Mark Hughes was part of Sir Alex's first title-winning side in 1993 and was a fabulous servant for the Scotsman.

Having been inspired by the former United boss, the Welshman decided to try his hand at management following his retirement in 2002 and he's gone on to take charge of a whopping 690 matches.

Though, across his eight different jobs, the 59-year-old's win rate doesn't exactly make for good reading. He was recently sacked by League Two outfit Bradford City, leaving the club in 18th after a run of three wins from 11 games.

Perhaps his most notable role was with Stoke, where he managed 200 games, guiding the club to three consecutive ninth-placed Premier League finishes.

12 Roy Keane – 38%

The former United skipper began his managerial career with Sunderland, helping the club return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Keane's second season saw his side retain their top-flight status, finishing 15th, three points clear of the drop zone. However, he opted to resign mid-way through his third campaign after a poor run of results, leaving the North East club in 18th.

A job at Ipswich beckoned for the Irishman shortly after departing the Black Cats, and after 20 months in charge, having won 29 of his 81 matches, he was sacked by Town.

Since Keane's Portman Road exit in January 2011, he hasn't returned to management, though speaking on the 'Stick to Football' podcast, he admitted a desire to get back in the dugout.

11 Mark Robins – 40%

The current Coventry City boss, Mark Robins, is adored by the Sky Blue faithful. Across his six-and-a-half-year second spell at the club, the former United forward has overseen two promotions and stabilised the club during unsettling times off the field.

Coventry reached the Championship play-off final last term before suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Luton Town but his side appears well-placed to once again challenge for a spot in the Premier League this season.

Robins is widely considered as one of the best managers in the second tier and is certainly the best pupil of Sir Alex's up to this point.

10 Paul Ince – 40%

Paul Ince hasn't exactly inspired many with his managerial abilities.

His win rate of 40% could be a lot worse though, and his first spell as MK Dons manager was probably his most successful role, winning an impressive 35 of his 55 matches in charge, prompting Premier League side Blackburn to appoint him as manager.

Ince only lasted 21 matches in post at Rovers, having won just six of his 21 games before receiving the sack.

9 Gordon Strachan – 41%

Gordon Strachan has taken charge of just shy of 600 games throughout his 27-year career as a manager, with his first role coming at Coventry City.

A trophy-laden spell in Glasgow saw him win three Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic whilst collecting three domestic cup trophies.

Following his departure from The Hoops in 2009, the former United and Leeds midfielder managed Middlesbrough and Scotland.

Strachan now operates as a technical director for Dundee F.C.

8 Darren Ferguson – 43%

Whilst Darren Ferguson didn't play under Sir Alex, he of course received an extensive amount of tutelage from the former United boss by being his son.

Darren hasn't reached the heights his father did, but he has enjoyed a successful career in the lower leagues of English football, most notably with Peterborough United.

He's managed an astounding 483 games for the Posh across four different spells and is currently in post with the League One outfit.

The 51-year-old's side currently sit fifth after winning six of their opening 12 matches this season.

7 Steve McClaren – 45%

Steve McClaren was Sir Alex's assistant for 149 games and was on the touchline at the Nou Camp when the Red Devils beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.

McClaren has managed a whole host of clubs and was even in charge of England at one point, though that tenure was short-lived after his side failed to qualify for EURO 2008.

The veteran coach now serves as an assistant to Erik ten Hag and has been in the post since the Dutchman's arrival last summer.

6 Ryan Giggs – 50%

Now we get into the impressive win rate territory of 50% and beyond.

The Ex-United winger, Ryan Giggs, took caretaker charge at Old Trafford following David Moyes' sacking in April 2014. The Welshman managed the remaining four games of the season, winning two, drawing one and losing one.

His first permanent role came with the Wales national team in 2018, managing a total of 24 games and winning 12, before stepping down due to a court trial, which has since been dropped.

Giggs' return to management is close, according to reports.

The abundance of exciting and eye-catching content around Premier League clubs nowadays is unprecedented, and it makes being a fan much more accessible than ever before. That said, while you can find out anything you want about your club, it can also be somewhat overwhelming at times.

Arsenal are no exception to this, and if anything, the sheer size and success of the club only means that there are even more options to choose from – maybe too many.

So here at Football Fancast, we have put together a cheat sheet of who to follow for all your red and white needs.

Arsenal News Now

If you are looking for the best place to find top-notch journalism about any club, let alone the Gunners, News Now should probably be your first port of call. The website collects headlines from around the world on a vast array of topics and provides you links to all the latest news.

It will even give you a short selection of the most popular stories at any given moment. So you'll know what is worth reading and what isn't, along with always staying in the loop when it comes to Arsenal.

Arsenal Fan TV

While traditional sports media and recognised journalists are invaluable when it comes to keeping abreast of the latest goings-on at all of our favourite clubs, they can sometimes be a bit sterile and stiff, which is precisely where fan content comes into the equation.

Fan-led YouTube channels, Twitter accounts and podcasts have exploded in recent years, and many of them have Arsenal Fan TV to thank for paving the way. There is no fan channel with more reach or more well-known than AFTV, and no fan creator more respected than Robbie Lyle, AKA Don Robbie.

AFTV has been around for well over a decade, and while the cast of characters has changed over the years, Robbie has remained – as has their place as the number one destination for Arsenal fans on the internet.

With more shows that we can count and several appearances on major broadcasters, if you want to find out what fellow Gooners are talking about at the moment, head to AFTV.

Arsenal Vision Podcast

AFTV might be the best-known destination for fan-based arsenal content, but they aren't the only one. The Arsenal Vision Podcast is one of the most popular Arsenal-based podcasts going.

Described as 'sometimes funny, sometimes serious, occasionally ridiculous and hopefully always enjoyable' by the hosts themselves, it's a great listen for any Gooner looking for more Arsenal content to consume.

John Cross

Back to traditional media once more, and John Cross is one of the best journalists to follow for Arsenal fans – even if he has, at times, clashed with AFTV. Cross is the Chief Football Writer for the Mirror, and while he might not solely focus on the Gunners in his day-to-day work, he still frequently covers them – especially on his Twitter account.

He also wrote a book about the great Arsene Wenger called Arsene Wenger: The Inside Story of Arsenal Under Wenger – which is good enough for us.

Charles Watts

Sticking with recognised journalists, and Charles Watts is perhaps one of the journalists most associated with Arsenal, and for good reason.

Previously a writer for GOAL and football.london, Watts would focus on the club for these publications and even wrote a book on Mikel Arteta's time with the club called 'Revolution – The Rise of Arteta's Arsenal.'

He now has his own website that focuses specifically on Arsenal, a Twitter account with over 500k followers and a YouTube account with 90k subscribers.

If you're an Arsenal fan, you simply have to follow Watts.

James McNicholas

James McNicholas is one of the most respected journalists in the industry, with more than a decade of experience writing for ESPN, Four Four Two, and Bleacher Report. Oh, and he's also a huge Arsenal fan.

Now primarily writing for The Athletic, McNicholas is one of their Arsenal correspondents, and alongside his work for them, he co-hosts the Arsecast podcast.

He can also be found on Twitter and is well worth a follow.

David Ornstein

Rounding off our list of sports journalists is probably the most famous of all, David Ornstein.

Ornstein has grown in prominence in the footballing world over the last few years, and that's certainly true among Arsenal fans. He has been one of The Athletic's most prominent writers since he joined the company in 2019 after spending over a decade with the BBC and has since gained quite a reputation as a reliable reporter of transfer news, with fans often pitting his reports up against those of transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Outside The Athletic, fans can find him on Twitter, and he's well worth a follow for everything from news, insider scoops and transfer updates.

He doesn't just Tweet about Arsenal, but when he does, it's usually worth taking note.

Afcstuff

As football content continues to be more and more fan-driven, it only makes sense for websites like Twitter – or X if you like – to become even more central to the popular discourse around the game, and Arsenal are no exception.

There are 1000s of Arsenal dedicated Twitter pages on the site, but only some are worth following, and afcstuff chief among them.

After AFTV, afcstuff is the site's most significant fan-run Arsenal page and is a must-follow for Arsenal supporters.

In their own words, you can find the 'latest updates, stats, quotes, team news & transfer news about Arsenal FC' on their page.

Arsenal Buzz

Sticking to Twitter for a moment, and another account well worth following if you are after more of the Gunners in your life is Arsenal Buzz.

The page posts constant updates about the team, with quotes from players, managers and pundits.

It's also a great page to follow if you want to stay up to date with the players on international duty, as they post pictures and updates about that as well.

Harry Symeou / Chronicles of a Gooner

As many are in the industry nowadays, Harry Symeou does a little bit of everything. A broadcaster, commentator, content creator, podcast host and radio contributor, he does it all – and it all links back to Arsenal.

You can find him in several different places on the internet. He's very active on his personal Twitter account, on his podcast's account – The Chronicles of a Gooner – and even on TalkSport, fighting Arsenal's corner.

Following Arsenal Buzz, afcstuff, and Harry Symeou on Twitter should have you covered on fan accounts on the website.

Arseblog

Another site created by fans, but Arseblog is the real deal. Their website has something for everyone, from news articles, tactical breakdowns, features, and opinions- and then there's the podcast.

The Arsecast – the one co-hosted by James McNicholas – is one of the most popular Arsenal-centric podcasts going, with over 550 episodes in the bank and likely many, many more to come.

The podcast crew also put on special live recordings of the podcast that fans can attend, with their last one including a surprise appearance from club legend Ian Wright – what's not to love?

Outside of their own website, you can also find them through their Twitter account.

The Athletic

Love it or hate it, there is simply no getting away from the all-conquering juggernaut that is The Athletic when it comes to sports journalism these days. That said, their coverage of Arsenal is excellent, as are their writers.

While it may lack the charm of a local or even some fan-created outlets, it's hard to knock the quality of the work they produce.

And as one of the country's biggest sides, Arsenal get even more coverage compared to some others in the Premier League.

Football London – Arsenal

One of Reach PLC's many titles football.london could've ended up feeling like a detached and somewhat sterile corporate attempt at covering the clubs local to the capital, but through hiring the right people and focusing on the right things, they have become one of the best websites going when it comes to the London clubs.

Their coverage of Arsenal is no different, with interesting interviews, match reactions, deep dives and features all focused on the North London club.

Football FanCast

Rounding everything off is, well, us!

It would be a bit odd if we didn't end the article with at least a small shoutout to the work we do on the Gunners here at Football Fancast.

Our team of writers cover everything about the club, whether that be transfers, news, match reaction, analysis, features and more.

Keep your eyes on the site to find out the latest The Arsenal.

And there you have it, a list of everyone and every site you should be following to keep up to date with The Arsenal. From traditional journalists to fan channels and even the blending of the two, there is certainly a lot of content out there to get stuck into.

A look at how the stats stack up for Pakistan and South Africa ahead of their ICC World Twenty20 semi-final

S Rajesh17-Jun-2009The overall numbersAs you’d expect with a team which has won five games on the trot in the tournament, South Africa have excellent numbers with both bat and ball – they are marginally ahead of Pakistan in both aspects. Neither of the two teams are at the top of the tree in terms of batting stats – West Indies takes that honour – but with the ball South Africa and Pakistan are easily the two best sides in the competition. They have taken the most number of wickets in the tournament so far with 42 and 41, and are the only sides who have conceded less than seven runs per over.

Pakistan and South Africa with the bat in the ICC World Twenty20

Team	Runs	Balls	Wickets	Average	Run rate
Pakistan	702	559	30	23.40	7.53
South Africa	766	590	27	28.37	7.78

Pakistan and South Africa with the ball in the ICC World Twenty20

Team	Runs conceded	Balls bowled	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Pakistan	647	576	41	15.78	6.73
South Africa	600	573	42	14.28	6.28

The Powerplay oversBoth South Africa and Pakistan have been among the more conservative teams with the bat during the first six overs, scoring at less than eight runs per over. South Africa, though, have been excellent at keeping wickets in hand, losing just three during the Powerplay overs all tournament, and averaging 77 per wicket. Their opening partnership of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis has been among the best in the competition. Pakistan, on the other hand, have lost nine wickets during the first six overs.

Pakistan and South Africa in the first six overs – batting

Team	Runs	Balls	Wickets	Average	Run rate
Pakistan	219	180	9	24.33	7.30
South Africa	231	180	3	77.00	7.70

As bowling teams, South Africa have been far superior in the first six, taking 11 wickets – the second-highest, after England’s 13 – at an excellent average and economy rate.

Pakistan and South Africa in the first six overs – bowling

Team	Runs conceded	Balls bowled	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Pakistan	239	180	7	34.14	7.96
South Africa	184	180	11	16.72	6.13

Wayne Parnell and Dale Steyn have been exceptional in the first six. Mohammad Aamer is the most successful for Pakistan, but he has been relatively expensive, going at seven-and-a-half per over.

Pakistan and South African bowlers in the first six overs

Bowler	Runs conceded	Balls bowled	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Dale Steyn	62	60	4	15.50	6.20
Wayne Parnell	42	60	4	10.50	4.20
Mohammad Aamer	93	78	4	23.25	7.15
Abdul Razzaq	31	36	2	15.50	5.16

The middle overs – 7 to 14Pakistan have been the slightly stronger team overall in the middle overs, scoring at a better rate and taking four more wickets than the South African bowlers.

Pakistan and South Africa in the middle eight overs – batting

Team	Runs	Balls	Wickets	Average	Run rate
Pakistan	284	235	8	35.50	7.25
South Africa	269	240	8	33.62	6.72

Pakistan and South Africa in the middle eight overs – bowling

Team	Runs conceded	Balls bowled	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Pakistan	251	240	16	15.68	6.27
South Africa	247	240	12	20.58	6.17

The star bowler in the middle overs has been Shahid Afridi who has done a remarkable job of taking wickets and keeping the runs in check. In 114 deliveries he has taking eight wickets, an average of less than 15 balls per wicket, at an economy rate of only slightly more than five per over.

Pakistan and South African bowlers in the middle eight overs

Bowler	Runs conceded	Balls bowled	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Shahid Afridi	98	114	8	12.25	5.15
Saeed Ajmal	60	60	4	15.00	6.00
Johan Botha	78	84	4	19.50	5.57
Roelof van der Merwe	82	90	4	20.50	5.46
Shoaib Malik	55	42	1	55.00	7.85

The last six oversSouth Africa have been the slightly better batting team in the last six overs, but both have been outstanding with the ball, conceding less than ten runs per wicket, and less than seven per over. That’s ensured that the batting teams have had little momentum towards the end of their innings.

Pakistan and South Africa in the last six overs – batting

Team	Runs	Balls	Wickets	Average	Run rate
Pakistan	199	144	13	15.30	8.29
South Africa	266	170	16	16.62	9.38

Pakistan and South Africa in the last six overs – bowlng

Team	Runs conceded	Balls bowled	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Pakistan	157	156	18	8.72	6.03
South Africa	169	153	19	8.89	6.62

Umar Gul has taken the most number of wickets in the last six overs, but there have been several other star performers from both teams. Saeed Ajmal has been outstanding, both in terms of taking wickets and keeping runs in check, and the same applies to Steyn, Parnell and van der Merwe as well.

Pakistan and South African bowlers in the last six overs

Bowler	Runs conceded	Balls bowled	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Umar Gul	65	69	8	8.12	5.65
Saeed Ajmal	52	60	7	7.42	5.20
Dale Steyn	49	42	4	12.25	7.00
Wayne Parnell	51	41	4	12.75	7.46
Roelof van der Merwe	24	30	5	4.80	4.80

How the runs have been scoredThere’s little to choose in the manner in which the two teams have scored the runs in this tournament: the dot-ball percentages are almost equal, but Pakistan have, surprisingly, scored a higher percentage of their runs in singles, twos and threes.

How Pakistan and South Africa have scored their runs

Team	Dots	Percentage	1s, 2s, 3s	Percentage	4s, 6s	Percentage
Pakistan	203	36.31	285	50.98	70	12.52
South Africa	212	35.93	286	48.47	92	15.59

The extras factorSouth Africa are clearly ahead in his area: they’ve bowled one no-ball and 17 wides, to Pakistan’s eight no-balls and 23 wides.

All of a sudden the favourites going in to the tournament find themselves one defeat short of being ousted from the event.

Sidharth Monga in Karachi02-Jul-2008The possible scenariosIf India win against Sri Lanka, they go through to the final, and the Pakistan-Bangladesh match becomes inconsequential.If India lose, and Pakistan beat Bangladesh, Pakistan go through. This scenario will have both India and Pakistan tied at four points, but Pakistan would head into the final by virtue of more wins in the Super Four stage.If India lose, and Pakistan lose to Bangladesh, India’s higher points tally will see them through.If either of the India-Sri Lanka or Pakistan-Bangladesh games is tied or has a no-result, then Pakistan won’t be able to catch up with India on points, and will be out of the final.Another flat subcontinent pitch, another ineffective performance by the Indian bowlers. And all of a sudden the favourites going in to the tournament find themselves one defeat short of being ousted from the event. If India lose to Sri Lanka on Thursday, and if Pakistan, as expected, beat Bangladesh the day after, both teams will be tied on four points. In that scenario, by the virtue of having won more matches in the Super Four stage, Pakistan will go through.However, India still haven’t reached a stage where they rely on some other match. All they need to do is beat Sri Lanka, something they did twice in three matches during the CB Series in Australia. Therein lies the story: the CB Series was played in Australia, the Asia Cup is being played in Pakistan. And the Indian bowlers react differently to the two types of conditions.When they lost to Pakistan today, it was the tenth time in the last one year that they conceded a total of 300 runs, seven of those in the subcontinent. While most of the Indian bowlers boast of a better record overseas, Chaminda Vaas’ statistics are slightly better in the subcontinent than outside. Muttiah Muralitharan’s effectiveness on subcontinent pitches can hardly be overstated.Even today, it was the Indian fast bowlers who perhaps made the target look about 20 less than it was. Praveen Kumar, who has almost always got the new ball to do something so far in his career, was out of sorts bowling to two left-hand openers. Ishant Sharma, who came in to replace Praveen, gave away 16 in his first over. Irfan Pathan, with his reduced pace, was always going to struggle on pitches that give him zero assistance. Dhoni thought the bowlers gave it their all, but the pitch was just too unresponsive. “They tried everything, whatever they had in the armoury they tried,” Dhoni said. “On a wicket like this, the only way you can stop batsmen from scoring runs is taking wickets. While we were batting we lost three quick wickets when we were batting, and all of a sudden Rohit and I were under pressure.”Apart from the continued ineffectiveness of the fast bowlers, Piyush Chawla looked quite innocuous too. But to ask someone so inexperienced to deliver on a pitch so doped might be a bit harsh, Dhoni reckoned. “There is no assistance, especially for spinners, on this wicket. You have to be an experienced spinner with a lot of variations. You have to exploit [whatever little the pitch has], and bowl according to wicket. If you have someone like that you can put pressure on batsmen, otherwise even 330 can be difficult to defend.”To set all this right India have about 13 hours after having played a gruelling match in tough conditions. Dhoni, who has been critical of the schedule, which has Pakistan playing the last match against Bangladesh, chose to look only at what was in his side’s control. “It’s definitely tough, especially if you are playing Sri Lanka,” Dhoni said. “But it’s very rare that you get to play back-to-back matches. And as a professional cricketer you have to be ready.”The playing conditions also, in a way, render the points carried forward from the first round ineffective by making Super Four wins the tie-breaking criterion. In last year’s World Cup, by contrast, teams carried forward points but didn’t face their first-round opponents in the next stage. Dhoni and his team, though, would not want to think about these things for the next 13 hours, and during the match.

There have been moments, flashes, when Darwin Nunez has looked like the player Liverpool thought they were investing in three years ago, with the Anfield side’s then club-record capture memorably getting off the mark on debut in the Community Shield.

Who can forget the Uruguayan’s breathtaking brace as the ten-man Reds romped past Newcastle United at St James’ Park in August 2023, with Nunez briefly resembling the player who had hit 48 goals in just 85 games for former club Benfica.

Unfortunately for all concerned, such statement displays have been few and far between to date, with the chaotic nature of the profligate striker looking distinctly at odds with the cool and composed style of Arne Slot’s football.

That chasm resulted in Nunez scoring just seven times in all competitions in 2024/25, having notably been restricted to just eight Premier League starts. An exit – most likely to Serie A champions Napoli – now appears an inevitability ahead of next term.

With Luis Diaz earning admiring glances from those at Barcelona, the need for a new figure to lead the line has only been heightened. Enter, a high-profile target…

Liverpool plotting bid for high profile forward

£187m has already been spent on acquiring Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, although with funds set to be raked in amid the potential sales of Nunez and Diaz – alongside Jarell Quansah’s £35m exit – there could still be further activity for Slot and co over the coming weeks.

The Merseysiders have notably been linked with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt starlet, Hugo Ekitike, with the 23-year-old believed to have emerged as a top target, amid his ability to feature off the left or in a central role.

That versatility is also a feature of Real Madrid star Rodrygo’s game, with reports in Spain suggesting that Liverpool are among a trio of Premier League clubs who are keen on signing the highly-rated Brazilian.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The suggestion is that, along with Manchester City and Arsenal, the Anfield side are in the mix for the 24-year-old’s signature, with the report outlining that they have already been ‘informed’ of the player’s situation.

Not only has there seemingly been contact made, but the piece also outlines that Liverpool are ready and willing to submit an offer for the former Santos starlet, with prior reports indicating that he could command a fee of around £75m.

With The Athletic noting that Rodrygo could be made available by the LaLiga giants this summer, having played a bit-part role for Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup, now could be the perfect time for Slot to pounce.

Why Liverpool need to sign Rodrygo

Having seen Trent Alexander-Arnold join the Spanish outfit for a fee of around £10m earlier this summer, the Reds could more than get their own back by prising the unsettled Rodrygo from the Bernabeu.

At just 24, the Brazil international offers that perfect blend of youth and experience, having already spent six seasons in Madrid, following his £38m arrival back in the summer of 2019.

Such a deal could evoke memories of the capture of a certain Fernando Torres from the Spanish capital back in 2007, with the prolific striker making the switch at the age of 23, having proven himself for Atletico Madrid.

Like Rodrygo – who has scored 68 goals in 270 games for Los Blancos – Torres was an undoubted star in LaLiga, with that first spell at Atleti seeing him reach double figures for league goals in each of his first five seasons.

Such red-hot form was more than replicated at Anfield, with ‘El Nino’ ultimately dazzling alongside Steven Gerrard and co, having terrorised defences up and down the country over the next four years.

A return of 81 goals in 142 games is certainly nothing to be sniffed at, certainly not when compared to Nunez’s return of just 40 goals in 143 games thus far, having been hailed as “among the best” in the division by then-boss Rafa Benitez.

Similar praise has been dished out by ex-Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, in relation to Rodrygo, with the iconic Italian naming his young winger as one of the “best players in the world”, alongside the likes of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe.

2024/25

30

12

2023/24

34

15

2022/23

34

18

2021/22

33

8

2020/21

22

7

2019/20

19

2

While Rodrygo’s star has been dimmed by that trio, it is hard to deny his quality, with the fleet-footed marksman already scoring 25 times in just 65 Champions League appearances for his current side. For comparison, Torres scored 20 times in 79 career outings in Europe’s elite competition.

Although not necessarily a centre-forward by trade, the £75m man could emulate Diaz in providing a more fluid and mobile option through the middle, with Ancelotti previously suggesting in the past that number nine could be best suited to him, as his “strengths are his movement”.

Having previously seen Torres make a smooth transition to live in England, after leaving Madrid behind, hopefully Rodrygo can follow suit this summer.

He's as exciting as Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign a £75m "superstar"

This transfer target could be the perfect Luis Diaz replacement at Liverpool.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 9, 2025