In brief
Some strikers in the Premier League find their rhythm quickly, while others take their time.
Current players that are among the fastest to reach 50 goals are Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak.
In the 1990s, other players like Alan Shearer and Andy Cole established the benchmark for strikers.
The bread and butter of a striker is scoring goals. Finding the net is essential if you want to establish yourself as a reliable number nine, but in the Premier League, it can be challenging. You have to be at the top of your game to establish a reputation for being potent since you are up against some of the world’s best goalkeepers and defenders.
Some players, like Chris Wood, have their finest seasons well into their thirties, and it takes them some time to become used to the demands of English football before they can thrive. Others, on the other hand, can get started right away and score goals quickly. None, though, have scored 50 Premier League goals as fast as these ten players.
1Erling Haaland
48 matches
When Manchester City chose to spend €60 million for Erling Haaland’s services in 2022, they had great expectations for him, but they never would have imagined that he would achieve the achievements he has.
Since joining the team, the Norwegian has shattered numerous records, and he broke another one when he scored the first goal against Liverpool. It’s absolutely crazy to reach 50 Premier League goals in 48 games. He’s now by far the fastest player to reach the milestone, and it will be a very long time before his record is surpassed.
2Andy Cole
65 matches
Andy Cole and his Manchester United colleagues participated in a memorable game back in 1995, and it wasn’t just the Englishman who broke records that day. Ipswich Town was thrashed 9-0 by Sir Alex Ferguson’s imposing team, who rightfully became the first team to score nine goals in a Premier League game.
Cole, who was never given much credit by his country’s squad, scored five goals to reach the 50-goal mark. There’s no doubting how dangerous the center-forward was in the box, but it looks like he put the brakes on after that because it took him another 120 games to score another 50.
3Alan Shearer
66 matches
In addition to being the division’s top scorer (260 goals), Alan Shearer, a former Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United custodian, is also one of the few players to score 50 goals in the least amount of time (66). To be honest, it would be strange to watch someone who consistently scores goals not participate. The striker-turned-pundit scored his 50th and 51st goals in his 260-goal Premier League career with his two goals against Everton in September 1994.
His quick record was at the top of the rankings at the time, but Cole overtook him just six months later. However, his record of scoring 100 goals in 124 English Premier League games remains unshakeable, as he did so 17 games faster than any other player.
4Ruud van Nistelrooy
68 matches
Ruud van Nistelrooy scored 50 goals in 68 games and was a powerful finisher. The center-forward broke that record in August 2003 when he scored his 50th Premier League goal against Newcastle. However, it also represented his 10th consecutive goal in the tournament.
Interestingly, he scored 50 Champions League goals in 62 games, four more than none other than Lionel Messi (66), while not being able to lead this list. Goal scoring came effortlessly to the Dutchman, who concluded his 219-game stint at Old Trafford with 150 goals, which is simply incredible. He is ranked fifth on Manchester United’s list of the best strikers of all time.
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