Every year, the English Premier League kicks off with the top 20 teams in the country. Over the course of the season, they throw everything at each other until the trophy is engraved on the final Matchday.
The Premier League is adored for its unpredictability, but there is order even amid all this chaos. Over the years, six teams have almost always been in contention for the title or a top-four finish, and disrupting this hierarchy has proven tricky for the challengers.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur are the so-called ‘Big Six’ of the Premier League. Every player worth their salt wants to do well against them, knowing that a match-winning performance would either put them on the map or grow their Premier League legacy.
In today’s list, we will focus on the finest big-games players in Premier League history. Read on to check out the top six players who have scored the most goals against the Premier League ‘Big Six.’
#6 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: 41 Goals
Kicking off the list is former Chelsea and Leeds United forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. The Dutchman was always a handful against the Premier League ‘Big Six’, scoring 41 times against them in 81 appearances in his career. Hasselbaink tended to play his best game against Tottenham Hotspur, with him scoring 11 times against the Lilywhites in 16 league appearances.
The former Dutch center-forward played 288 games in the Premier League throughout his career. He scored 127 goals and provided 58 assists, winning the Golden Boot award twice.
#5 Mohamed Salah: 43 Goals
Liverpool marksman Mohamed Salah has been wreaking havoc since returning to the Premier League in the 2017-18 season. The Egypt international has tormented the biggest teams in the division, scoring 43 goals against them in 71 matches. Manchester United have been Salah’s favorite prey, with him scoring 12 goals against them in 14 league games.
Salah has played 271 Premier League matches so far, scoring 162 times and providing 74 assists. The three-time Golden Boot winner won his maiden Premier League title with the Merseysiders in the 2019-20 season.
#4 Jamie Vardy: 44 Goals
Leicester City icon Jamie Vardy has captured the fourth place in the rankings, having scored an impressive 44 times in 100 games against the ‘Big Six’ in the Premier League. Vardy has been a real thorn in Arsenal’s side over the years, scoring 11 times against the Gunners in 17 outings.
Vardy has played 315 Premier League matches for Leicester City so far, scoring 139 goals and claiming 44 assists. He was one of the heroes of the Foxes’ fairy-tale title-winning campaign in 2015-16, as he chipped in with 24 goals and six assists in 36 appearances.
#3 Sergio Aguero: 44 Goals
Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero was a force to be reckoned with. The Argentinian packed blistering pace, had the innate ability to ghost behind the defense, and, of course, had a devastating right boot. Aguero took some of the best teams in the league to the cleaners during his time with Manchester City, scoring 44 goals against them in 75 games. Tottenham Hotspur suffered the most at Aguero’s hands, as he scored 11 goals against them in 16 games.
Aguero played 275 Premier League matches between 2011-12 and 2020-21 seasons, scoring 184 goals and providing 47 assists. He won the title a whopping five times with the Cityzens.
#2 Wayne Rooney: 45 Goals
Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney is one of the finest big-game players in Premier League history. The Englishman haunted the Big Six more than any of his peers, scoring 45 goals against them in 135 appearances. Arsenal were Rooney’s favorite victim, with him bagging 12 goals and five assists against them in 29 English top-flight appearances.
Rooney, who represented Man Utd and Everton in the Premier League, played 491 games in the English top flight, scoring 208 times and providing 103 assists. He won five Premier League titles with the Red Devils between the 2004-05 and 2016-17 seasons.
#1 Alan Shearer: 56 Goals
Despite not playing for one of the ‘Big Six’ teams, Alan Shearer ended up scoring the most goals against them, hitting the back of the net 56 times in 129 league matches. The former Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United striker punished Tottenham Hotsput the most, scoring 14 goals against the North London outfit in 24 Premier League games.
Shearer, who won the Premier League title with Blackburn Rovers in the 1994-95 season, is the all-time top scorer in the competition’s history. He played 441 Premier League games across Rovers and Newcastle, scoring 260 times and providing 64 assists.
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