7 Best Goalscoring Midfielders In Premier League History (Ranked) | OneFootball

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A wide range of quality midfielders have graced the Premier League over the years - from dogged, no-nonsense dictators to elegant, ball-playing technicians.

One thing that often separates many of the best midfielders in the history of the English top flight is the ability to pop up with a goal when needed. Whether it’s a speculative effort from range that nestles in the top corner or a perfectly-timed header in the six-yard box, some of the best goalscorers in the division have plied their trade from midfield.

There are some surprise admissions from this list. One of which is Kevin De Bruyne who narrowly misses out - but could soon be making his way onto here if he scores a handful more goals. Despite this, this article has been created based on which midfielders have scored the most goals since the newly-formed top tier of English football was born.

So, join GIVEMESPORT as we delve through the history books and take a look at the seven midfielders with the most goals in the Premier League since its inception.

7 Kevin Nolan - 69

Always one to pop up with a crucial goal in the most critical moments, Kevin Nolan was a terrific servant for Bolton, Newcastle United and West Ham while making over 500 appearances in the Premier League.

The midfielder found the net 69 times in the top flight during his 17-year career, hitting double figures in both the 2010/11 and 2012/13 campaigns.

Though a key player for Newcastle and West Ham in the second half of his career, Nolan will probably be remembered more fondly as a chief architect in Sam Allardyce’s tricky Bolton outfit - a team that finished in the top eight in four consecutive seasons between 2003/04 and 2006/07.

6 Gary Speed - 80

The late Gary Speed had a hugely successful career in the English top flight, registering a total of 640 league appearances for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle and Bolton Wanderers.

The former Welsh international was already banging in the goals at Elland Road before the formation of the Premier League, and that prowess in front of goal continued long after his days in West Yorkshire.

After successful spells with Leeds and Everton, Speed moved to Newcastle where he was a key cog in a Magpies team that regularly competed for the European places.

The midfielder finished his career in the Premier League with Bolton, becoming the first player to pass 500 appearances in the competition when he played in the Trotters’ 4-0 victory over West Ham in December 2006.

Speed had a brief spell in charge of Sheffield United after retiring in 2010, before managing his country up until his tragic passing in November 2011.

5 Matt Le Tissier - 100

Few footballers in the history of English football can boast a better catalogue of goals than Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier.

The attacking midfielder scored a century of goals for the Saints in the Premier League era, as well as 61 goals in the First Division between 1986 and 1992.

Le Tissier was a goal-scoring machine at the Dell, with his best season of 30 strikes in 1994/95 being rewarded with a spot in the PFA Team of the Year.

Many will never have had the chance to watch the Southampton midfielder in his pomp, however, his legacy has been somewhat marred in recent years with his wild conspiracy theories drawing widespread condemnation from the British public.

4 Paul Scholes - 107

Paul Scholes was one of the best players of his generation, scoring 107 times in the Premier League between 1994 and 2013.

Scholes formed a fearsome partnership with Roy Keane in the heart of the Manchester United midfield during the most successful period in the club’s rich history.

From thunderous volleys to close-range headers, the midfield maestro also scored some of the most iconic goals in the history of the Premier League.

Joined by the likes of Keane, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham as one of the most complete midfielders the sport has ever seen, Scholes was a key architect behind so many of the glory years under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.

The United icon has since forged a good career for himself in the media working with the likes of BT Sport and Sky Sports, while also dipping his feet into management, taking the reins at Oldham Athletic in 2019 - albeit for only seven matches.

3 Ryan Giggs - 109

Giggs played a remarkable 632 Premier League matches for Manchester United - second only to Gareth Barry in the history of the competition - while scoring 109 goals (via Transfermarkt).

The wide midfielder spent the entirety of his professional career at United, picking up silverware in every domestic and European competition, including 13 league titles and two Champions League trophies.

Perhaps best known for his incredible solo goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup, the former Welsh international also scored plenty of memorable goals in the Premier League during his 24-year career on the red side of Manchester.

However, it wasn’t just Giggs’ impressive goal return that left a lasting impact on the sport. The United stalwart helped flip the script regarding what’s expected from a modern-day winger in the English top flight.

Post-retirement, the United legend served as the club’s interim manager for a short spell, before going on to manage his country from 2018 to 2020.

2 Steven Gerrard - 120

During a hugely successful 17-year spell with boyhood side Liverpool, Steven Gerrard firmly consolidated his place among the pantheon of greats to play for the historic club.

As per Transfermarkt, the midfielder found the net 186 times for Liverpool from 1998 to 2015, including an impressive 120 goals in the Premier League.

From long-range screamers to last-minute winners, Gerrard established himself as one of the greatest players in the Premier League era, making the PFA Team of the Year a record eight times.

While the former Reds captain enjoyed plenty of success on Merseyside - most notably lifting the Champions League in 2005 - he narrowly missed out on a long-awaited Premier League title in 2013/14 after a cruel twist of fate.

Nevertheless, Gerrard’s time at Anfield provided Liverpool supporters with several iconic moments to remember - memories that’ll be sure to last a lifetime.

1 Frank Lampard - 177

At number one, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, netted 177 times across a phenomenal 20-year spell in the top flight - a tally that places him sixth in the all-time list of Premier League top goalscorers.

Lampard started his career at boyhood club West Ham, before moving across to West London, where he developed a formidable reputation as one of the best midfielders in world football.

During his trophy-laden career at Chelsea, the former England international scored over 200 goals in all competitions, as well as registering over 150 assists (via Transfermarkt).

Lampard was a key figure as the Blues won the Premier League title three times between 2004/05 and 2009/10, before going on to lift the Champions League trophy for the first time in the club’s history in 2012.

The midfielder enjoyed plenty of individual success too, being named in the PFA Team of the Year for three consecutive seasons between 2003/04 and 2005/06, picking up the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 2005, and then more recently, being inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

While much of the talk around Lampard in the present day comes by way of his faltering managerial career, his incredible achievements as a player and his record as the top-scoring midfielder in top-flight history shouldn’t be overlooked.