The Premier League’s Greatest Impact Substitutes

Over the years, substitute players have scored some crucial goals in the Premier League. While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Champions League winner for Manchester United may be the most famous example, many other players have made their mark coming off the bench.

Let’s examine the top scorers as substitutes in Premier League history:

[Table showing top 9 substitute scorers]

9. Victor Anichebe – 14 goals

Though not prolific overall, Nigerian striker Victor Anichebe was an effective impact sub, scoring over half his Premier League goals (14 of 27) after coming off the bench. He made 107 substitute appearances for Everton, West Brom and Sunderland.

8. Danny Welbeck – 15 goals

Still playing at age 34 for Brighton, Danny Welbeck has been a reliable super sub throughout his career. He’s the highest-scoring current Premier League player as a substitute, with 15 goals in 132 appearances off the bench. His most memorable was a last-gasp winner for Arsenal against Leicester in 2016.

7. Peter Crouch – 16 goals

The towering 6’7″ Peter Crouch became a cult hero partly due to his impact as a substitute. After a slow start at Liverpool, he went on to score 16 times in 158 substitute appearances across his Premier League career.

6. Nwankwo Kanu – 17 goals

Nigerian striker Nwankwo Kanu was a prolific scorer for Arsenal, but is perhaps best remembered for his time at Portsmouth. He scored 17 goals as a sub across spells with Portsmouth, Arsenal and West Brom, including the winner in the 2008 FA Cup final.

5. Daniel Sturridge – 17 goals

Despite battling injuries, Daniel Sturridge had some outstanding seasons, particularly partnering Luis Suarez at Liverpool. He proved dangerous off the bench as well, scoring 17 goals in 98 substitute appearances in the Premier League.