Ten of the most bizarre Premier League goals from Darren Bent to Jari Litmanen

Harry Ewbank
9 August 2021

Glen Johnson Darren Bent beach ball goal Oct09

From the comical to the embarrassing, top-flight goals that are remembered for all the wrong reasons.

The Premier League plays host to some of the most prominent goalscoring talent in the world, including two of the last three recipients of the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.

But while England's top flight can lay claim to its fair share of wonder strikes, it is not without its comedy element, with goals ranging from the brilliantly bizarre to the damn right unlucky.

Planet Sport takes a look at some of the most random Premier League goals which, despite not being award winners, are unforgettable nonetheless.

Divock Origi, Liverpool vs Everton, 2018

The Merseyside derby has seen some drab 0-0 scorelines in the last five years, and this encounter in December 2018 looked to be heading to the bottom of the pile going into added time.

No one could have predicted the sheer chaos that would ensue in the final minutes, but it became - at the time - an all too familiar tale of woe for Everton at Anfield.

Liverpool were pushing for a late winner to keep up their title charge when Virgil van Dijk failed to connect properly with a volley. With the looping ball looking to be dropping the wrong side of the crossbar, Van Dijk had already turned away in disgust.

However, Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, instead of letting the ball sail aimlessly over, instead tried to catch it. He only succeeded in pawing it on to the crossbar and Divock Origi was there to nod home the simplest goal of his career.

Cue joyous scenes as Reds manager Jurgen Klopp sprinted onto the pitch in celebration.

Michail Antonio, West Ham vs Southampton, 2015

West Ham's versatile cult hero is perhaps most known for his bizarre celebrations, but his deflected goal against Southampton can probably take the title of the most fortuitous on this list.

A 2-1 win over Saints in 2015 took West Ham into the European places, and their opener that day is one of many unforgettable moments from the Hammers' last season at the Boleyn Ground.

Antonio did well to slalom into the box with half an hour left to play and as three Southampton players converged on him, as he lost his footing and fell to ground, a misjudged clearance rebounded off the West Ham striker's head and ballooned over everyone into the roof of the net.

Darren Bent, Sunderland vs Liverpool, 2009

A goal so iconic it will no doubt be a quiz question for the ages - what object did the ball deflect off for Sunderland's goal in 2009? Well, it was most certainly not off an ice cream van as one gameshow contestant once famously answered.

The answer is in fact a beach ball. The incident we are talking about came at the Stadium of Light in 2009 when Darren Bent netted a close-range winner for Sunderland against Liverpool with the ball deflecting into the net off a stray inflatable.

What perhaps makes the goal even more iconic is the fact that the ball found its way into the Liverpool goalmouth after one of the club's own disgruntled fans threw it onto the pitch.

The goal has its place in soccer history cemented for years to come, with the famous 'outside object' sitting proudly in the National Football Museum in Manchester.

Asmir Begovic, Stoke City vs Southampton, 2013

Only six goalkeepers have scored in Premier League history and all the goals have been wonderfully bizarre, but Asmir Begovic wins this title after scoring with just 13 seconds on the clock for Stoke City in November 2013.

An early clearing punt from 100 yards caught a brisk Britannia Stadium wind to sail over a bewildered Southampton defence and the despairing Artur Boruc.

The goal became the fifth-fastest to be scored in the Premier League, but in true goalkeeping fashion Begovic didn't have a clue how to celebrate and ended up looking embarrassed rather than ecstatic.

He joined Paul Robinson and Tim Howard to score from their own halves, while Brad Friedel, Peter Schmeichel and, most recently, Alisson Becker have scored as the result of going up for corners.

Jason Cundy, Ipswich vs Tottenham, 1992

This goal has to be right up there as one of the best goals in the 29 years of the Premier League - it may have been a fluke but Jason Cundy won't care as he put Spurs ahead at Portman Road in August 1992.

It was 25 minutes into the game and with the score 0-0, Cundy went in with a strong challenge on Ipswich's Jason Dozzell near the half-way line. What happened next defied all logic, as the ball flew goalwards from 50 yards and all the way into the top corner with goalkeeper Craig Forrest helplessly off his line.

It failed to gain Tottenham their first win of the Premier League era, but it was a memorable first away goal in the new competition and it remained Cundy's only goal for the club.

Ashley Westwood, Southampton vs Burnley 2020

Corner kicks can cause all sorts of problems for both opposition defences and the goalkeeper, and every once in a while the ball somehow manages to evade the countless bodies in the penalty area.

On occasion it's down to majestic skill and whip from the corner taker, and although Ashley Westwood's effort from February 2020 was put in a dangerous area, the Southampton players defending it didn't cover themselves in glory.

The key moment came in just the second minute of this mid-season encounter, and perhaps Southampton striker Danny Ings wasn't yet up to speed as he let the ball go at the front post on its way into the net.

Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was unable to stop the ball going over the line despite his best efforts and Burnley went ahead with one of the quickest and most effective corners seen in the Premier League.

Stan Collymore, Blackburn vs Liverpool 1996

There is nothing quite like a player blaming the bobble on the pitch to cover up a serious gaffe.

In this case it was Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Tim Flowers who was left red-faced as a muddy divot in his own penalty area allowed Stan Collymore's tame strike to kick up over his shoulder and into the net.

It wouldn't be the only goal Liverpool would score by this method that season, with Steve McManaman repeating the trick against Tottenham's Ian Walker.

Peter Enckelman, Birmingham City vs Aston Villa 2002

Peter Enckelman arguably takes home the title of having scored one of the most memorable goals in Birmingham City's Second City derby history - an honour he really could have done without.

This is, of course, because he was in goal for arch-rivals Aston Villa when the teams met at St Andrew's in September 2002.

With the score 1-0 to the Blues with 83 minutes on the clock, a simple throw-in back to Enckelman descended into chaos.

The ball rolled under his foot and all the way into the net. Did he touch it? Well, his reaction suggested he did, as panicked, he tried to retrieve the situation and then put his hands to his head. If he'd just stood still and let the ball roll into the net he might have got away with it.

To make matters worse he was then goaded by an opposition fan who invaded the pitch and got in the face of the unfortunate goalkeeper.

Jari Litmanen, Aston Villa vs Liverpool 2001

From beach balls to divots to backsides, you're never short of entertainment when it comes to Liverpool goals.

This time it was the referee who provided Jari Litmanen with a perfect assist in December 2001.

The Reds' 2-1 win left Villa manager John Gregory furious after Peter Schmeichel's throw hit referee Andy D'Urso and fell perfectly for Litmanen to stroke home from around 30 yards.

It was one of just nine goals the Finland international scored for Liverpool and one that wouldn't be allowed in the present day with play now being stopped if the ball hits the referee inadvertently.

Youl Mawene, Derby County vs Southampton 2001

Poor Southampton feature for a FOURTH and final time with yet another awful defensive mishap.

Former Derby County defender Youl Mawene only scored one Premier League goal and even that came with a huge slice of luck thanks to Southampton's James Beattie.

It was a rare mishit from the Saints striker who was used to scoring for fun at the other end, as his attempted clearance from a corner rose high and looped down towards the goal line.

Goalkeeper Paul Jones totally misjudged the flight of the ball, gifting Mawene an easy tap-in.

Derby won the battle but the Saints went on to win the war, with the former getting relegated, while the latter comfortably maintained their Premier League status.