Perfect hat-tricks in Premier League: Know the exceptional goal-scorers

The Premier League, over the years, has been enriched by some of the most lethal goalscorers to have played the game of football.

On their day, these goalscorers made a mockery of the opposition defence by netting three or more goals to take home the match ball, which is awarded to the hat-trick scorer of the match.

However, out of the 200-plus hat-tricks that have been scored in the Premier League since its inception in 1992, only 39 of them were ‘perfect hat-trick’.

What is a perfect hat-trick?

A perfect hat-trick is a term used for three goals scored by a player in a single match, out of which one is a right-footed goal, one is a left-footed strike and the third is a header. 

The order in which the three goals are scored is inconsequential and can be between goals scored by other players on the field.

Only three players have managed to achieve the feat more than once in Premier League history. Here, we shall have a look at the players who have scored the perfect hat-tricks in EPL.

Perfect hat-tricks in Premier League

Robbie Fowler - three perfect hat-tricks (1993, 1995 and 1999)

Robbie Fowler scored a total of nine hat-tricks in his illustrious 18-year career in the English top flight.

Out of these nine trebles, three of them were perfect hat-tricks, all of which came while playing for Liverpool.

While two out of the three perfect hat-tricks came against Southampton in 1993 and 1999, the other was against rivals Arsenal in 1995.

Yakubu Ayegbeni - two perfect hat-tricks (2007, 2011)

Yakubu Ayegbeni played for four clubs during his stint in the top tier of English football, namely Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers.

The Nigerian scored 95 goals in 252 appearances in the Premier League to become the fourth-highest African goalscorer in the tournament’s history.

Out of these 95 goals, six of them came in the form of perfect hat-tricks, scored for Everton against Fulham in 2007 and for Blackburn Rovers in their 4-2 win over Swansea City in December 2011.

Sergio Aguero - two perfect hat-tricks (2015, 2018)

Sergio Aguero, who has the most hat-tricks (12) in Premier League history, was one of the most feared strikers during his decade-long tenure at Manchester City.

Among the plethora of remarkable outings, Aguero is fondly remembered for the moment he scored the stoppage time winner against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of his first season with the club in 2011/12 as the Cityzens clinched their first-ever EPL title in the most thrilling fashion possible.

Nevertheless, Newcastle United were among his favourite opponents as he scored 15 goals in 14 appearances while playing against them, which includes two perfect hat-tricks in 2015 and 2018. 

In the 2015 clash, Aguero’s onslaught saw him smash five goals in 23 minutes in City’s 6-1 win to become only the fifth player in EPL history to score as many goals in a single match and the fastest to do so.

Photo credit: Alamy