Features

Best goalscoring defenders

Author: John Harris
Date: 07/10/2009
Football betting

Thomas Vermaelen scored Arsenal's first goal in Sunday's 6-2 rout of Blackburn Rovers and the Belgium defender is the Gunners' joint leading Premier League goalscorer after a stunning start to life at the Emirates Stadium.

Vermaelen was bought to help stop goals being conceded but has already struck four times in the league and five in all competitions to leave the likes of attacking team-mates Robin van Persie, Eduardo, Nicklas Bendtner and Andriy Arshavin in his wake.

So who are some of the most prolific goalscoring defenders currently playing in the Premier League?

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William Gallas

Ironically one of the most prolific defenders in the top-flight plays alongside Vermaelen in north London.

Gallas, formerly of Chelsea, has already found the net twice this season to go with his six in all competitions last term.

The France international centre-half scored a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United during the 2007-08 season and also netted the winner in a 1-0 success over Chelsea later in the same campaign.

Joleon Lescott

Part of the reason why Mark Hughes paid £24million to take Lescott to Manchester City was his ability to find the back of the opposition net.

The England defender is yet to score for his new club following his August transfer from Everton but netted four times for the Toffees last season and a massive eight times the previous year.

Michael Turner

Turner wasted no time in showing his goalscoring prowess after netting on his Sunderland debut last month.

The £5million defender headed home the fourth goal of a 4-1 rout of former club Hull City in his first appearance for the Wearsiders, although the Premier League's dubious goals panel subsequently ruled it was an own goal by Kamil Zayatte.

Turner scored four times for the Tigers last year in the debut season in the top-flight.

Glen Johnson

By his own admission Johnson is not the best defensive right-back in the Premier League.

However, his attacking ability persuaded Rafael Benitez to spend £17million on the Portsmouth defender during the summer transfer window.

Johnson has already repaid some of the massive transfer fee with two league goals and has further chipped in for a hatful of assists for Liverpool.

Whether or not that will lead to a place in England starting XI for next summer's World Cup under a cautious Italian coach in Fabio Capello remains to be seen.

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