The
centre forward: The leader from the front, the No 9, the provider, the
talisman, the goalscorer. Since 1992, the Premier League has been
blessed with the best, from homegrown talents Alan Shearer and Andy
Cole, to foreign imports Tony Yeboah and Thierry Henry.
In this international week, we are begging for goals, and these lot put the ball in the back of the net and make it look easy.
Here, Sportsmail runs you through Nos 30-21 of the best strikers to have ever graced the Premier League... do you agree?
30. Emile Heskey (Leicester City, Liverpool, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa)
Heskey
may have sadly become a figure of ridicule in his later career but you
can't question his goal record. The powerful frontman notched 110 in the
Premier League, the majority coming in his time with Leicester City and
Liverpool.
His
finest hour came in the 2000-01 campaign, when 22 goals in 56 matches
for Liverpool helped them to a treble of FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA
Cup.
Emile Heskey shoots and scores for
Leicester City during the Foxes 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Filbert Street
back in September 1998
Heskey celebrates with Steven Gerrard after scoring during Liverpool's 4-0 victory over Leeds at Elland Road in February 2002
29. Robbie Keane (Coventry City, Leeds United, Tottenham, Liverpool, West Ham, Aston Villa)
Goal machine Keane scored 194 times while a player in England, the majority of them in the Premier League.
He
first impressed at Wolves and was sold for £6m to Coventry while still a
teenager. Twelve league goals convinced Inter Milan to sign the
Irishman but it was a short-lived stay and he went via Leeds United to
Tottenham. It was here he scored the majority of his Premier League
goals, reaching double figures in five successive campaigns and winning
the club's Player of the Year award on three occasions.
A £19m move to Liverpool proved unsuccessful and Keane returned to north London. He scored 126 Premier League goals in all.
Robbie Keane, pictured scoring for
Coventry against Aston Villa, soon moved to Inter Milan after scoring 12
goals for the Sky Blues
Keane soon became famed for his somersault celebration - here he is after scoring for Tottenham at Man City in January 2006
28. Kevin Phillips (Sunderland, Southampton, Aston Villa, Birmingham, Crystal Palace)
Phillips
developed into a formidable striker when at Sunderland, powering them
back into the Premier League in 1999 with 23 goals in 26 matches and
then, continuing his fearsome 'little and large' partnership with Niall
Quinn, was top scorer with 30 in 1999-00. Sunderland finished seventh on
their return to the big time, with Phillips the star.
In
2002, he scored a crucial last-day goal against Derby to secure their
survival but moved to Southampton when they went down the following
year.
Phillips
continued his rich vein of form for the Saints, scoring 22 goals in two
seasons and later enjoyed prolific seasons for West Brom, Birmingham
and Blackpool.
Kevin Phillips was the Premier League's top scorer during the 1999-00 season after netting 30 times for Sunderland
Phillips and Niall Quinn, who formed a
fearsome 'little and large' partnership at Sunderland, celebrate a goal
away at Watford in 1999
27. Chris Sutton (Norwich, Blackburn, Chelsea, Birmingham, Aston Villa)
Few
adapted as quickly to the new Premier League in 1992 as Sutton,
powering Norwich to third spot and then adding 25 goals the following
season. He became the most expensive player in English football when
Blackburn bought him for £5m in 1994 but proved his worth by forming a
deadly 'SAS' partnership with Alan Shearer as Rovers upset the odds to
win the title.
He
scored 15 times and Shearer 34 during an unforgettable campaign. He
never quite reached those heights again but was the league's joint-top
scorer with 18 in 1997-98.
Sutton
flopped at Chelsea after Blackburn suffered relegation in 1999 but
found his scoring touch again in Scotland with 86 goals for Celtic.
Chris Sutton (right) celebrates winning the Premier League title for Blackburn Rovers with 'SAS' strike partner Alan Shearer
Sutton, pictured captaining Chelsea
and holding off the challenge of Watford's Robert Page, moved to
Stamford Bridge for £10million
26. Jurgen Klinsmann (Tottenham Hotspur)
Klinsmann's time in the Premier League may have been brief but, mein Gott, what an impact he made.
The
German was a figure of hate when he surprisingly turned up at Tottenham
in 1994; he was perceived as a shameless diver and had been part of the
team that left England heart-broken at the 1990 World Cup. But all was
forgiven and forgotten as Klinsmann powered in 20 league goals for
Spurs, some marked with a self-deprecating dive celebration. His second
stint at White Hart Lane, in 1997-98, helped rescue them from
relegation.
Jurgen Klinmann performs a swallow dive after scoring for Tottenham on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday in August 1994
Klinsmann only spent two seasons in the Premier League but made a huge impact playing upfront at White Hart Lane
25. Fernando Torres (Liverpool, Chelsea)
Let's
put his measly return at Chelsea to one side - a £50m price tag having
weighed a little too heavily on his shoulders - and remember the best of
Fernando Torres at Liverpool.
The
Spanish star scored 65 league goals in 102 appearances for the Reds -
some feat - and was worshipped like a God. He arrived from Atletico
Madrid for £20m in 2007 and opened his account against Chelsea.
Torres'
league scoring totals at Anfield read 24, 14, 18 and nine. He was a man
for the big occasions, too, scoring important goals against the likes
of Chelsea and Manchester United, not to mention 12 goals in three
Champions League seasons.
Fernando Torres was worshipped like a God at Anfield - especially after scoring in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Man United in 2009
Having moved to Chelsea for £50million, Torres struggled for form in west London and that price tag weighed heavily
24. Paolo Di Canio (Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham, Charlton Athletic)
We
all know about Di Canio's volcanic temperament, but let's remember some
of the glorious goals he scored during his time in England.
The
Italian arrived at Sheffield Wednesday for £4.2m and scored 14 goals in
his debut season to become a real fans' favourite (that shove on
referee Paul Alcock aside).
He
scored 48 league goals in his five seasons with West Ham, including the
Goal of the Season in 1999-00 for a flying volley against Wimbledon,
still one of the best seen in the Premier League era.
After Manchester United made attempts to sign him in 2001, Di Canio suffered relegation in 2003 and went on to Charlton.
Paolo Di Canio scores an iconic scissor kick against Wimbledon for West Ham at Upton Park in 2000 as Kenny Cunningham watches on
Italian frontman Di Canio watches is sumptuous shot fly into the net past a helpless Neil Sullivan in the Wimbledon net
Di Canio caused outrage in 1998 after pushing referee Paul Alcock, having seen red for Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal
23. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Leeds United, Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Charlton Athletic)
Surely
one of the bargains of the Premier League era, deadly Dutchman
Hasselbaink was signed by George Graham at Leeds United for just £2m.
He would quickly repay that fee with 34 goals in two seasons before
being being sold for £12m to Atletico Madrid.
He
returned to England with Chelsea just a year later for a club record
£15m and again proved great value for money. His 23 goals in 2000-01 -
including a memorable volley against Man United - made him the league's
second highest scorer.
In
tandem with Eidur Gudjohnsen, he matched that the following season,
helping Chelsea to the FA Cup final, too. Hasselbaink also went on to
score 22 times for Middlesbrough in two years.
Jimmy Floyd Hasseelbaink rifles home a
shot during Leeds' 3-1 win over Liverpool in 1998 as Stig Inge
Bjornebye attempts to stop him
Hasselbaink is all smiles as he celebrates with defender Celestine Babayaro after scoring for Chelsea against Tottenham in 2003
22. Robin van Persie (Arsenal, Manchester United)
The
Dutchman ranks as one of modern football's most prolific scorers and
would have plundered more but for persistent injury problems.
Nonetheless,
he scored 96 in 194 league games for Arsenal between 2004 and 2012
including a glorious airborne volley against Charlton in 2006 that
Arsene Wenger described as 'the goal of a lifetime.' His best season for
Arsenal was his final one – with 30 in 38 – and convinced Man United to
pay £22m for him.
A 26-goal haul in his debut season earned RVP a coveted Premier League winner's medal.
Robin van Persie scores a 'goal of a
lifetime' for Arsenal against Charlton at the Valley in 2006 as Luke
Young puts in a challenge
Van Persie scores another incredible
volley after latching on to Wayne Rooney's long ball during Manchester
United's win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford in April 2013 as the Red
Devils won the Premier League
21. Nicolas Anelka (Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, West Brom)
Sulky
but often silky, controversial but consistent in his scoring, Nicolas
Anelka was the striker who refused to say farewell to the Premier
League.
He
made his breakthrough at Arsenal as a 17-year-old, helping them to
their first 'Double' in 1998 and he was their top scorer the following
season too before his first Grand Depart.
After
time at Real Madrid and a loan spell at Liverpool, Anelka's scoring
ability persuaded Kevin Keegan to break Man City's transfer record -
then a mere £13m - in 2002 and he scored 37 league goals for them. He
spent two years at Bolton after a spell at Fenerbahce before moving to
Chelsea for £15m, helping them to a Premier League title and two FA Cup
triumphs.
French striker Nicolas Anelka scores for Arsenal against Blackburn in 1998 as Rovers goalkeeper Alan Fettis watches on
Anelka joined Chelsea - having also
played for Liverpool, Man City and Bolton - and is pictured with Deco
after netting against the Reds
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