Premier League's Greatest Super-Subs: Top Scorers from the Bench

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September 30, 2025

In the high-stakes world of Premier League football, the ability to impact a game after coming off the bench is a unique and valuable skill. While some players thrive in the starting lineup, others have built legendary reputations as super-substitutes, consistently delivering crucial goals when their teams need them most. Here's a look at the players who have mastered the art of scoring from the bench.

The All-Time Rankings

The Premier League has seen numerous prolific scorers emerge from the bench over its three-decade history. Here are the top goal-scorers as substitutes:

1. Jermain Defoe - 24 goals
2. Olivier Giroud - 21 goals
3. Javier Hernández - 19 goals
4. Danny Welbeck - 18 goals
5. Kanu - 17 goals
5. Ole Gunnar Solskjær - 17 goals
5. Daniel Sturridge - 17 goals
8. Peter Crouch - 16 goals
9. James Milner - 13 goals
9. Marcus Rashford - 13 goals
9. Tore Andre Flo - 13 goals
9. Robbie Keane - 13 goals
9. Michael Owen - 13 goals
9. Andrew Cole - 13 goals
9. Darren Bent - 13 goals
9. Victor Anichebe - 13 goals
9. Edin Dzeko - 13 goals

Jermain Defoe: The Ultimate Super-Sub (24 Goals)

Jermain Defoe stands alone atop this prestigious list with 24 substitute goals in Premier League history. What makes his record even more remarkable is that he never scored more than once in a single appearance as a sub, meaning his 24 goals came across 24 different matches - another Premier League record.

Defoe's journey as a super-sub began early in his career. Six of his first eight Premier League goals came off the West Ham United bench during the 2001-02 season, when he was introduced as a substitute 21 times - the most in any single season of his career.

Fittingly, Defoe bookended his Premier League career with substitute goals. His final strike in the competition came in March 2018, when he came off the bench for Bournemouth against Watford, stretching his own competition record to 24. Of his 162 total Premier League goals, 15% came as a substitute - a testament to his consistent impact regardless of when he entered the match.

Olivier Giroud: Arsenal's Ace in the Hole (21 Goals)

French striker Olivier Giroud made an astonishing 40% of his 255 Premier League appearances (103) off the bench, scoring 21 goals as a substitute. Only Defoe has scored more goals from the bench in Premier League history.

The majority of Giroud's substitute goals came during his six seasons at Arsenal (17), with a particularly prolific spell in his final two campaigns at the Emirates. He scored six goals off the bench in both 2016-17 and 2017-18, totaling 12 substitute goals across those two seasons - five more than any other player during that period.

While Giroud's 12 goals in those two seasons was impressive, it's worth noting that Adam Le Fondre holds the single-season record with eight substitute goals for Reading in 2012-13. Giroud's final Premier League goal came in Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in February 2021, capping off a remarkable career as one of the competition's most reliable impact players.

Javier Hernández: Manchester United's "Chicharito" (19 Goals)

Known affectionately as "Chicharito," Javier Hernández scored 19 goals as a Premier League substitute, with 14 of those coming during his six-season spell at Manchester United. The diminutive Mexican striker made almost as many substitute appearances (78) as starts (80) in the Premier League, highlighting his versatility and value to his managers.

An incredible 36% of Hernández's 53 total Premier League goals came from the bench, demonstrating his remarkable ability to change games after being introduced. He scored winning goals as a substitute in five different Premier League matches, sharing the all-time competition record with six other players: Defoe, Joe Cole, Marcus Rashford, Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko, and Romelu Lukaku.

Danny Welbeck: The Rising Super-Sub (18 Goals)

Danny Welbeck recently cemented his place among the Premier League's elite substitutes with a memorable brace off the bench in Brighton & Hove Albion's 3-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in September 2025. That performance elevated him to fourth place in the all-time Premier League substitute goals ranking with 18.

More than half of Welbeck's substitute goals (11) have come while wearing a Brighton shirt, with additional strikes for Manchester United (4) and Arsenal (3). His ability to impact matches in the latter stages has made him an invaluable asset throughout his career.

The Legendary Trio: Kanu, Solskjær, and Sturridge (17 Goals Each)

Three players share fifth place with 17 substitute goals apiece, each bringing their own unique story to the super-sub pantheon.

Nwankwo Kanu, the Nigerian striker, scored seven of his 17 substitute goals during his first two seasons at Arsenal, establishing himself as a reliable option off the bench. He finished his Premier League career at Portsmouth, where his final four league goals all came as a substitute.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær is perhaps the most legendary super-sub in Premier League history. All 17 of his substitute goals came in a Manchester United shirt, sharing the record with Giroud (at Arsenal) for the most goals off the bench for a single club. His most famous moment came in February 1999 when he scored four goals against Nottingham Forest after coming off the bench in United's stunning 8-1 away victory. He remains the only player to score four goals as a substitute in Premier League history and one of just seven to score a hat-trick from the bench.

Daniel Sturridge rounds out the trio, with 17 of his 76 Premier League goals coming after being introduced as a replacement. His ability to provide an instant spark made him a valuable weapon for every manager he played under.

Conclusion

The art of being a super-substitute requires a unique mentality - the ability to stay match-ready while watching from the sidelines, then deliver an immediate impact when called upon. These players have mastered that art, providing crucial goals that have decided countless matches and defined careers.

From Defoe's record-breaking consistency to Solskjær's legendary four-goal cameo, these super-subs have proven that sometimes the most important contributions come from those willing to wait for their moment. As the Premier League continues to evolve, new names will undoubtedly emerge to challenge these records, but the legacy of football's greatest impact players from the bench is already secure.

Thanks to Stats Perform for the data

Photo: tntsports.co.uk

More information:24live.com