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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Freddie Keighley

Top 10 most iconic Premier League goal celebrations including Liverpool and Man Utd

A great goal should always be followed up with a great celebration - whether a player has just scored a stoppage-time winner to secure the league title or reached a personal landmark.

And Premier League stars have regularly stepped up to the challenge of producing wacky and wonderful celebrations since the division began in 1992.

Some players have even chosen to mark scoring by hitting back at rival players or fans - a certain Emmanuel Adebayor's cross-field run just to celebrate in front of Arsenal fans comes to mind.

Others have taken a lighter tone by using props or coining dances in their celebrations, some of which have become so iconic that the dance move is now synonymous with the player.

Without further ado, here is Mirror Football's list of the 10 most iconic Premier League goal celebrations...

10. Aubameyang's front-flip

Arsenal's no. 14 usually marks his goals with acrobatics (Action Images via Reuters)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has had plenty of opportunities to celebrate since moving to Arsenal in January 2018 thanks to his 49 goals in 75 Premier League appearances.

The Gabon star has been inventive with his celebrations throughout his career, pulling on Spiderman and Batman masks while with Borussia Dortmund and a Black Panther one while with the Gunners.

But his most iconic celebration is his usual standing front-flip - a daredevil move which is always a relief to see him land.

A special mention also goes to his air guitar playing and dancing after scoring against Cardiff City in September 2018.

9. Adebayor antagonises Arsenal

Emmanuel Adebayor of Manchester City celebrates in front of the Arsenal fans (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Gunners fans will not enjoy this one so much. Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebyaor had left the north London club only two months earlier before he faced them with Manchester City.

He endured a hostile reception from his former supporters but got his own back when he scored with 10 minutes remaining and ran the entire length of the pitch.

He passed all his teammates on the way to knee slide in front of the Gunners fans and send them wild for all the wrong reasons.

Adebayor was fined £25,000 and later apologised for his actions after this notorious celebration.

8. Balotelli 'why always me?'

Mario Balotelli's infamous t-shirt has gone down in Premier League folklore (Getty Image)

In true Mario Balotelli style, he chose the week before the Manchester Derby to set fireworks off in his house, and then the game itself to pull off this legendary celebration.

Following his antics with the pyrotechnics just two days before Manchester City faced Manchester United, the charismatic Italian scored the opener as the Etihad Stadium club thumped their local rivals 6-1.

Balotelli slotted the ball into the bottom corner before standing on the spot and lifting up his shirt to reveal an under layer with the words 'why always me?' as he stared defiantly around the pitch.

The October 2011 derby is famous in its own right for the scoreline, but Balotelli's celebration is the cherry on top.

7. Gerrard's camera kiss

Steven Gerrard loved scoring in the North-West Derby. He is the joint-top scorer in games between Liverpool and Manchester United and he seemed to relish one goal in particular.

The Reds triumphed over United at Old Trafford in March 2009, with Gerrard scoring from the penalty spot in the 4-1 win.

The captain celebrated by running to the corner flag, kissing the badge and then a camera lens.

He secured this celebration's place in the history books by repeating the feat five years later when Liverpool won 3-0 at Old Trafford.

6. Shearer's raised arm

Alan Shearer performs his trademark celebration (Getty Images Europe)

A simple celebration, but one which has to make this list due of how many times it was performed.

Alan Shearer is the Premier League's top goalscorer of all time having netted 260 times, and he celebrated almost every goal by raising his right arm to the sky as he wheeled away in celebration.

Iconic by the former Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United striker.

5. Bullard's team talk

Bullard's celebration is comedy gold - though he did have his wings clipped afterwards (AFP)

Perhaps the most original selection on the list, Jimmy Bullard opted to imitate Hull City boss Phil Brown's team talk in this well-coordinated celebration.

With the Tigers losing 4-0 to Manchester City in 2008, the manager had given his side a lecture on the pitch at half-time.

And Bullard could not help but sit Hull's players down and give them a mock earful after scoring to make the score 1-1 as they faced City one year later.

Although Brown laughed off the celebration at the time, Bullard later said that he was told to “wind his neck in” after the match.

4. Rooney's knock-out hit

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United celebrates vs Tottenham (Manchester United)

 

Another ingenious celebration, Wayne Rooney hit back at criticism in March 2015 after a video emerged of him appearing to be knocked out while sparring with Stoke City's Phil Bardsley.

After scoring in the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, the Manchester United icon threw four punches at the air before falling theatrically onto his back.

3. AGUEROOOO

Aguero's celebration capped one of the greatest Premier League moments (Reuters)

This one needs no introductions. Sergio Aguero's emphatic celebrations after winning the Premier League for Manchester City in 2012 were brought to life by Martin Tyler's bellowing cry from the commentary box.

The 95th-minute winner to beat Queens Park Rangers and clinch the title saw the Argentinian take off his shirt and windmill it around his body as Joe Hart, Roberto Mancini and just about everyone in the Etihad Stadium went absolutely berserk.

2. Cantona's greatness

Eric Cantona's celebration vs Sunderland has gone down in Premier League history (Mirrorpix)

 

Eric Cantona scored one of the all-time great Premier League goals and followed it up with one of the best ever celebrations in December 1996.

The Frenchman weaved his way forward from midfield and, upon reaching the penalty area, struck the sweetest of lobs into the top corner over Sunderland goalkeeper Lionel Perez

With collar up and chest puffed out, the United great turned slowly on the spot nonchalantly before raising his arms and being surrounded by teammates.

Cantona explained earlier this year that the celebration was meant in revenge towards his compatriot, Perez, who had refused to shake his hand before kick-off.

1. Crouchy's robot

Crouch joined an elite club with his goal in a 1-1 draw with Everton (Getty)

Peter Crouch's famous dance is so iconic that doing 'the Crouchy' is synonymous with doing the robot.

What fans forget, however, is that he hardly performed it on the pitch. After debuting his moves in England's World Cup warm-up games in 2006, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool striker insisted that he would only perform the robot again if England won the tournament.

As such, the celebration went into hiding until Crouch reached the landmark of 100 Premier League goals with a strike for Stoke City in February 2017. And how sweet it was to see it again.

Not many people can claim to have a dance move named after them, but Crouchy can and his robot tops our list.

Honourable mentions: Daniel Sturridge's dance, Robbie Keane's cartwheel, Suarez's dive in front of David Moyes and Samuel Eto'o's 'old man' celebration

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