How does Sunderland's Jermain Defoe rate alongside others in 150 Premier League goals club?

Jermain Defoe joined an elite club after scoring his 150th Premier League goal at the weekend.
Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring his 150th Premier League goalJermain Defoe celebrates scoring his 150th Premier League goal
Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring his 150th Premier League goal

The Sunderland striker becomes the eighth player to manage the feat and has taken the most games to get there.

But in terms of his importance to his team, how does Defoe’s achievement compare well with the others?

Robbie Fowler

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Fowler scored 163 goals in 379 appearances, at an average of 0.43 goals per game, which compares to Defoe’s 0.34 average.

Scoring the vast majority of his goals for a Liverpool side that contained a plethora of internationals, who could put the ball on a plate for the Toxteth-born striker, it’s maybe hardly surprising that he netted 128 times for the Reds.

Had Defoe been in a side like that 90s Liverpool side, then we can only wonder just how many goals he would have scored.

Fowler had spells at Leeds United and Manchester City, before returning to Liverpool for a second time, scoring goals at every club.

Michael Owen

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Owen also has 150 Premier League goals, but he appeared in 326 games.

He spent eight years at Liverpool, scoring a total of 118 goals in 216 appearances.

In 2005, after a spell in Spain, he moved to Newcastle United, and appeared 71 times, scoring 26 times.

Owen had a less prolific spell at Manchester United, scoring just five goals in 31 games, and got one goal for Stoke City in eight Potters appearances.

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Defoe has appeared 12 times for Sunderland and scored seven goals this season ... with plenty more to come!

Alan Shearer

Shearer leads the way with a total of 260 Premier League goals in 441 appearances.

He helped Blackburn win the Premier League in 1995, by scoring 34 goals in one season.

He then moved to his boyhood club Newcastle United in 1996. He spent the rest of his career there, appearing 303 times and scored 148 goals - but there was to be no silverware.

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If Defoe had stayed at one club for a similar length of time, he would most likely have received similar hero status.

Wayne Rooney

England’s record goalscorer began his career at Everton as an 18-year-old and went on to score 15 goals in his 67 appearances before his big move to Manchester United.

Since then, Rooney has become the Premier League’s second all-time top goal scorer and surpassed Thierry Henry’s record for most goals for a single club.

The forward has 194 goals and is 66 behind Alan Shearer’s record.

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Rooney has played for a title-winning, and top four side, for many years, how many would Defoe have scored given a similar run at Old Trafford?

Thierry Henry

The Arsenal icon signed for the Gunners in 1999 from Serie A side Juventus for £11 million, and went on to make over 250 appearances in his eight years.

Henry was part of the Invincibles who went the full 2003-04 league season without being beaten and will forever be in Premier League history with that team.

He scored 175 goals and sits fifth in the Premier League all-time goal scorer’s list, with Defoe 25 goals away.

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Again, Henry played for a title-winning side that was constantly in the top four and was surrounded by great players like Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires.

We think Defoe would have bagged a hatful of goals, being fed by the midfielders that Arsenal have had over the years.

Frank Lampard

Chelsea’s all-time leading scorer notched 177 goals in 603 appearances in England’s top flight.

Lampard sits fourth on the Premier League’s all-time scoring list and is the only recognised midfielder with 150 goals or more.

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Lampard started his career at West Ham and found the net 24 times before his move to London rivals Chelsea. He went on to score 147 goals in 429 appearances at Stamford Bridge.

Lampard made a move to Manchester City towards the end of his career scoring six more – including an emotional goal against former club Chelsea.

Considering his tally was from midfield, then it is fair to say his goal-scoring feats are as impressive as Defoe’s, but for different reasons.

Andy Cole

Cole scored 34 goals in his debut season in the Premier League for Newcastle.

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The following season he found the net 21 times in 36 appearances for the Magpies.

Cole then moved to Manchester United. During his six years there he scored 93 goals in 195 games.

Spells at Blackburn, Fulham, Manchester City and Portsmouth saw Cole add another 55 Premier League goals.

The former Newcastle man also had a brief time at Sunderland, but failed to find the net.

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Cole ended with 187 goals from 414 Premier League appearances, but the stats show that, unlike Defoe, most of his goals again came in a team that was chasing the League Championship.

- Compiled by Paul Nicholson, Lauren Gowans, Lewis Patterson &Andrew McDonnell.