Dunne out on his own, Black Cats bad luck – a look at Premier League own goals

Tottenham full-back Sergio Reguilon’s own goal against Aston Villa on Wednesday was the 1,000th in the Premier League.

Here, the PA news agency takes a statistical look at the goals scored at the wrong end.

Dunne out on his own

Richard Dunne is the unfortunate holder of the all-time record as the only man to hit double figures.

The former Manchester City, Aston Villa, Everton and QPR defender’s 10 goals in the wrong net leave him three clear of any other player, with ex-Liverpool duo Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel sharing second place with Sheffield United and ex-Everton defender Phil Jagielka.

Brighton’s Lewis Dunk matched Skrtel’s record of four own goals in a single season when he inadvertently netted for Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Swansea in 2017-18. Skrtel gave a helping hand to Hull, West Ham, the Swans and Newcastle in 2013-14.

Bad luck follows Black Cats around

There have been three games in Premier League history featuring three own goals apiece – with Sunderland solely responsible for two of them.

Their players remarkably scored all four goals in their 3-1 defeat to Charlton in 2003, with an own goal from Stephen Wright and two from forward Michael Proctor before Kevin Phillips located the right end with the help of a late penalty.

Incredibly, the Black Cats again scored three own goals in a game in an 8-0 defeat to Southampton in 2014 – Santiago Vergini’s memorable volley added to by Liam Bridcutt and Patrick Van Aanholt.

The only other game with three own goals came the following day, and was kick-started by the 10th of Dunne’s career as he gave Liverpool the lead over his QPR team. Eduardo Vargas equalised and Philippe Coutinho restored Liverpool’s lead before stoppage-time own goals from Steven Gerrard and Steven Caulker left the Reds 3-2 winners.

Those two crazy days in October played a major part in making 2013-14 the season with the most own goals, 49, two more than the record which had been set 12 months earlier.

Crossley first – but whose was worst?

Reguilon and Vergini’s unstoppable finishes may both be in contention for the Premier League’s ‘best’ – or worst – own goal ever.

Tony Popovic’s improbable backheel for Crystal Palace against Portsmouth in 2004 also lives long in the memory, as does Aston Villa goalkeeper Peter Enckelman allowing Olof Mellberg’s throw-in to roll under his studs in a 2002 derby against Birmingham.

Another contender would be the Premier League’s first ever own goal in 1992 from then Nottingham Forest keeper Mark Crossley, who appeared to have comfortably saved a header from Blackburn defender Colin Hendry only to inexplicably spill the ball behind him as he rolled over.

“I’ve got to live with that for the rest of my life,” Crossley told the Undr the Cosh podcast in 2018. “Every boozer you go into, football quiz, ‘Who scored the Premier League’s first ever own goal?’ ‘Oh, f*** me, here we go again!’.

“At least I get one right – one out of 20!”