Miguel Almirón (Fulham v Newcastle)
In the entirety of last season, the Paraguayan mustered a solitary goal and his Newcastle career looked to be whimpering to an end. Almirón has spent the past nine months proving any doubters they were incorrect by becoming one of the most elegant and creative players in the league. He started a run of seven goals in as many games, six of which Newcastle won, with a double at Fulham in early October. When Bruno Guimarães lofted a pass over the defence at Craven Cottage, few could have anticipated what Almirón would do next. Standing on the right-hand side of the area, he let the ball drop out of the sun and on to his left boot, volleying it across Bernd Leno into the top corner. The goal helped ignite Almirón’s revival and Newcastle’s push for the Champions League, but it was also a perfect moment in itself.
Michael Olise (Crystal Palace v Manchester United)
When your team is a goal down to Manchester United in injury time, after a run of one win in your previous five games has pulled you into a relegation battle, then it takes nerve for a 21-year-old to line-up a free kick from 25 yards and go for goal. Olise has the confidence of a man who knows his qualities and set the ball down with the sole intention of picking out the top corner. The France Under-21 winger thrashed the ball with his instep, allowing it to curl and dip with ferocity before clipping the underside of the bar and bouncing beyond the line, leaving David de Gea with little chance. Goals are always better when the ball crashes off the bar. Selhurst Park erupted but Olise just stood there, perhaps lost in wonderment at what he had done.
Matheus Nunes (Wolves v Chelsea)
Frank Lampard might have arrived at Molineux for the first game of his second spell as Chelsea manager with great confidence and optimism. That had left him after 90 minutes of realising how much trouble his team were in, because they were appalling against Wolves. At the very least, he did get to watch an incredible goal, even if it meant a loss for Chelsea. Nunes arrived at Wolves last summer and has still only scored once for the club – but what a strike it was. A chipped ball into the box bounced its way towards the midfielder on the right, sitting up perfectly. It was struck past Kepa Arrizabalaga’s fingertips with such ferocity and aggression that it would have burst a weaker net. Wolves fans will be desperate that one day, Nunes can repeat the trick.
Ilkay Gündogan (Everton v Manchester City)
Manchester City were not having it all their own way at Goodison Park; Pep Guardiola’s side were dominating possession but struggling to have any meaningful shots on goal. Then came the moment of inspiration that turned the game. Riyad Mahrez lifted a cross into the box to find Ilkay Gündogan with his back to goal. The German controlled it on his thigh and with options scarce, hooked it into the bottom corner. Gündogan has the level of thought process that other players do not; he knows where everyone is on the pitch and how to utilise the gaps, whether to feed a pass or arrive in space to shoot. Against Everton he used it to know where the corner of the goal was and he found it perfectly, to set City on their way to the victory that ultimately broke Arsenal’s spirit in the title race.
Danilo (Nottingham Forest v Southampton)
It was a must-win match for Forest in May against the worst team in the league, in front of a raucous City Ground crowd. They were leading 3-2 with 20 minutes to go when Brennan Johnson darted into the box and pulled a cross back to Morgan Gibbs-White. The creative midfielder could have been forgiven for shooting first time but he has greater instinct than that. Fully aware of his surroundings he performed the most delicate of flicks with his right instep to send a pass perfectly into the path of the marauding Danilo to run on to and fire home, sealing the victory – and arguably safety – in the process. Sometimes it is not the finish that makes the goal but the assist, and for that reason this goal deserved a place on the list.
