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One of the dreaded prospects for a defender in football is to deflect the ball into his own net and thereby set his own team back with an own goal. Some own goals are extremely bizarre, while others are just pure misfortune for the conceding side. When the opposition crosses the ball into the box, for a defender the instinct is to get to the ball first and get it away from the lurking opposition players. But it often results in the defender slicing the ball into his own net.
Some players have been particularly unfortunate when it comes to scoring own goals. Martin Skrtel, the Liverpool defender, set a record of scoring more own goals in a single season when he scored four in the 2013/14 Premier League campaign with four. Liverpool had a great campaign that season as they challenged Manchester City for the league title right until the end, but ultimately lost the title by just two points. The Reds’ forwards Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge were in sizzling form throughout the season as they drove the team to within touching distance of their first title of the Premier League era.
Skrtel has a knack of putting the ball into his own net and he recently turned another one in. Earlier this month the Slovakia international saw himself on the scoresheet for Newcastle United when he deflected a Georginio Wijnaldum ball into his own net at around the 69th minute mark. It was the seventh own goal by the Liverpool defender in the Premier League and he is tied with his former team-mate, the Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher in second for the most own goals in the Premier League.
Skrtel is three behind the all-time leading own goal scorer in the Premier League history: Richard Dunne. The former Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Queens Park Rangers defender has ten own goals to his name.
The top six in this unwanted list is wrapped up by former Manchester United centre-back Wes Brown, current Everton skipper and England international Phil Jagielka, and former Chelsea defender Frank Sinclair, who all have six against their names.
Wasi is a keen fan with loads of knowledge about the game. He has written for some of the world’s leading soccer websites and is a major Barcelona and Pune City FC fan. He loves the Champions League and watches 200+ EPL games & La Liga games per season.