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The Premier League sees all sorts of goals scored week in, week out. From counter-attacks to set-pieces, there is no dearth of goalscoring opportunities. Amongst these is also the penalty kick.
A striker with an eye for goal will hardly care how the goals come as long as they are in steady supply. As soon as the referee points to the spot, their eyes light up and they only have one thing in mind - finding the back of the net.
Scoring a penalty in the Premier League is never easy
It may be scoffed on, but scoring a penalty still requires precision, confidence, and bags of composure. Not many have been able to deal with the pressure that comes with taking a penalty and panic at the last moment. Even the most experienced ball-strikers can miss and this just adds to the thrill of a spot-kick.
On that note, here are the five clubs that have been awarded the most penalties in Premier League history:
#5 Manchester City: 137
Few teams have been able to rival Manchester City's dominance in the Premier League over the past several seasons. With a star-studded lineup and a world-class coach Pep Guardiola, City are one of the most well-rounded teams in the league. City’s quick interplay in the box has led to several penalties being awarded to them in recent times.
City have been awarded 137 penalties in their Premier League history. With 27 goals, club legend Sergio Aguero has scored the majority of penalties for City. Seven of these have been this season and six have been dispatched. City have loads of players that can strike the ball well but Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling have been preferred this season.
There have been instances where spot-kicks have been crucial for the Sky Blues. Sterling’s penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Matchday 16 in December was the only goal of the game and could be significant in the long run. He has scored three penalties for City so far.
#4 Arsenal: 157
Arsenal take up the fourth position with a total of 157 penalties being awarded to them in Premier League history. All-time great Thierry Henry is their leading penalty scorer in the league with 23 goals during his time with Arsenal.
Fans will fondly remember the comical penalty incident between Henry and Robert Pires in 2005. Pires tried to roll the ball from the spot to Henry but completely missed it.
In recent times, Gunners fans have been left enraged at some of the decisions that did not go their way in the opposition box. Adding to the supporters' annoyance is the fact that even when they have been awarded a penalty, their forwards have been inaccurate.
Out of the five penalties that have been in their favor this season, the Gunners have failed to score on three occasions. Former striker and captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed both his kicks, while Alexandre Lacazette managed to convert two.
#3 Chelsea: 157
Chelsea are joint second with Arsenal, with 157 spot-kicks going in their favor in the Premier League. The Blues have been awarded seven penalties this season and all of them have been dispatched. Unsurprisingly, Jorginho has been Thomas Tuchel's go-to man from the penalty spot.
The Italian also became the first player in Premier League history to score 10 penalties in a single calendar year. In terms of all-time records, Frank Lampard has scored the most penalties for Chelsea (43).
The Blues have been going through a tough time off the pitch of late with sanctions against owner Roman Abramovich due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The club cannot buy new players, renew contracts or make a profit in any way. This also implies that Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Andreas Christensen will all be free agents at the end of the season.
#2 Manchester United: 169
Taking up the penultimate spot on the list are Manchester United. The Red Devils have been awarded a total of 169 penalties in Premier League history. United’s leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney has scored the most penalties (23).
United have been awarded three penalties this season and have managed to score two. Both of these spot-kicks have been scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also their leading goalscorer with 12 league goals. Bruno Fernandes infamously skied his extra-time penalty against Aston Villa in a 0-1 loss in September.
The Red Devils have been disappointing this season and need a miraculous end to the campaign. Their latest win against Tottenham Hotspur was, more than anything, papering over the cracks. United are currently fifth in the league but have played a few more games than their Champions League spot rivals. Arsenal have three games in hand over them while Spurs have two.
#1 Liverpool: 172
Liverpool recently broke the record for the most penalties awarded to a club in Premier League history. The Reds were awarded two spot-kicks in their 6-0 thrashing of Leeds United in late February. They leapfrogged Manchester United, who previously held the record.
The Reds are devastating on the attack and the opposition have often panicked and committed fouls in the box. They have been awarded the joint-highest penalties this season as well, level with Manchester City and Chelsea. Mohamed Salah has been their go-to penalty taker and five of the 20 goals he has scored have been spot-kicks.
The Egyptian is only behind Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who has scored 32 penalties in the Premier League. Liverpool have matched leaders Manchester City's strides for strides and are just three points behind Pep Guardiola’s men.
