Fergie Time: Premier League's top 5 late goalscoring teams

Late goals are a trademark of a good team. They’re the ones that will plug away for 80 minutes and find the vital goal to save a draw or snatch a victory; the drama intensifies and the stakes get higher. It’s the late goals that are remembered most, and they’re usually the most important goals in a season.

With over a quarter of the Premier League season gone, there has been plenty of drama and late goals already, but which teams are the best when it counts late in the game?

Manchester City – Four Goals

The former Premier League champions have been quite prolific in the latter stages of games this season, scoring four times. The goals they’ve scored haven’t made an impact on their points in the league. So while City are still pushing for a goal late into the game, they’ve either been too far behind for the goal to matter or victory was already assured before scoring.

Edin Dzeko, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Alvaro Negredo have grabbed the goals in games against Norwich City, Hull City, Cardiff City and West Ham United respectively.

Manchester United – Four Goals

David Moyes’ side have the same number of late goals as their city rivals, but their goals have been more important in relation to their results. Javier Hernandez’s winning goal at home to Stoke City was typical Man Utd. Wayne Rooney has scored half of United’s late goals to disprove Alex Ferguson’s comments about Rooney’s lack of fitness in his autobiography.

Danny Welbeck grabbed United’s first late goal of the season on the opening day against Swansea City. Hernandez’s goal was the only meaningful goal that won the three points at Old Trafford.

Swansea City – Five Goals

Swansea have scored five late goals in the Premier League this season, the joint-second best. Their most recent late goal was at the weekend when they drew 3-3 with Stoke at home. The Swans fell 2-0 behind before taking a 3-2 lead in the 86th minute through Wilfried Bony, but as victory was in sight, they conceded a late Charlie Adam penalty. Bony also scored Swansea’s first late goal of the season against Man Utd. However, they were already 3-0 down so the goal made no difference.

Their other goals were scored by Pablo Hernandez at West Brom, Ben Davies against Arsenal and a Steven Fletcher own goal against Sunderland. All goals would did not make a difference to the overall result of the games but it shows Swansea’s commitment to carrying on until the final whistle. After all, a late goal is an extra number of the goal difference and that is always important at the end of the season.

Southampton – Five Goals

The Saints have had a fantastic start to the 2013/14 season and are third in the Premier League. They, too, have scored five late goals but theirs have brought a lot more points than Swansea.

Rickie Lambert scored a 90th minute penalty winner on the opening afternoon at the Hawthorns and since then, Jose Fonte, Jay Rodriguez, Adam Lallana and Steven Davis have scored late goals.

In total, the Saints have gained five points by scoring late goals this season. An impressive figure.

Chelsea – Six Goals

The Blues, who are fourth in the league, have scored the most late goals this season. Their most recent was a controversial equaliser at home to West Brom to maintain Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten Premier League home record. Ramires went tumbling in the box, and Eden Hazard scored in the 96th minute of play. As late as they come.

Chelsea have gained four points from late goals so far, with their only late, dramatic win being at home to Man City when Fernando Torres scored the winner after a Joe Hart mistake.