Top 5 goalscoring midfielders in Premier League history

Goal-scoring is an art that until recently had been left to the strikers to contend with. The midfield was only meant to provide for the attack and cover for the defence.

But certain midfielders challenged status-quo and added a whole new dimension to the modern midfielder's play by not just assisting in attack but rather taking the onus of scoring the goals on themselves as well.

Today the fact that midfielders get a ton go goals for their sides is no longer a startling fact. Box-to-box runs, carrying the ball deep into the opposition play before letting fly, or linking up at the edge of the box before finishing off the move; midfielders have regularly started getting involved in finding the back of the net for their clubs and countries.

In fond memory of such buccaneering midfielders, who have kick-started this wonderful trend of scoring from midfield, we look at 5 such world class midfielders who rank high in the all-time goal-scoring charts for the Premier League despite no one expecting them to lend a hand further up the pitch - as far as goal-scoring is concerned.

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#5 Matt Le Tissier (100 goals)

An enigmatic talent who often attracted everyone's attention

"I loved being the centre of attention and the main man. I wanted to entertain people and sticking one in the top corner from 25 yards was a pretty good way of doing that." - Matt Le Tissier

One of the most elegant men on the football, the Southampton legend is undoubtedly one of the most gifted players to have graced the game.

Plenty of players have gone on to win more trophies than Matt Le Tissier throughout their careers – but only the Southampton man will forever be known as ‘Le God’ at the Saint Mary's.

The Englishman was the prime example of a one-club man, for who he made 540 appearances and scored 209 goals in a 17-year career, shunning interest from the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea to stay loyal to Southampton.

One of the most mercurial talents to grace English football, the midfielder was one of the game’s great entertainers and had a knack for scoring ludicrously good goals.

A focus on what he couldn’t do meant Le Tissier won a criminally low tally of just eight caps for England, despite his abundance of natural talent.

#4 Paul Scholes (107 goals)

Still got it!: Scholes scores in the United vs Bayern charity match

Currently co-owner of Salford City and a television pundit for BT Sport, Paul Scholes will always be remembered for his work on the football pitch for Manchester United and England.

One of the most critically acclaimed midfielders, despite all his faults, few could whack the ball in from the sort of distance that the Englishman specialised in.

However, Scholes has also been criticised for his disciplinary record, amassing the fifth-most yellow cards in Premier League history with 97, and the second most yellow cards in Champions League history with 32.

Often appreciated for his ability to pick a pass, most generally fail to recognise the goal-scoring talents that the midfielder possessed.

A talent which saw him score over a century of goals in the Premier League and sit on number 4 on the list for the top goal-scoring midfielders in the Premier League.

#3 Ryan Giggs (109 goals)

Won't be taken down!

The Welshman is one of the most fondly remembered midfielders to have retired from the sport. A Manchester United man through and through, Ryan Giggs not only had the ability to score goals, but score some stunning ones as well.

But what really endeared him to the Old Trafford faithful was his ability to score when his team most needed it.

That goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final replay in the final moments of extra-time is one of the most iconic goals to have come from Giggsy's boot.

A typical winger in all its glory, Giggs will always be one of the most revered midfielders in the world of football after he was, for the longest time, one of the most feared.

Just two more than his compatriot in the League sees his take 3rd place on the list.

#2 Steven Gerrard (120 goals)

Captain fantastic!

The most iconic number 8 shirt in the Premier League is undoubtedly the one in the red of Liverpool with the English international's name on it.

There are a lot of reasons why that is rightly the case: his loyalty and love for his club and country, his calm demeanour and positive attitude, his ability to spray the ball all across the pitch, his undeniable leadership.

But prime among those is his unbelievable knack of scoring stunners, week-in-week-out.

No competition has remained untouched by his thundering strikes as he has enjoyed goal-scoring success in not just the League, but also in Cup competitions and Europe.

On this list though, it was his staggering tally (for a deep-lying playmaker) of 120 scintillating goals in the most competitive league in the world that sees him take 2nd spot.

#1 Frank Lampard (177 goals)

Typical Lampard hit!

A loyal Chelsea servant, the dynamic attacking midfielder always made those trademark runs into the box and made a career out of finding himself at the end of crosses.

He is still the all-time leading goal-scorer of the London side. Staggering if you consider the players who've played for the club, like Didier Drogba, for instance.

Although almost all of his strikes came for the Blues, his tally was jump-started as a youngster in West Ham and then it rounded off, ironically, for Chelsea's rivals Manchester City which included a goal against the Blues as well.

Miles ahead of his nearest competition- Steven Gerrard (what competition that!), Lampard is comfortably in first place on this list with a scarcely believable 177 strikes. Fifty-seven more than Steven Gerrard!

Wow! Take the first spot already Frankie!