Top 5 goal-scoring active Premier League defenders 

Defenders are the ones who are responsible for stopping goals. But imagine having defenders who can score goals as well as prevent them. They are nightmares for the opposition.

A lot of new goalscoring defenders have risen to prominence of late. The likes of Marcos Alonso, Jamaal Lascelles and John Stones are among the leaders when speaking of goal-scoring defenders in the Premier League.

Alonso scored both goals in the win against Tottenham Hotspur in the Gameweek 2 and won the game single-handedly for Chelsea. So having a goal scoring defender is a bonus for any team.

Let's have a look at the top 5 Premier League goals scoring active defender.

#5 Séamus Coleman (Everton)

Games played: 206

Goals Scored: 18

Séamus Coleman has scored goals that are impressive for a defender and his scoring ratio as a defender is too good. He is also one of the better right-backs in the league.

He began his career with the Wales side Sligo Rovers in 2006 after impressing in a friendly against them. David Moyes signed him Everton for only £60,000 and he has been a bargain for the club.

He was sent on loan to Blackpool initially for one month and the extended the loan until the end of the season. He later became a regular starter for the Merseyside club. Year by year, his performances only got better and he was included in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year in 2013/14.

Coleman has spent the last five months recuperating from the horrific injury he sustained on international duty with the Republic of Ireland back in March and hasn't played a single game for the club this season. He is back in training and ready to help the struggling Everton.

#4 Robert Huth (Leicester City)

Robert Huth, Leicester City

Games played: 322

Goals Scored: 21

Robert Huth was very hot prospect in Europe before he signed for Chelsea when he was only 17 years old. The defender has come long since then and has made the most Premier League appearances by a German player.

He began his career with Chelsea and made debut as a 17-year-old boy. For the first 2 seasons, he was in and out of the team a number of times. But from 2004, he was part of the bench and came in as a substitute.

He struggled to establish himself in the Chelsea first team and he joined Middlesbrough in 2006 for a fee of £6m after spending 4 seasons in London.

He spent 3 years at the Riverside and after the club was relegated in 2009, Huth signed for Stoke City for £5 million.

He joined Leicester City on loan in 2014 and signed permanently in the following season. Leicester won the Premier League title after a fairytale season and Huth became only the seventh player to win the Premier League with two different teams.

Huth hasn't made a single appearance for the club this season as he was out after an ankle injury and later had a surgery.

#3 Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)

A man of many parts, Tony V has become indispensable at Old Trafford

Games played: 303

Goals Scored: 23

The Ecuador captain was a midfielder in the early stages of his career. After he moved to Manchester United, he started playing in both midfield and defence, given the situation of the team. He excelled in the defensive aspect and is now considered as one of the best fullbacks in the league.

He began his career with El Nacional in Brazil and then moved to Spanish club Villarreal. He was loaned to Recreativo to after failing to break into the first-team.

Valencia helped Recreativo gain promotion to La Liga and was again loaned to Wigan Athletic in England. After spending a season, he made a permanent to the club for £5m.

After spending a couple of seasons with Wigan Athletic, Manchester United signed him on a four-year contract in 2009. He has become a very important member of the team.

He has won 3 Premier League titles with Manchester United and is now captain of the team.

#2 Gary Cahill (Chelsea)

Cahill has been a rock for the Blues since he joined from Bolton

Games played: 331

Goals Scored: 27

He is not regarded as a world-class Premier League defender -- in the category of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand or John Terry -- but he definitely is a good defender who has been putting in world-class performances since his Bolton Wanderers days.

His greatest asset has been his game reading which helps him make the right tackle at the right time. And, the goal-scoring ability is a bonus.

He started his career with Aston Villa and had short loan spells with Burnley and Sheffield United. He then joined Bolton Wanderers and was their main man at the back for five seasons straight.

His impressive performances earned him a move to Chelsea where he won the UEFA Champions League in the very first season. He went on to captain the Chelsea team that won the 2016/17 Premier League title.

#1 Leighton Baines (Everton)

Leighton has been Mr Consistent since he joined the Toffees

Games played: 397

Goals Scored: 32

Leighton Baines has been one of the regular set-piece takers in the Everton squad and was also the main penalty taker for a couple of years.

He has scored 15 goals from the penalty spot and 7 have come from direct free-kicks. He also holds a record for the defender with the most number of assists in the Premier League. The Everton left-back has provided 51 assists for his teammates over the years.

He back began his career as a team member of Wigan Athletic team that won the 2nd division in 2002/03 season. Two years later, he helped his team secure promotion to the Premier League. Everton signed the 22-year-old Baines in 2007 for £5m.

His first season was full of injuries but from the next season onwards, he became a regular starter. After putting up great performances at the Merseyside club, he got his first England call-up in 2009.

Currently, his Everton team is struggling but he hasn't failed to impress. He scored a penalty winner against Watford and then won his team a point against Crystal Palace after converting another penalty.