SOCCER

Premier League: 5 Best Goals From the First Half of the Season

Douglas Smith  —  @DFresh39 Jan 5th, 2017
Olivier Giroud's stunning scorpion kick easily made our top five. Which other goals joined him?

After Wednesday's Tottenham-Chelsea match, the Premier League will be one matchweek past the halfway mark, and teams are entering into a small break that will feature FA Cup fixtures.

There have been over 570 goals scored so far this season. Liverpool leads the way with 48 goals while Middlesbrough and Hull City are tied at the bottom with just 17 tallies.

With honorable mention to Christian Fuchs, Wilfried Zaha, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Gaston Ramirez, here are the top five goals for the first half of the season.

5. Paul Pogba


Pogba opened the scoring on November 6th when Manchester United visited Swansea City. Keeper Lukasz Fabianski had no chance as the ball sliced away into the top corner. It was a match United dominated and scored with every shot they put on target. The match ended 3-1 and snapped a run of four straight matvhes without a win for Manchester United.

4. Jordan Henderson


Henderson won the Premier League's goal of the month contest, which on the league's official site, with this stunning game winner against Chelsea. Thibaut Courtois had no chance despite his 6'6" frame. Henderson picked out his spot as soon as the ball landed at his feet and curled it in with perfection. The goal led to a victory against the current league leaders and will hold much significance should Liverpool challenge for the title in the second half.

3. Dimitri Payet


Payet has not been able to find last year's form this season, but he did have a moment of brilliance against Middlesbrough in October. The goal helped end a run of four successive defeats for the Hammers. This is one of two goals Payet has scored in the first half of the campaign. His production may be a big reason why his team has struggled. West Ham are still in the bottom half the table, but they are seven points clear of the drop zone.

2. Henrikh Mkhitaryan


Mkhitaryan did not make an immediate impact at Manchester United as he was not a mainstay in the lineup for Premier League matches. Then, on Boxing Day, Mkhitaryan found a spot in United lore with a scorpion kick goal that many thought would withstand any challengers for goal of the year. There is the caveat that he was likely offside, but the finish was exquisite nonetheless.

1. Olivier Giroud


Mkhitaryan's claim for goal of the season didn't last long as Giroud capped off a great break with an astonishing finish just days later. He was a part of the break as well with a little back heel that kept the move going. The game finished 2-0 to Arsenal, allowing them to stay in the top four until Tottenham knocked off Chelsea on Wednesday. Giroud would be the hero again just two days later, capping off a three-goal comeback to steal a point against Bournemouth. Giroud pranced his way through a scorpion kick celebration after scoring the tying goal in stoppage time.