Rio Ngumoha became the fourth-youngest goalscorer in Premier League history – 16 years and 361 days old – with his added-time winner for Liverpool at Newcastle on Monday night.
Ngumoha also became the youngest player to score for Liverpool, beating Ben Woodburn’s previous record of 17 years and 45 days old.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the youngest five players to score in the Premier League.
1. James Vaughan – 16 years and 270 days old
Striker Vaughan came off the bench to make his Everton debut against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on April 10, 2005 and turned home Kevin Kilbane’s cross within 13 minutes of his arrival in a 4-0 win.
Vaughan’s time at Everton was blighted by injuries and he made only eight Premier League appearances before leaving the club in 2011.
The England Under-21 international went on to play for Norwich, Huddersfield and Sunderland among others before finishing his career at Tranmere in 2021.
2. James Milner – 16 years and 356 days old
Milner was three days younger than Wayne Rooney when he broke the existing record to become the youngest player to score in the Premier League.
The midfielder struck in Leeds’ 2-1 victory at Sunderland on December 26, 2002, smashing home an equaliser just after half-time from Jason Wilcox’s cross.
Milner, now 39 and playing at Brighton, has had a distinguished career for club and country. He won 61 caps for England and has the second-highest number of Premier League appearances after also representing Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool.
3. Wayne Rooney – 16 years and 360 days old
Teenage titan Rooney said later that it was his ambition to score a Premier League goal before his 17th birthday and did so against Arsenal on October 19, 2002.
Rooney announced himself to the football world and ended Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten run simultaneously with a spectacular Goodison Park 25-yard winner that flew over the head of England goalkeeper David Seaman and went in off the underside of the crossbar.
The forward, who went on to have a trophy-laden 13-year spell at Manchester United before rejoining Everton and playing for DC United and Derby, won 120 caps for England and captained his country.
4. Rio Ngumoha – 16 years and 361 days old
Ngumoha became the first 16-year-old since Rooney to score a Premier League winner with his dramatic decider at St James’ Park.
Showing remarkable composure after Liverpool had let slip a two-goal lead against 10-man Newcastle, Ngumoha finished unerringly into the bottom corner of Nick Pope’s net from Mohamed Salah’s cross.
Ngumoha left Chelsea to join Liverpool in the summer of 2024 and became the youngest player to start a match for the Reds – aged 16 years and 135 days old – in a 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington in January.
5. Cesc Fabregas – 17 years and 113 days old
Spain international Fabregas became the youngest foreign player to score in the Premier League when Arsenal beat Blackburn 3-0 on August 25, 2004.
Fabregas claimed the second goal after Gilberto Silva’s header from a Thierry Henry corner hit his knee before crossing the line.
The cultured midfielder spent eight years at Arsenal before his 2011 exit and also played for Barcelona, Chelsea, Monaco and Como, where he is currently managing.
