A defender’s job is pretty simple: stop the ball from going into your team’s goal. However, over the last 30 years, their role has evolved.

Managers now ask their centre-backs to play out from the back and venture into midfield, while fullbacks have begun to play more like wingers.

Generally, though, defenders are not prolific in front of goal but, in today’s post, we will be looking at the ones who were the best at putting the ball in the back of the net.

Press the next page as we count down the five defenders who have scored the most times in Premier League history.