As the most-watched sports League in the world, the Premier League is over 30 years old and has lots of funny and surprising facts not everyone knows about. After all, do you know who scored the fastest goal, who missed the most penalties but at the same time scored the most, or what the most common names of footballers were? There have been lots of changes over the years of its history, which a real fan of the English Premier League should definitely know. Are you ready for this fascinating journey through history?

#1 The beginnings 

The English Premier League (EPL) was created in 1992 as an act of independence for the Football League First Division from the Football League and Football Association. At that time, football fans could cheer for 22 teams instead of the 20 that are part of the league at present. The arguments started as a result of different opinions over television rights and revenue sharing. The opening match was between Arsenal and Crystal Palace, with Arsenal winning 3-0.

#2 Facts about goals

Alan Shearer, who would later become the league’s all-time leading scorer, scored the first-ever Premier League goal. The record for the fastest goal in Premier League history belongs to Ledley King, who scored it in 10 seconds for Tottenham Hotspur against Bradford City in December 2000.

Two footballers, Alan Shearer and Andy Cole jointly hold the record for most goals scored in a single Premier League season. Their result was 34 goals in the 1994-1995 and 1993-1994 seasons respectively. Alan Shearer himself is the all-time leading scorer, with 260 goals in 441 games. 

The record for most goals scored by one team in a single Premier League match is held by Manchester United, who defeated Ipswich Town 9-0 in March 1995. The record for most goals in a calendar year belongs to Harry Kane, who in 2017 scored 39 goals. Previously, the record belonged to Alan Shearer before.

#3 Manchester’s dominance 

The list of important facts about the Premier League can’t do without a chapter on Manchester United. Its dominance started right at the beginning, winning the inaugural Premier League title in the 1992-1993 season under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson.

The club has won the Premier League title a record 13 times, which means it’s the club with the most Premier League Titles. Actually, from the first season in 1992-1993 until 2012-2013, they won 13 times out of 21 seasons. In the 1998-1999 season together with the Premier League Title, they won the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. 

There is even a group of footballers called the class of ‘92, referring to a group of talented players with roots in Manchester – David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, and Gary and Phil Neville. 

Despite their worse performances, which started after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, Manchester United is still a football power among the Premier League clubs. It’s enough to look at today’s Premier League results.

#4 The least exciting season

The 1994–1995 season is considered by football fans to be the most disappointing for many reasons. Firstly, Manchester United lacked any competition and won its third consecutive Premier League title, eight points ahead of second-placed Blackburn Rovers, making the title race somewhat predictable.

Then, in March 1995, Manchester City, Manchester United’s rivals, were deducted points due to player suspensions following a brawl in a match against Queens Park Rangers. It’s believed the deduction had an indirect impact on Manchester United reaching for their third title. 

Also, there were many goalless draws and a relatively low number of goals scored compared to other seasons, which affected the overall excitement and entertainment value. The best matches are often those with the most goals scored.

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