By Opta Analyst | Created at 2026-08-23 12:12:47 | Updated at 2026-09-02 23:44:52
1 week ago
Which players have scored the most goals on the opening weekend of Premier League seasons? We look at the data behind the stars who like to start as they mean to go on.
Mohamed Salah is the most prolific goalscorer on the opening matchday of Premier League seasons. The Liverpool forward scored 10 goals in nine opening-day games across his Premier League career, with the last coming against Bournemouth on Matchday 1 of the 2025-26 campaign.
The Egyptian star played on MD1 in nine separate Premier League seasons, and he only failed to score in one of those – Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea on 13 August 2023. Even then, he still assisted his team’s only goal that day.
Salah’s hat-trick on the opening weekend of the 2020-21 season for Liverpool against Leeds United makes him one of only 10 players to score a MD 1 hat-trick in Premier League history.
Mohamed Salah on the Opening Matchday of a Premier League Season
2017-18: 1 goal vs Watford
2018-19: 1 goal vs West Ham United
2019-20: 1 goal vs Norwich City
2020-21: 3 goals vs Leeds United
2021-22: 1 goal vs Norwich City
2022-23: 1 goal vs Fulham
2023-24: 0 goals vs Chelsea
2024-25: 1 goal vs Ipswich Town
2025-26: 1 goal vs Bournemouth
All matches were for Liverpool.
Salah’s 10 opening-matchday goals in Premier League history are two more than Jamie Vardy, who managed eight across nine matches on MD1 in the competition, as well as all-time leading Premier League goalscorer Alan Shearer and fellow English legends Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard (all 8).
Of other players currently playing in the competition, only Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (5) and Callum Wilson (5) have scored at least five goals on the opening matchday of Premier League seasons.
Top Goalscorers on MD1 of Premier League Seasons
10 Goals: Mohamed Salah
8 Goals: Jamie Vardy, Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard
7 goals: Sergio Agüero, Teddy Sheringham
6 goals: Didier Drogba, Louis Saha
Furthermore, Salah tops the Premier League rankings for the most goal involvements on MD1 of seasons. He’s assisted five goals for teammates on top the 10 he’s scored himself, meaning he has 15 goal involvements in nine opening-day appearances in the competition.
The only other players to have reached double-figures for goal involvements across the opening matchday of Premier League seasons are Rooney (13), Teddy Sheringham (10) and Lampard (10).
Most Goal Involvements on MD1 of Premier League Seasons
Mohamed Salah: 15 (10 goals, 5 assists)
Wayne Rooney: 13 (8 goals, 5 assists)
Teddy Sheringham: 10 (7 goals, 3 assists)
Frank Lampard: 10 (8 goals, 2 assists)
Jamie Vardy: 9 (8 goals, 1 assist)
Alan Shearer: 9 (8 goals, 1 assist)
Paul Pogba: 8 (2 goals, 6 assists)
Didier Drogba: 8 (6 goals, 2 assists)
Louis Saha: 8 (6 goals, 2 assists)
Sergio Agüero: 8 (7 goals, 1 assist)
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