Own goals are the cruelest twist of fate for defenders, turning moments of desperation into statistics they would rather forget. It is a moment of helplessness, where a split-second decision or an unlucky deflection can undo minutes of defensive discipline.

Over the years, some of the Premier League’s most reliable defenders have unfortunately found themselves leading the charts for this unwanted record.

What makes own goals particularly cruel is that they often come from players who are otherwise pillars of consistency. Sometimes, their commitment led to them inadvertently sending the ball in their own net.

From last-ditch interceptions that wrong-footed goalkeepers to awkward deflections that left no time to react, the circumstances have varied.

From the one at the top of the list in Richard Dunne to two of Liverpool's defensive stalwarts, here are the five players with most own goals in Premier League history.

5 Players With Most Own Goals In Premier League History 

Richard Dunne: 10 Own Goals 

Richard Dunne, former Manchester City and Aston Villa center-back holds the record for the most own goals in Premier League history— an unwanted tally of ten.

The Irish international first beat his own goalkeeper in 2000 while playing for Everton. His misplaced clearance turned into a goal for their opponent West Brom. However, it was at Manchester City that his knack for misfortune truly took hold.

At Aston Villa, the trend continued. Against QPR in 2012, a driven cross deflected off his shin and nestled into the net. But Dunne was never a careless defender. A four-time Manchester City Player of the Year, his legacy is one of resilience, leadership, and a warrior’s mentality.

Yet, in a career spanning over 400 top-flight appearances, the cruel hand of fate ensured his name would always be synonymous with the peculiar statistic—ten own goals, ten moments of sheer misfortune.

Teams who benefitted from Richard Dunne own goals: West Brom, Manchester United, Wigan Athletic, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, Queens Park Rangers, Liverpool.

Jamie Carragher: Seven Own Goals 

His fame in the punditry world could portray Jamie Carragher as a talented player but even though there is an atom of truth to that, he was also a nightmare for his team.

With seven Premier League own goals as a professional, the former England international earns himself a place among the Premier League’s highest own-goal scorers.

A one-club man and a Liverpool legend, Carragher was renowned for his defensive intelligence, leadership, and relentless commitment. Yet, seven times in his Premier League career, he inadvertently beat his own goalkeeper.

One of his most infamous moments came early in his career during a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in 1999. In a nightmare afternoon at Anfield, Carragher put two past his own goalkeeper, leaving Liverpool with a mountain to climb.

While he went on to become one of England’s most reliable defenders, the unwanted statistic would follow and continue to haunt him even post his professional days.

In of the Premier League fixtures against Tottenham in 2009, he rose to clear a cross but only managed to glance the ball beyond Pepe Reina, handing Spurs an equalizer, and Spurs went on to win the match 2-1.

Another came in a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, when a desperate attempt to block a low cross ended up in the bottom corner of his goal.

Carragher is considered amongst Liverpool's greatest defenders. With over 500 league appearances, a Champions League title, yet, his own goals are more than mere footnotes of his career, given he only scored five for his team, three of which came in the Premier League.

Teams who benefitted from Jamie Carragher own goals: Tottenham, Manchester United, Hull City, Blackburn Rovers.

Martin Škrtel: Seven Own Goals 

Next on the list is also a Liverpool legend, Martin Skrtel. A warrior in the club's defense during his days, Martin Skrtel was aggressive, uncompromising, and utterly fearless, making him the proper Barklays defender.

Yet, for all his strengths, the Slovakian international found himself on the wrong end of an unfortunate statistic. His seven Premier League own goals place him among the most in the competition’s history, an odd blemish on an otherwise fierce reputation.

His first self-inflicted moment came in November 2010 against Tottenham, when a defensive mix-up led to the ball ricocheting off him past Pepe Reina for a Spurs' equalizer after he had initially scored on the right end to open the scoring for Liverpool.

The following years saw further mishaps, including a bizarre own goal against Fulham in 2012, where an attempted clearance sliced awkwardly into the net for the only goal of the game in Anfield.

Skrtel scored one also in 2014, during a thrilling 4-3 win over Swansea City in Anfield. As Liverpool chased the title, a wayward deflection off Škrtel gave the opposition a vital goal, adding to the defensive chaos of Brendan Rodgers’ free-scoring side.

Thankfully, Jordan Henderson scored in the second half to help rescue the day and hand Liverpool the win.

Despite these unfortunate moments, Škrtel’s contribution to Liverpool cannot be understated. He was an integral part of their 2013-14 title challenge and a leader in their backline for nearly a decade.

Teams who benefitted from Martin Skrtel own goals: Tottenham, Fulham, Hull City, West Ham United, Swansea City, Newcastle United.

Phil Jagielka: Seven Own Goals 

For a mid-table team, just a few defenders embodied consistency and leadership like Phil Jagielka, yet his name finds an unexpected place among the Premier League’s highest own-goal scorers.

Across his stellar career, the former Everton captain inadvertently put the ball into his own net seven times—a statistic that contrasts sharply with his reputation as a defensive stalwart.

Jagielka started scoring the own goals before his move to Everton. While playing for Sheffield United, he beat his goalkeepers three times before eventually moving to Merseyside in 2007.

Perhaps the most painful was against Arsenal in September 2006, when his attempted clearance turned into an inch-perfect finish past his own keeper, the second in a 3-0 defeat for Sheffield United in the Emirates.

In April 2021, Jagielka scored the latest of his own goals in a 2-1 defeat for Sheffield United against Leeds United in Eland Road, scoring the eventual match-winner for the host in his final Premier League season.

Yet, Jagielka’s legacy is not defined by these moments. Over 300 Premier League appearances, England caps, and iconic performances—including his thunderous last-minute equalizer at Anfield in 2014—far outweigh the blemishes.

His own goals serve only as reminders that even the most composed defenders can be victims of football’s cruel unpredictability. Nevertheless, he is forever endearing to fans of Everton and Sheffield United.

Teams who benefitted from Phil Jagielka own goals: Arsenal, Portsmouth, Wigan Athletic, Stoke City, Aston Villa, Leeds United.

Lewis Dunk: Seven Own Goals

Lewis Dunk has been the heartbeat of Brighton & Hove Albion’s defense for over a decade, his leadership and resilience making him one of the most respected center-backs in the Premier League.

Despite his dependability, he isn't immune to moments of misfortune. With seven own goals to his name, the England international's tally is one of the highest in Premier League history — a quirk in an otherwise admirable career.

Three of his own goals came less than six months his debut season in the Premier League in 2017. His first came via an unfortunate deflection for the second in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the AMEX, after Sergio Aguero had given the visitors the lead.

That campaign also saw another misstep against Manchester United, when a cross ricocheted off him past Mathew Ryan at Old Trafford, resulting in the only goal of the game.

Perhaps the most dramatic was against Liverpool in 2017—a freakish moment where he attempted to block a Philippe Coutinho shot, only to see the ball take an awkward spin into the net.

Dunk is the only active player this high on the list, and for his remaining days as a professional he'll hope to avoid getting himself involved in more own goals, so as not to break the unwanted record.

Teams who benefitted from Lewis Dunk own goals: Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Swansea City, Fulham, Nottingham Forest.

Of the five in the list, Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Lewis Dunk share the record for most Premier League own goals for a single club with seven each.