The 10 players to have scored a hat-trick against Liverpool in EPL

Watkins became the latest star to hit thrice against the Reds!

Just hours after Tottenham Hotspur condemned Manchester United to a shocking 6-1 defeat at the Old Trafford last weekend, Aston Villa sprung up a surprise of its own against Liverpool.

The reigning champions were taken apart by the rampant Clarets at the Villa Park in a humiliating 7-2 loss, led by hat-trick hero Ollie Watkins.

The striker netted thrice inside the first-half for his first troika of goals in the top-flight, and in the process, also joined a unique group of players to have scored thrice in a match against the Reds.

Here, we look at each of that 10 stars:

#1 Andy Cole (Newcastle United 3-0 Liverpool, 1993)

Newcastle United of today is relegation fodder, but during the early days of the Premier League, it was a formidable side. And that’s clearly illustrated with this humbling of Liverpool as Andy Cole netted thrice inside half an hour to announce the Magpies’ arrival to the top-flight in resounding fashion.

#2 Matthew Le Tissier (Southampton 4-2 Liverpool, 1994)

Anyone who’s seen the Premier League throughout the 90s will tell you what a legend Matthew Le Tissier was. He played a major role in Southampton preserving the top-flight status, and his best year, statistically, was the 1993/94 season when he scored 25 goals, including this amazing treble against Liverpool.

#3 Peter Ndlovu (Liverpool 2-3 Coventry City, 1995)

The first African player to grace the English top-flight, Ndlovu was an integral part of Coventry City’s last few years in the Premier League. He wasn’t a regular scorer but often turned up in the big games, like this one in March 1995 when the Zimbabwean became the first away player to score a hat-trick at Anfield in 30 years!

https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/1244394403688570886

#4 Fabrizio Ravanelli (Middlesbrough 3-3 Liverpool, 1996)

One of the best ‘one-season wonders’ in the Premier League, the ex-Italian striker made a resounding impact with Middlesbrough during his only season in the top-flight in 1996/97, netting 31 times from 48 games, including 16 in the league. He even scored an opening day hat-trick against Liverpool, but couldn’t save the Boros from going down.

#5 Mark Viduka (Leeds United 4-3 Liverpool, 2000)

Leeds United’s ascent to the heady heights of Europe in the early 2000s is well-publicized, and Australian striker Mark Viduka played a key role. He led the line for the Peacocks with aplomb, netting 59 times from 130 games. His most memorable performance though was the four-goal salvo against the Reds in November 2000, helping his side fight back from 2-0 down.

#6 Kevin Lisbie (Charlton Athletic 3-2 Liverpool, 2003)

Lisbie made headlines last year when he retired at 40, though his career was far from illustrious. Injuries and inconsistent form never propelled him to the heights he was once touted to reach and in a mediocre, journeyed career, the Jamaican’s highlight is the hat-trick he scored for the Addicks against Liverpool which briefly shot him to stardom.

#7 Thierry Henry (Arsenal 4-2 Liverpool, 2004)

Remember when Arsenal used to be a reckoning force in the Premier League and gave the top guns a serious run for their money? Ya, we’re harking back to those days here, and on one of those occasions, Henry put Reds to the sword with a blistering hat-trick as the Gunners edged closer to becoming Invincibles.

#8 Andrei Arshavin (Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal, 2009)

Arshavin didn’t really impress during his time with Arsenal, but he certainly did on that epic night at Anfield, when the Russian was in an inspired form and struck all four of his side’s goals. He’s still the only player to have scored a ‘super hat-trick’ on Liverpool’s ground.

#9 Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool, 2010)

Ah, the good ol’ days! Manchester United, spearheaded by Dimitar Berbatov, once ripped even the top sides to shreds, and one of his best individual showings came against arch-rivals, Liverpool, rounding-off his first treble for the Red Devils which set the tone for the rest of his campaign.

#10 Ollie Watkins (Aston 7-2 Liverpool, 2020)

Now that’s some way to open your account in the Premier League. Watkins, signed from Brentford in the summer, tore the defending champions asunder by hitting thrice within the first half to set the Villas on their way to a historic victory. Oh, and it was a ‘perfect hat-trick’ too.