Premier League 2022-23 review: goals of the season

In the entirety of last season, the Paraguayan mustered a solitary goal and his Newcastle career looked to be whimpering to an end. Almirón has spent the past nine months proving any doubters they were incorrect by becoming one of the most elegant and creative players in the league. He started a run of seven goals in as many games, six of which Newcastle won, with a double at Fulham in early October. When Bruno Guimarães lofted a pass over the defence at Craven Cottage, few could have anticipated what Almirón would do next. Standing on the right-hand side of the area, he let the ball drop out of the sun and on to his left boot, volleying it across Bernd Leno into the top corner. The goal helped ignite Almirón’s revival and Newcastle’s push for the Champions League, but it was also a perfect moment in itself.

When your team is a goal down to Manchester United in injury time, after a run of one win in your previous five games has pulled you into a relegation battle, then it takes nerve for a 21-year-old to line-up a free kick from 25 yards and go for goal. Olise has the confidence of a man who knows his qualities and set the ball down with the sole intention of picking out the top corner. The France Under-21 winger thrashed the ball with his instep, allowing it to curl and dip with ferocity before clipping the underside of the bar and bouncing beyond the line, leaving David de Gea with little chance. Goals are always better when the ball crashes off the bar. Selhurst Park erupted but Olise just stood there, perhaps lost in wonderment at what he had done.

Frank Lampard might have arrived at Molineux for the first game of his second spell as Chelsea manager with great confidence and optimism. That had left him after 90