Premier League: Best Goals Ever

Let's take a step away from Poland and Ukraine for a few moments and refocus our attentions back to the domestic game.

The Premier League celebrated it's 20th anniversary last season, a time for reflection, celebration and for many awards to be dished out.

Standards seem to be improving season upon season, so it is no surprise that quite a number of stunning goals have been witnesses during that time.

How is a goal judged though? As a sheer one off, or do you take the occasion into account?

I drew a list of candidates up and whittled them down to a final 10, so sit back and enjoy 10 legendary moments of the last 20 years.

Dennis Bergkamp vs. Newcastle

The Dutch maestro scored many phenomenal goals and made plenty of defenders look like utter fools.

In the 2000/01 season at St James Park, it was Nicos Dabizas's turn to be completely bamboozled by Dennis Bergkamp.

Coming at the end of a typically swift Arsenal break, Robert Pires played the ball into his teammate who had made a stunning run, but seemed to have nowhere to go.

With his back to the goal, he knocked the ball around his marker with his instep before darting the opposite way and calmly finishing.

A typical moment of genius in an instant that saw Bergkamp come second in the official Arsenal websites run-down of their top 50 players.

David Beckham vs Wimbledon

The golden boy of the modern English generation, who now seems likely to feature for Team GB in this years Olympics, has always had unerring accuracy in his right foot.

On a sunny afternoon in 1996, England was introduced to a fresh-faced midfielder who would go on to be the face of his national side for years to come.

Picking the ball up in his own half, David Beckham looks up and lets fly with a stunning effort that has Neil Sullivan scrambling back in blind panic.

Unfortunately for Sullivan, he was well beaten; cue that celebration.

Matt Le Tissier vs Blackburn Rovers

A rare phenomenon in the modern day game is a one club man, but that is exactly what Matt Le Tissier was after spending over 15 years at Southampton.

The attacking midfielder, who averaged better than a goal every three games in his club career, was an expert at the near impossible and stunning finishes.

Tim Flowers could do nothing about this drive into the top corner after Le Tissier casually twisted his way past the opposition defenders.

Thierry Henry vs Manchester United

Simply a phenomenon after joining Arsenal in the summer of 1999, Thierry Henry is another purveyor of fine goals.

For most of his time in the Premier League, defences simply found him unplayable, and even when in a position where it seemed impossible to be effective, he never stopped surprising.

As was the case with this example.

With his back to the goal, he takes one touch to set it up before unleashing an unsavable volley over Fabian Barthez and into the far corner.

It was of little surprise to see him named in the team of the 20 years earlier this year.

Paolo Di Canio vs Wimbledon

Paolo Di Canio is one of the most talked about players in Premier League history and also one of the most talented.

You have to be something special when Sir Alex Ferguson describes you as: "capable of becoming a truly great player at Manchester United...I mean he was a great player."

From pushing over referees to picking up the ball at Goodison Park in a remarkable show of sportsmanship, it was often difficult to understand what was going on in the mind of Di Canio,

Not on this afternoon though.

From Trevor Sinclair's diagonal pass, he calmly caressed the ball across the keeper with a scissor kick into the far corner.

Wayne Rooney vs Manchester City

In terms of both execution and occasion, this goal is simply spectacular and a winner of best goal at the Premier League 20 awards.

From the slightly wayward pass of Nani, Wayne Rooney positions himself with his back to the goal and flings himself into the air.

From this bicycle kick, he couldn't have wished to connect with the ball any better, smashing it past Joe Hart who had no chance and sending Old Trafford into raptures.

Stepping back into the European Championships momentarily, is it this man England were missing going forward against France?

Alan Shearer vs Everton

Alan Shearer is one of the greatest strikers to adorn the Premier League and the Three Lions.

Alan Shearer was simply a goal machine, and what a proposition it would've been to have him alongside Thierry Henry as he was voted in the team of the 20 seasons awards recently.

From a poor Everton clearance, Shearer fully demonstrates the power his right foot held by smashing it past the keeper in the blink of an eye.

A true great, and a goal well worthy of featuring.

Tony Yeboah vs Liverpool

Power. Precision. Unstoppable.

Who needs to take a touch to control the ball when you can simply execute something as remarkable as this?

From a defensive header, the Ghanian opens up his body and fires the ball crashing off the underside of the crossbar.

Just to prove it was no fluke, Tony Yeboah did something similar the next week against Wimbledon.

Pappis Cisse vs Chelsea 2011/12

Senegalese striker Cisse took the Premier League by storm following his January transfer from Freiburg.

One evening at Stamford Bridge fully highlighted the unbelievable talent Newcastle United bought for a fee in the region of £10million.

If was getting one stunning goal isn't enough, he then bettered it with his second, a first time shot using the outside of his right boot that swerved over Petr Cech and in.

Can he repeat these heroics next season? The St. James Park will certainly hope so as they aim to improve on this seasons fifth placed finish.

Eric Cantona vs Sunderland 1995/96

This is one of the most memorable goals of the Premier League era, if not for the goal alone, then for the celebration.

After slaloming through Sunderland, Eric Cantona played a neat one-two with Brian McClair before he clipped a floated shot over Lionel Perez and into the net.

Cue one of the most memorable moments of the last two decades.

As his adoring public celebrated, he simply turned, arms out stretched, and acknowledged his own genius.

Nearly Men

It was of course very difficult to narrow the selections down to just ten; there were so many options to choose from.

Whether it be the stunning runs of Georgi Kinkladze or Dalian Atkinson, or stunning strikes from ridiculous distances such as Maynor Figueroa, the Premier League is host to many goals.

There are also those featured in the list who, quite eerily, could've had two entries: think Le Tissier, Henry, Bergkamp.

Last season alone Luis Suarez and Peter Crouch had superb efforts finding the back of the net.

However, my final 10 have been chosen.

Agree or disagree? What should have been included, and who should've been dropped?