Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliance moved Manchester City a step closer to the Premier League title this week, as the midfielder scored four goals in the club’s 5-1 thrashing of Wolves at Molineux.
De Bruyne scored a hat-trick inside the opening 23 minutes against Wolves, netting the third-earliest treble in Premier League history with each of his first three goals coming on his ‘weaker’ left side.
The Belgium international added a fourth in the second half as Pep Guardiola’s side move a huge step closer to defending their crown, with the performances of the outstanding De Bruyne having been a key part of their challenge.
Following his latest superb showing, we’ve looked back at some other memorable occasions when Premier League players scored four.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer developed a reputation for being a ‘super sub’ at Manchester United, the forward having been an invaluable contributor to the Red Devils’ domestic dominance despite often failing to command a regular starting role.
His match-winning goal off the bench in the 1998/99 Champions League final remains his defining moment, but Solskjaer had already mastered the art of impacting games as a substitute long before that famous night against Bayern Munich.
Earlier that season the Norwegian made history after a stunning substitute cameo against Nottingham Forest, coming off the bench with just 18 minutes remaining before taking home the match ball.
Super sub Solskjaer scores four off the bench to make #PL history ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️#PLMoments @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/Mj5bBTCZQv
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 7, 2017
Introduced for Dwight Yorke on 72 minutes with the visitors 4-1 ahead at the City Ground, Solskjaer scored in the 80th and 88th minutes to add gloss to the scoreline.
He wasn’t done there, however, as two further stoppage-time goals took his haul to four and secured an emphatic 8-1 win for the eventual Premier League champions.
Read more – Iconic Performances: ‘Super sub’ Solskjaer hits four at Forest
Mark Viduka
Leeds and Liverpool have enjoyed some memorable encounters during the Premier League era, none more so than a November 2000 clash between the sides at Elland Road.
The two teams were direct rivals for Champions League qualification and their lunchtime clash proved to be a Premier League classic, as the sides exchanged seven goals and Mark Viduka announced his arrival in English football.
Leeds had secured a £6m deal for the Australian forward after a goal-laden spell at Celtic, with Viduka named as the PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year the previous season.
Viduka wasted little time in introducing himself to Premier League defences and ended his first campaign with 22 goals in all competitions, including all four in a 4-3 win over Liverpool.
Liverpool had raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 20 minutes, but Viduka’s brilliance brought Leeds back into the contest.
His mix of strength and subtlety made Viduka unplayable at his best and he levelled the game with a fine chipped finish and a fine header from Gary Kelly’s cross.
Liverpool retook the lead through to Vladimir Smicer, but Viduka wasn’t finished and another two goals – including a second chipped effort over Sander Westerveld – completed a comeback win and one of the most memorable individual performances in Premier League history.
Andrey Arshavin
Andrey Arshavin dealt a damaging blow to Liverpool’s title hopes during the 2008/09 season, scoring four goals for Arsenal in a thrilling 4-4 draw at Anfield.
Arshavin had starred for Russia at the previous summer’s European Championship before making the move to Arsenal during the January transfer window, with his performance at Liverpool announcing his arrival into the Premier League.
Liverpool headed into the clash on a run of five consecutive wins – which included a 4-1 thrashing of title rivals Manchester United – but saw their hopes all but ended after Arshavin’s masterclass of finishing.
Arshavin had opened the scoring in a topsy-turvy game that saw the momentum swing throughout, completing his hat-trick with a quick-fire double after Liverpool had turned the game around to lead.
His fourth came late on and in memorable fashion, as the Russian burst forward on the counter-attack to meet Theo Walcott’s centre and lash home into the top corner.
Arshavin raised four fingers to the travelling support with his face a picture of disbelief, though a late Yossi Benayoun goal prevented his four-goal heroics from earning all three points.
Read more – Arshavin hits four at Anfield
Edin Dzeko
Manchester City issued an early signal of intent during the 2011/12 season, securing a first win at Tottenham in two decades to take the lead in the early Premier League table.
City had ended their 35-year wait for major silverware with FA Cup success the previous season and were gearing up for a challenge on the Premier League title.
The trip to Spurs – who had reached the Champions League quarter-finals the previous season – was viewed as a test of their credentials, but City blew away the North Londoners with a ruthless attacking performance inspired by Edin Dzeko.
It was the Edin Dzeko show at White Hart Lane #onthisday in 2011! ???? #mancity pic.twitter.com/5r97zGUnP6
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 28, 2018
The Bosnian continued his fine start to the season with four goals at White Hart Lane, scoring a clinical close-range hat-trick with fine movement inside the area, before bending home a fourth from distance late on.
It was statement result from a City side that ended the season as Premier League champions, with Dzeko scoring a crucial equaliser in the dramatic final day win over QPR that sealed the title.
Luis Suarez
Whisper the name Luis Suarez in Norfolk and you’ll likely receive a lukewarm response, with the former Liverpool forward having tormented Norwich during his time at Liverpool.
Suarez scored a barely believable 12 goals in just six Premier League appearances against the Canaries, a haul that included two hat-tricks and a four-goal performance at Anfield in December 2013.
The Uruguayan scored four and made another as Liverpool won 5-1 on Merseyside, whilst the calibre of his goals represented a one-man Goal of the Season competition.
Suarez began his iconic individual showing with an audacious 40-yard volleyed lob of John Ruddy, before meeting Philippe Coutinho’s corner to turn home a second soon after.
His hat-trick was completed before half-time and in brilliant fashion, lifting the ball over a bewildered Leroy Fer before slamming home a stunning half-volley from the edge of the area.
He added a fourth in similarly special style, bending home a fantastic free-kick to put the finishing touch on a performance that will live long in the memory.
Read – Iconic Performances: Peak Luis Suarez humiliates Norwich with four-goal haul
Read Also – Cole, Shearer, Aguero – The five players to score five goals in a Premier League match
