Whether it’s the thousands of opposition fans screaming from behind the goal, or because your team really needs a goal in a crucial game, penalty kicks always come with a lot of pressure.
As such, picking the right player to take them is an important task for any manager.
Get it right, and they can give their team a strong chance of picking up extra points each season. Get it wrong, however, and they’ll instead find themselves having to explain to the press why they are persisting with a Colombian striker who finds scoring from 12 yards a near impossibility. (We are looking at you, Martin O’Neill.)
For different reasons, picking good penalty-takers is also key for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players. Scoring a penalty earns players either four, five, or six points depending on their position, while missing a penalty will see them deducted two.
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To help you decide who to put in your team, here is who every Premier League club is trusting from the spot this season.
Arsenal Bukayo Saka
For much of last season, Arsenal rotated their penalty takers, with Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Fabio Vieira all scoring spot-kicks in the first half of the campaign.
Saka, however, has taken each of the Gunners’ last four, suggesting he’s now the main man when it comes to scoring from 12 yards. To date, the Englishman has taken 11 Premier League penalties for Arsenal, scoring 10 and missing just one.
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ByRoss KilvingtonNov 2, 2024 Aston Villa Ollie Watkins
Last season, Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz was Aston Villa’s penalty-taker. Since leaving for Juventus in the summer, the responsibility has now fallen to striker Ollie Watkins.
Though he’s yet to take a spot-kick for Villa this term, Watkins has previously taken five for the club, scoring three and missing two. His penalty record for his former club Brentford was equally shaky, with the England international missing three of four.
Bournemouth Evanilson, Justin Kluivert
Bournemouth’s regular penalty taker for the last few years, Dominic Solanke, left the club to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer. In his absence, two players – Evanilson and Justin Kluivert – have since stepped up to the mark.
Both have taken a spot kick each, with Evanilson missing his and Kluivert scoring.
Brentford Bryan Mbeumo
Brentford lost arguably one of the world’s best penalty-takers in Ivan Toney this summer, with the Englishman completing a shock move to Saudi Arabia.
Luckily for the Bees, they have another stellar spot kicker on their books in the form of Bryan Mbeumo. Since joining Brentford in 2019, the Cameroon forward has taken seven Premier League penalties and scored them all, including two this season against Wolves and Ipswich Town.
Brighton & Hove Albion Joao Pedro
Brighton have two penalty-takers in the form of Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck, though the former is clearly the main man from 12 yards.
Joao Pedro boasts an impressive record, having scored four of his five Premier League spot-kicks for the Seagulls. The Brazilian otherwise has a 100% record from the spot, including in Europe and for ex-club Watford.
Chelsea Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer is Chelsea’s first-choice penalty taker, and it’s easy to see why. Since joining the Blues last summer from Manchester City, the England international has taken 10 top-flight spot-kicks, scoring them all.
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1 ByBarney LaneOct 11, 2024 Crystal Palace Jean-Philippe Mateta
Crystal Palace had no less than three players on penalties last season, with Jean-Philippe Mateta, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze scoring from the spot.
This term, Mateta has taken, and scored, the Eagles’ only penalty, which came in a 2-2 draw with Leicester City back in September. Given that the Frenchman has never missed a penalty in his career (he’s scored nine of nine), he’ll most likely be taking them for Palace for some time.
Everton Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been Everton’s regular top-flight penalty-taker for four seasons. He’s scored five out of six, with his only miss coming back in January 2022 against Brighton.
He’s yet to get a chance from the spot this season.
Fulham Raul Jimenez
Willian was Fulham’s first-choice penalty taker last season before he left to join Greek club Olympiacos in the summer.
This term, the Cottagers have had just two spot-kicks in the top flight, with Raul Jimenez successful from 12 yards against Nottingham Forest in September. The Mexican striker has taken 38 penalties throughout his career and missed just two.
Andreas Pereira stepped up in the west Londoners’ defeat to Aston Villa, but his miss means Jimenez will probably be trusted from here on in.
Ipswich Town George Hirst, Ali Al-Hamadi, Nathan Broadhead
Ipswich Town don’t have a clear first-choice penalty taker, but instead a number of players who are capable of scoring from 12 yards.
The Tractor Boys are yet to be awarded a Premier League penalty this season, but George Hirst, Ali Al-Hamadi and Nathan Broadhead have all taken – and scored – spot-kicks in the recent past.