Worst Premier League howlers over last decade 10 years on from that Fernando Torres miss

It’s 10 years today since Fernando Torres missed that shocking open goal for Chelsea against Manchester United.

With seven minutes left, United was leading 3-1. Torres had the opportunity to set up a thrilling finish at Old Trafford.

He was a former Liverpool striker who timed his move perfectly. He ran onto a through ball and then sidestepped David de Gea, only to shoot hopelessly wide with an empty goal at his mercy.

This was an embarrassing error that ranks alongside Ronny Rosenthal’s 1992 miss when he crossed the crossbar to score after he had rounded Nigel Spink, Aston Villa’s goalkeeper, and clattered on the crossbar.

It wasn’t the only gaffe in the match. Wayne Rooney had a similar gaffe when he fell while taking a penalty. He scuffed the ball against his foot and fell to the floor.

Here, Daily Star Sport looks at some more of the Premier League’s worst howlers in the decade since that Torres miss.

Matt Ritchie (Burnley vs Newcastle, November 2018)

Matt Ritchie ended up in the net himself against Burnley – but the ball somehow didn’t, much to his disbelief.

Ritchie missed a great chance to win the points for Rafa Benjaminez’s Newcastle side.

Joe Hart had saved Deandre Yadlin’s foot, but Ritchie got the ball. Ritchie then blasted wide from within the six-yard box.

What was the most hilarious Premier League howler ever? Have your say in the comments below

Asked afterwards how he had failed to score, Ritchie said: “I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know. I thought I’d scored to be honest with you.

“I think I was already celebrating before I put into the net.”

Luckily for Ritchie, Newcastle held on for the victory.

Dele Alli (Stoke vs Tottenham, April 2016)

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Alli produced one of the most disastrous misses since Torres’s during Newcastle’s 4-0 win against Stoke.

Stoke were in serious trouble when Alli was hit by a pass in the area outside Shay Given’s box.

The Stoke keeper was stunned when Alli’s pass ricocheted into his path. He had to just roll the ball into the net, but his shot cannon was back at the post.

Alli scored the winning goal, scoring a well-executedvolley. This was after Alli opened the scoring for Spurs with a fine finish.

Ben Foster (Norwich vs West Brom, May 2013)

Ben Foster landed his side in trouble when he charged out of his area to clear the danger against Norwich.

Grant Holt pursued a ball from Wes Hoolihan and the England keeper was ready to hoof it clear.

Foster ended up kick the air after he accidentally skipped over the ball. Holt was left with a simple tap in.

The win by Norwich was 4-0 and secured their Premier League status for the next season.

Sergio Aguero (Man City vs Chelsea, February 2019)

He scored 184 Premier League goals, including one of the most famous of all time when he won the title for Man City in the dying moments of the 2011/12 campaign.

Gary Neville was able to instruct Sergio Aguero on how to complete his goal after he had missed one of history’s most easy open goals.

Bernardo Silva had managed to ignore the Chelsea defenders and fire a cross over the six-yard box. Aguero lurked behind the ball and rolled his shot into the side net.

“He had a floppy foot,” Neville was co-commentary for Sky Sports. “He just needed to stiffen his ankle – not that I should be telling Sergio Aguero how to finish.”

Neville must have been right, because Aguero scored a hat trick as City beat Chelsea 6-0 to win the domestic triple.

Mario Balotelli (QPR vs Liverpool, October 2014)

It’s fair to say that Mario Balotelli didn’t go down as one of the greatest Liverpool strikers.

He did not do his standing in the match any favors by skipping an attempt against QPR.

Balotelli won the ball, as he was in plenty of space to the left of the box after Adam Lallana had saved his shot.

The goal was still in sight, and the former Man City player lifted his half-volley up into the Loftus Road stands. This brought cheers from the home crowd.

Artur Boruc (Arsenal vs Southampton, November 2013)

Artur Boruc looked to have a fairly simple clearance when he received a backpass from a team-mate at the Emirates.

However, he was clever and tried to avoid the attention of Olivier Giroud by turning on the ball.

Giroud was not easy to ignore, however, and Boruc spun around, turning around four to five times before the forward picked-pocketed and handed the ball into an empty net. The Gunners won the game 2-0.

Raheem Sterling (Burnley vs Man City, February 2018)

It’s well known that Sterling has worked on his finishing and his composure in the box since joining Manchester City – but his learnings deserted him on this occasion.

Kyle Walker made a low cross across Burnley’s six yard line to the back post where Sterling was running in for a tap.

The City man fired wide, then fell to the ground and slapped it in frustration.

Jordan Pickford (Liverpool vs Everton, December 2018)

Virgil van Dijk had already turned away after horribly mis-kicking his volleyed attempt in the Merseyside derby.

The ball hit Jordan Pickford’s crossbar and the Everton goalkeeper had to make a save.

As he attempted to catch it, he failed to keep it in play. He threw it over the crossbar and into the air above the six yard box, where Divock Origi waited to go home.

Pickford’s goal was the final one to win the derby.

Jorginho (Chelsea vs Arsenal, May 2021)

UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Jorginho didn’t have his best day at the office when he landed Kepa Arrizabalaga in trouble with a woeful backpass.

Jorginho moved back towards his goal thinking he would find his goalkeeper, but Emile Smith Rowe pressured him outside his box.

Kepa was missing, so Jorginho had to sprint back to his goal in an attempt to save his teammate from the shame of an own goal at Stamford Bridge.

However, the goalkeeper could not get the ball to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who then pulled it back for Smith Rowe.