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Top five unlikely Premier League hat-trick scorers

Following Adam Johnson's exploits on Saturday, Sports Mole picks out five other surprising Premier League hat-trick scorers.

With the greatest of respect to Adam Johnson, you could have walked into the majority of betting shops at the weekend and been told to name your own odds on the Sunderland winger scoring a hat-trick against Fulham.

To his credit, the 26-year-old did just that at Craven Cottage as the Black Cats recorded what could prove to be a crucial 4-1 victory against their fellow strugglers.

Johnson, though, is not the only unlikely candidate to have scored three times in one Premier League match. Below, Sports Mole has picked out five other players who unexpectedly ended a game in possession of the match ball.

1. Fredi Bobic
In 2002, Bobic had fallen out favour at Borussia Dortmund and consequently was allowed to join Bolton Wanderers, who were fighting for Premier League survival, on loan. It took 10 matches for the German to score his first goal for Wanderers during a clash with Aston Villa, but just two games later he went goal crazy! He scored three during the first half against Ipswich Town, helping his side to a 4-1 win in the process. The striker didn't score again for the club, although he still remains the last Bolton player to net a hat-trick.

2. Jermaine Pennant
Arsenal paid £2m to sign a teenage Pennant from Notts County in 1999, but it wasn't until May 2003 that he would make his first start in the Premier League. Dubbed a future England international, it didn't take the winger long to make an impact as he scored three goals in a 25-minute spell. However, those would be his only goals for Arsenal, who sold him to Birmingham City two years later.

3. Steve Watson
Everton manager David Moyes moved Watson from defence into midfield for Leeds United's visit to Goodison Park in September 2003. The decision was rewarded when the former England youth international scored a hat-trick, all of the goals coming from very composed finishes that left Paul Robinson in the away goal with no chance.

4. David Bentley
Not since Queens Park Rangers striker Dennis Bailey in 1992 had a player scored a hat-trick against Manchester United, but Bentley ended a 14-year wait on what was his first outing since his permanent switch from Arsenal to Blackburn Rovers had been confirmed. The winger had only scored three senior goals prior to this match.

5. Somen Tchoyi
After 47 minutes of their final match of the season against West Bromwich Albion in May 2011, Newcastle United were 3-0 up at St James' Park and seemingly cruising to a victory. However, visiting midfielder Tchoyi struck on three occasions during the final 25 minutes, which saw Newcastle drop three places in the standings, costing the club a hefty £2.4m in prize money.

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Manchester United's Scottish manager David Moyes reacts during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, northwest England, on September 1, 2013
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool24176158233557
2Arsenal25158251222953
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest25145641291247
4Manchester CityMan City25135752351744
5Bournemouth25127644291543
6Chelsea25127647341343
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2512584233941
8Fulham2510963833539
9Aston Villa2510873538-338
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2591063838037
11Brentford25104114342134
12Crystal Palace257992932-330
13Everton257992731-430
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd2485112834-629
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs24831348371127
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2576122947-1827
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Ipswich TownIpswich2538142350-2717
19Leicester CityLeicester2545162555-3017
20Southampton2523201957-389


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