Who is the Premier League’s Best Penalty Taker? Erling Haaland and James Milner in Top 25

When James Milner calmly slotted home from the penalty spot in Brighton & Hove Albion‘s 2-1 win over Manchester City on Sunday, the 39-year-old became the second-oldest scorer in Premier League history.

The cool finish from 12 yards also saw Milner rise up the list of the Premier League’s best ever penalty takers, moving him clear of Erling Haaland, who had earlier opened the scoring on Sunday – albeit not from the penalty spot.

Milner and Haaland are among the most reliable penalty takers in Premier League history, although neither is No 1.

Haaland has converted 17 of his 19 (89.5%) Premier League penalties, while Milner has now netted from 18 of his 20 (90%).

Those conversion rates place Milner joint-18th and Haaland joint 21st on the list of players who have taken at least 10 penalties in the Prem.

Of the 21 players statistically better than Haaland from the spot, nine are still playing in the English top flight — including a member of the elite 100% club.

Which Premier League penalty takers have never missed?

The highest honour belongs to those who have never failed from 12 yards. Yaya Toure sits proudly on that list, with a perfect 11 from 11 during his time at Manchester City. His calmness in pressure moments was extraordinary — seven of those goals turned out to be match-winners.

He is joined by Raul Jimenez, who has scored all 10 penalties he has taken in the top flight. The Mexican forward was flawless for Wolves and has continued the streak at Fulham.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer briefly looked set to top them both when he reached 12 from 12, but his perfect run was ended in March when Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen dived the right way and saved his effort.

Just below the 100% club are some names who came close to perfection. Southampton legend Matthew Le Tissier scored 25 of his 26 penalties (96.2%) in the Premier League, with his single miss coming back in 1993 against Nottingham Forest’s Mark Crossley. Across all competitions, his record was an astonishing 47 scored from 48 attempts.

Other outstanding records include Danny Murphy (18 from 19, 94.7%), James Beattie (16 from 17, 94.1%) and Julian Dicks (15 from 16, 93.8%). Thierry Henry, who netted 23 of his 25, also ranks among the elite.

Among current players, Callum Wilson has netted 16 of his 17 (94.1%), while Bukayo Saka and Alexander Isak are both at 91.7% (11 from 12 each). Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, Aston Villa’s Danny Ings and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister also sit above the 90% mark.

Best penalty records in Premier League (minimum 10 taken)

1) Yaya Toure — 11/11 (100%)
2) Raul Jimenez* — 10/10 (100%)
3) Matthew Le Tissier — 25/26 (96.2%)
4) Danny Murphy — 18/19 (94.7%)
=5) James Beattie — 16/17 (94.1%)
=5) Callum Wilson* — 16/17 (94.1%)
7) Julian Dicks — 15/16 (93.8%)
8) Cole Palmer* — 13/14 (92.9%)
9) Thierry Henry — 23/25 (92.0%)
=10) Ivan Toney — 11/12 (91.7%)
=10) Bukayo Saka* — 11/12 (91.7%)
=10) Alexander Isak* — 11/12 (91.7%)
13) Leighton Baines — 20/22 (90.9%)
=14) Bryan Mbeumo* — 10/11 (90.9%)
=14) Danny Ings — 10/11 (90.9%)
=14) Gary Speed — 10/11 (90.9%)
=14) Frank Leboeuf — 10/11 (90.9%)
=18) James Milner* — 18/20 (90.0%)
=18) Peter Beardsley — 18/20 (90.0%)
=20) Alexis Mac Allister* — 9/10 (90.0%)
=20) Joao Pedro* — 9/10 (90.0%)
=21) Erling Haaland* — 17/19 (89.5%)
=21) Mikel Arteta — 17/19 (89.5%)
=21) Eden Hazard — 17/19 (89.5%)
25) Harry Kane — 33/37 (89.2%)

Data courtesy of Opta and correct as of September 2, 2025. Players marked with an * are currently active in the Premier League.

Premier League’s worst penalty takers

At the other end of the spectrum, Juan Pablo Angel owns the unwanted record of the lowest conversion rate among players with 10 or more attempts. The former Aston Villa striker scored just five of his 10 penalties, missing four of his final five.

Others with poor returns include Steed Malbranque (six from 10), Dwight Yorke (six from 10) and Aleksandar Mitrovic (eight from 13). Even some of the biggest names in Premier League history struggled from the spot: Michael Owen converted only 14 of his 21 (66.7%), while Wayne Rooney missed 11 of his 34.

What makes a good penalty taker?

Accuracy, composure and power are the obvious traits. But recent research suggests psychology plays an equally big part.

A 2025 study led by Professor James Reade of the University of Reading analysed more than 500 penalties in European competition. It found that players often sacrifice the most effective shots in order to protect their reputation. Statistically, aiming for the top corners is more likely to result in goals — but it also carries the risk of missing the target entirely.

The research showed that when faced with this choice, players tend to opt for “safer” shots that increase the chance of the goalkeeper making a save, rather than risk the embarrassment of firing wide. In short, footballers are influenced by how a miss looks as much as by the outcome itself.

As Professor Reade explained: “Missing the goal versus being saved by the goalkeeper might be the same outcome for the team, but to the player, that distinction matters enormously. Footballers’ ego is getting in the way of optimal performance.”