Sergi Canos wrote himself into the history books with a hat-trick of firsts when he scored the opening goal of the 2021/22 Premier League season for Brentford in their 2-0 win over Arsenal.
The Spanish midfielder's 22nd-minute strike ensured that the Bees became the first promoted club to open the scoring in a top-flight campaign since Hull City in 2016/17.
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Canos's effort - Brentford's first ever Premier League goal - was also the first time that a new club in the competition have netted first in a PL season since the inaugural 1992/93 campaign.
The last Spaniard to net the first goal of a Premier League season was Swansea City's Michu in 2012/13.
Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette missed the trip to Brentford and was denied the opportunity to extend a Premier League record, having become the first player to score the opening goal of a campaign for two PL seasons in succession.
The Frenchman had previously achieved the feat on his Arsenal debut at home to Leicester City in 2017/18, before striking at Fulham in 2018/19.
Opening scorers for each PL season
Season | Player | Team | Opp |
---|---|---|---|
1992/93 | Brian Deane | SHU | MUN |
1993/94 | Peter Beagrie | EVE | SOU |
1994/95 | Kevin Campbell | ARS | MCI |
1995/96 | Efan Ekoku | WIM | BOL |
1995/96 | Alan Shearer | BLB | QPR |
1995/96 | Danny Williamson | WHU | LEE |
1996/97 | Stig Inge Bjornebye | LIV | MID |
1997/98 | Faustino Asprilla | NEW | SHW |
1998/99 | Emile Heskey | LEI | MUN |
1999/00 | Carl Cort | WIM | WAT |
2000/01 | Mark Venus | IPS | TOT |
2001/02 | Kevin Nolan | BOL | LEI |
2002/03 | Michael Ricketts | BOL | FUL |
2003/04 | David Dunn | BIR | TOT |
2004/05 | Djibril Cisse | LIV | TOT |
2005/06 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | MUN | EVE |
2006/07 | Rob Hulse | SHU | LIV |
2007/08 | Michael Chopra | SUN | TOT |
2008/09 | Samir Nasri | ARS | WBA |
2009/10 | Stephen Hunt | HUL | CHE |
2010/11 | Nikola Kalinic | BLB | EVE |
2011/12 | Luis Suarez | LIV | SUN |
2012/13 | Michu | SWA | QPR |
2013/14 | Daniel Sturridge | LIV | STK |
2014/15 | Ki Sung-yueng | SWA | MUN |
2015/16 | Kyle Walker (OG) | MUN | TOT |
2016/17 | Adama Diomande | HUL | LEI |
2017/18 | Alexandre Lacazette | ARS | LEI |
2018/19 | Paul Pogba | MUN | LEI |
2019/20 | Grant Hanley (OG) | LIV | NOR |
2020/21 | Alexandre Lacazette | ARS | FUL |
2021/22 | Sergi Canos | BRE | ARS |