Granit Xhaka's pinpoint free-kick for Arsenal at Crystal Palace on Sunday took him one step closer to equalling a Premier League record.
All of Xhaka's five PL goals have come from outside the penalty area. Only Pedro Mendes has scored more exclusively from distance in the competition, with six.
The Swiss will have the chance to draw level at home to Liverpool on Saturday, a fixture in which one of his five came last season.
Three of Mendes's efforts came in two matches in March 2006, sparking a run of six victories from nine matches that secured Portsmouth's top-flight status.
The Portuguese midfielder scored twice from distance in a 2-1 home win over Manchester City and then hit another long-range goal in a 4-2 triumph at West Ham United the following weekend.
Mendes and Xhaka's PL goals
| Mendes | Xhaka | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Match | Date | Match |
| 01/01/05 | TOT v EVE | 17/09/16 | HUL v ARS |
| 11/03/06 | POR v MCI | 07/05/17 | ARS v MUN |
| 11/03/06 | POR v MCI | 22/12/17 | ARS v LIV |
| 18/03/06 | WHU v POR | 15/09/18 | NEW v ARS |
| 28/10/06 | POR v RDG | 28/10/18 | CRY v ARS |
| 10/02/07 | POR v MCI | ||
Long-range legends
Xhaka has some way to go to match the players who have scored the most long-range PL goals in total.
Frank Lampard leads the way with 41 goals from outside the box, while David Beckham is second with 34.
Alan Shearer, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Steven Gerrard all scored 33 times from distance.
