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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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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
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2Arsenal23138244212347
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2313553327644
4Manchester CityMan City23125647301741
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle23125641271441
6Chelsea23117545301540
7Bournemouth23117541261540
8Aston Villa2310763435-137
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2381053531434
10Fulham238963431333
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12Manchester UnitedMan Utd2385102832-429
13Crystal Palace236982630-427
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2376102844-1627
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs2373134637924
16Everton225891928-923
17Leicester CityLeicester2345142549-2417
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2344153252-2016
19Ipswich TownIpswich2337132147-2616
20Southampton2313191653-376


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