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Five Easter treats: Defoe, Adam, Rooney... which Premier League goal over Easter was the best?

A wonder-goal weekend

Jermain Defoe's stunning left-footed volley won the Wear-Tyne derby for Sunderland and capped an Easter weekend featuring a host of remarkable goals in the Premier League.

Here, we relive five cracking strikes that will give the judges plenty to think about when deciding the goal of the season next month.

Alexis Sanchez - Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool

Arsenal's Chilean forward scored the best of three before half-time at the Emirates. Sanchez dropped his shoulder to turn inside Kolo Toure, then rifled the ball beyond Simon Mignolet.

Since his arrival from Barcelona in the summer, Sanchez has given everything to the Arsenal cause, and has played a starring role in the Gunners' recent surge in form - seven successive wins.

After the game, Wenger praised his star man: "He gave absolutely everything. He's a guy who never gives up. He fought until the end."

Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez celebrates with teammates
Image: Arsenal's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez celebrates with his team-mates after scoring

Wayne Rooney - Man Utd 3-1 Aston Villa

It looked like the Manchester United striker had made a meal of controlling Angel di Maria's chip but his touch was in fact deliberate and he duly found Brad Guzan's top corner on the half-volley.

United were already leading through Ander Herrera's strike, but Rooney was on hand to extend their lead and secure three vital points for Louis van Gaal's men.

Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas had his say on the strike: "Rooney’s goal, oh wow. As he goes to turn, he can’t actually twist or pivot naturally so he has to let it bounce up. It comes up to waist-height and he batters it into the top corner."

Wayne Rooney looks to the sky after scoring a wonder goal against Aston Villa to make it 2-0 at Old Trafford
Image: Wayne Rooney looks to the sky after scoring a wonder goal against Aston Villa to make it 2-0 at Old Trafford

Bobby Zamora - West Brom 1-4 QPR

Zamora appeared to defy physics as he picked up Matt Phillips' ball down the channel before beating Boaz Myhill with an improbable left-footed lob that left everyone at The Hawthorns open-mouthed.

Not only was the goal itself impressive, it put QPR in a commanding 3-0 lead away at West Brom. Chris Ramsey's side went on to win 4-1, and should they survive relegation this season, they will surely look back at Saturday's game as the turning point.

Matt Le Tissier watched the game from the Sky Sports studio, and said of the goal: "Bobby Zamora probably hasn’t scored a better goal his entire career. It was brilliant, and that was game over." 

Bobby Zamora scores a spectacular third goal for QPR with the outside of his left boot, under pressure from West Brom's Joleon Lescott
Image: Bobby Zamora scores a spectacular third goal for QPR with the outside of his left boot

Charlie Adam - Chelsea 2-1 Stoke

In scenes that recalled David Beckham's famous goal against Wimbledon back in 1996, Stoke midfielder Adam bamboozled Thibaut Courtois with an unstoppable rocket from his own half.

There was strong reaction from the Saturday Night Football pundits. Jamie Redknapp went as far as describing the strike as genius.

"It's better than Beckham, and more audacious than Rooney's last season," Redknapp said. "That is absolute genius.

"To kick it that far... I think there's something about left-footers, they can kick it further. It's not like he's got a run-up, it's almost under his foot. It's genius. It's a piece of top-class skill, top marks."

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Here's your chance to see the goal that's got everyone talking: Charlie Adam's superb strike against Chelsea.

Jermain Defoe - Sunderland 1-0 Newcastle

The Wear-Tyne derby was feisty enough but needed something special to make it a real contest. One minute into first-half stoppage-time, Defoe broke the deadlock with an exquisite volley over Tim Krul.

Of the strike, Defoe told Sky Sports: "One of my best, and with my left foot as well. As soon as it leaves your foot, you know it's a goal. An unbelievable feeling, words can't even describe how I felt when that went in. It's quite emotional, for some reason." 

After the game, Thierry Henry also gave his thoughts on the goal from the studio: “The technique is great, but it’s the way he put himself in that zone, where he knows where the ball is going to land.

"He always goes, slowly but surely, where he knows the ball might drop. It’s outstanding, just outstanding. The club needed that goal. Scoring that goal means a lot to him, and a lot to everyone in this stadium.” 

Sunderland Jermain Defoe Newcastle volley
Image: Sunderland's Jermain Defoe scores an incredible volley against Newcastle

Which was your favourite? Use the comment box below or tweet us @SkyFootball

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