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Egil Ostenstad’s Uncredited Hat-Trick Against Manchester United
The Forgotten Hat-Trick
From Eric Cantona in August 1992 to Omar Marmoush in February 2025, the Premier League has seen no fewer than 398 hat-tricks over its 33 seasons to date. But according to Egil Ostenstad, there should be one more on that list. Despite walking off the pitch at The Dell with the match ball after Southampton’s famous 6-3 win over Manchester United in October 1996, Ostenstad’s third goal was officially recorded as an own goal.
A Historic Match
Graeme Souness’ Saints were not expected to perform well against Manchester United that day, given their rough start to the season and United’s strong early performance. However, Southampton had shown signs of recovery with significant wins over Middlesbrough and Sunderland, while United had just been defeated 5-0 by Newcastle.
Eyal Berkovic scored early in the match, and United’s difficulties were compounded when Roy Keane was sent off. Matt Le Tissier and David Beckham made notable contributions to the scoreline, but it was Ostenstad’s performance that stole the show—despite the official records.
Controversy Over the Hat-Trick
Ostenstad’s claim to a hat-trick was overshadowed by a decision to classify his third goal as an own goal, allegedly influenced by external factors—perhaps even by Alex Ferguson himself, as Ostenstad humorously suggests. This decision has kept Ostenstad off the official list of Premier League hat-trick scorers, a fact that he still feels a bit robbed about nearly three decades later.
The match remains one of the most memorable in Premier League history, not only for its unexpected outcome but also for the controversy surrounding one of its most talked-about goals.
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