What with being the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer, Alan Shearer would’ve faced his fair share of tough opponents during stints with Southampton, Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers – and he once named the ‘really nice’ Manchester United icon who he ‘hated’ during his goal-laden career.
A household name thanks to his eye-catching record in front of goal, Shearer began his career by rising through the academy ranks at Southampton before moving to Blackburn in 1992, an indelible moment in time when England’s top flight became the Premier League.
As the club’s leading talisman at the time, he spearheaded them to Premier League glory in the 1994/95 season before Newcastle secured his signature in 1996. He spent 10 years of his football career at his boyhood club and cemented himself in St James’ Park folklore.
Watch some of Shearer's greatest-ever Premier League goals:
Shearer Named Man Utd Icon He ‘Hated’ During Career
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, Shearer played just shy of 450 times in England’s primary division post-1992 – and thus, he came up against some of the greatest players, especially the crème de la crème of goalkeepers in his case, to grace the league.
And of those players, there would’ve naturally been a few that Shearer didn’t see eye-to-eye with – that is particularly the case for imposing shot stoppers who tried to prevent Shearer doing what he did best, which was hitting the back of the net.
Newcastle's Alan Shearer following his 1st minute goal vs Man City
Newcastle's Alan Shearer following his 1st minute goal vs Man City
On that, Shearer once named the ‘really nice’ Manchester United icon that he ‘hated’ during his career. They were certainly stern words from the striker-turned-pundit – but it all starts to make sense when reflecting on his record against the shot stopper.
Speaking on the Match of the Day Top 10 podcast, the former centre-forward was tasked with naming his greatest XI to play in the Premier League. And, in between the sticks, he chose none other than Peter Schmeichel, who was known to be frightening.
“Had to be. I hated him when I was playing against him. But I get on really well with him now – he’s a really nice guy. Very, very good goalkeeper. Had to be him.”
Peter Schmeichel
Throughout Shearer’s career, there wasn’t a player he faced more than Schmeichel, who is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history. Danish, the 6ft 5in glovesman won five domestic titles with Manchester United between 1991 and 1999 alongside the solitary Champions League crown.
Now 61 years of age, Gladsaxe-born Schmeichel earned a total of 129 caps for Denmark on the international stage – but he is most notably remembered for his exploits on the domestic stage. His 398-outing Old Trafford stint aside, he played for the likes of Manchester City and Aston Villa, too, and he's one of the most feared goalkeepers of all time.
Shearer's Record vs Schmeichel
Matches
Minutes
Teams
Wins
Draws
Losses
Goals
Points per match
Shearer wasn’t the only Premier League talisman that was irked by the imposing Dane. Striker-turned-pundit Ian Wright also once suggested that Schmeichel was a pain to play – and, of course, score – against. Per a report in The Mirror, he said:
“We get on well, play golf together about the collisions we had. When we speak about it now, me and Schmeichel, we talk about how much I genuinely hated him as a goalkeeper. I knew how good he was and how hard it was to score against him. The only goals I scored against him were in friendlies.”