On this day: Paul Scholes scores 100th Premier League goal

By Callum Mulvihill, Reporter | 06 March 2015

On this day in 2010, Paul Scholes scored his 100th Premier League goal in Manchester United's 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In Premier League history, 24 players have managed to reach the 100-goal milestone, and only four midfielders have been able to reach three figures since its inception in 1992.

On this day in 2010, it was the turn of Paul Scholes to write his name in the history books as he scored his 100th Premier League goal to lead Manchester United to a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.

Paul Scholes of Manchester United celebrates his goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United at Molineux on March 6, 2010 © Getty Images

Throughout his legendary career at Old Trafford Scholes made a habit of delivering the goods when it mattered most, and he did it once again on an evening when Sir Alex Ferguson's side struggled to produce their best.

The early signs were worrying for the visitors as the impressive Kevin Doyle made it clear that Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic would be in for a tough 90 minutes by forcing his way into space before dragging a shot past the post.

As United continued to search for their attacking rhythm, Wolves created their best chance of the match for Stephen Ward, who could only head a Matt Jarvis cross straight at a relieved Edwin van der Sar.

Losing Wayne Rooney to injury a few days before the match would have a big impact on the away side, and the closest they would come to a breakthrough before half time arrived when Darron Gibson poked Nani's free kick past the post.

Ferguson's side stepped up the pace in the second half, but a lack of cutting edge continued to stall their progress, with Patrice Evra twice hitting Wolves defenders with shots from inside the box.

Wolves grew in confidence as the match progressed and looked the more dangerous of the two teams for long spells until Scholes made the vital contribution in the 73rd minute.

There didn't appear to be enough room for the midfielder to create space in a congested box, but a clever touch to evade a challenge allowed him to find the bottom corner 16 years after opening his Premier League account.

United should have added to their lead late on as substitute Mame Biram Diouf headed wide from a Gary Neville cross before missing the target with a tame finish.

Wolves created the chance to snatch an equaliser in stoppage time when Ronald Zubar's pass fell to Sam Vokes, but the Welsh forward could only fire over from close range to ensure that Scholes was the match winner.

Wolves: Hahnemann, Craddock, Ward (Keogh), Berra, Zubar, Foley, Guedioura (Ebanks-Blake), Henry, Jones, Jarvis (Vokes), Doyle

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown (Neville), Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Scholes, Carrick, Nani (Park), Valencia, Gibson (Diouf), Berbatov