Michael Jackson and Spider-Man – Premier League celebrations take a turn

Michael Jackson and Spider-Man – two names that definitely weren't on the Premier League bingo card on the penultimate weekend of the 2025-26 campaign.

However, thanks to Newcastle United striker William Osula and Sunderland midfielder Enzo le Fee, both made brief appearances in England's top flight on Sunday.

Having doubled the Magpies' lead in their 3-1 win against West Ham at St James' Park, Osula wheeled away in celebration before being thrown a white glove from the side of the pitch.

Osula immediately put on the glove – which famously formed part of the King of Pop's stage attire – before striking a number of Jackson's many iconic poses.

At the Hill Dickinson Stadium earlier in the day, Le Fee wasn't thrown a glove from the crowd, but a mask of the famous web-slinging superhero.

The 26-year-old – who had put Sunderland ahead for the first time in an eventual 3-1 victory – also posed for the cameras after donning his mask, imitating Spider-Man's iconic web-shooting hand gesture.

Le Fee later told Match of the Day: "Since I was young, I've liked Spider-Man – my favourite hero with my little brother, so it's a sign for him.

"I should've done the celebration a long time ago but I didn't score. I was happy to score in front of our fans."

On a day when Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton stunned fans at the Gtech Community Stadium by marking his first Eagles goal with a backflip, we look back at some of the Premier League's most memorable celebrations…

Sava, Gutierrez and Aubameyang's masks

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang often celebrated by donning superhero masks [Getty Images]

Le Fee, of course, is not the first player to don a superhero mask after scoring a goal.

Former Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang regularly popped on Batman or Black Panther masks after finding the back of the net.

Ex-Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez also used to pull a Spider-Man mask over his face after getting on the scoresheet, while former Fulham striker Facundo Sava celebrated each goal by producing a Zorro mask from his shin pads.

Crouch's robot

The second appearance of Peter Crouch’s iconic robot – against Jamaica in June 2006 [Getty Images]

A celebration that was reproduced by young footballers up and down the country for a brief period around the 2006 World Cup.

Former England international Peter Crouch marked his 100th Premier League goal – for Stoke in a 1-1 draw against Everton in February 2017 – by 'doing the robot', but he had first celebrated with the now famous dance 11 years earlier.

The robot made its debut after Crouch had completed the scoring in the Three Lions' 3-1 pre-World Cup friendly win over Hungary, before appearing again in a 6-0 rout of Jamaica at Old Trafford four days later.

Crouch scored once at the World Cup in Germany – but the robot stayed at home.

Balotelli's 'why always me?'

Mario Balotelli’s memorable celebration after opening the scoring for Manchester City at Old Trafford in October 2012 [Getty Images]

When Italian striker Mario Balotelli scored the opener in Manchester City's 6-1 thrashing of Manchester United in October 2011, he lifted up his shirt to reveal a shirt asking 'Why always me?'

Controversy was never far away when Balotelli was around. Just two days before that famous derby win, the former Italy international's bathroom had been set alight by a firework launched in his house.

Nothing to do with his subsequent celebration, of course…

Bullard's team talk

Jimmy Bullard gives his team-mates a dressing down – much to Phil Brown’s displeasure [Getty Images]

In 2008, then Hull City manager Phil Brown made headlines by giving his players a half-time dressing down on the Etihad Stadium pitch as they trailed 4-0 to City.

A year later, when Jimmy Bullard found the net to make it 1-1 against the same opposition, Bullard's team-mates crowded around the midfielder as he pretended to give them a dressing down.

Bullard later revealed that Brown had told him to "wind his neck in" after the match.

Ketsbaia loses his rag

Temuri Ketsbaia made 109 appearances for Newcastle between 1997 and 2000 [Getty Images]

Temuri Ketsbaia scored 14 goals in 109 appearances for Newcastle between 1997 and 2000, but he is perhaps best remembered for his celebration against Bolton Wanderers in January 1998.

After netting a late winning goal for his side, the Georgian threw his shirt into the crowd and tried to remove his boots before repeatedly kicking the advertising hoardings behind the goal.

Calm down, Temuri. You've just scored the winner!