Manchester United’s 9-0 win over Southampton on 2 February 2021 was the joint biggest win in Premier League history.

In order for a result like this to happen, devastating finishing and comical defending must combine in dramatic fashion.

Here are the occasions throughout Premier League history where these two worlds have collided to create some staggering winning margins.

18. BLACKBURN ROVERS 7-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST (1995)

Reigning champions Blackburn Rovers put Nottingham Forest to the sword 7-0 back in November 1995.

Unsurprisingly, Alan Shearer helped himself to a hat trick, with Graham Le Saux also scoring. Norwegian midfielder Lars Bohinen rounded things off by grabbing a brace.

The previous season Forest had finished third, making the result all the more shocking.

17. MANCHESTER UNITED 7-0 BARNSLEY (1997)

Barnsley’s only season in the Premier League was not all bad, but their trip to Old Trafford in October certainly was.

Andy Cole got United off to a fine start, scoring twice in as many minutes midway through the first half. Ryan Giggs then added another, before Cole completed his hat trick on the stroke of half time.

Second half goals from Giggs, Paul Scholes and Karel Poborsky compounded the Tykes misery, with the result leaving them with a minus 26 goal difference after just 12 games.

16. ARSENAL 7-0 EVERTON (2005)

Arsenal boasted six different scorers in their historic win over Everton back in 2005.

Some of them were rather unconventional as well, with defensive midfielders Edu and Mathieu Flamini both getting on the scoresheet.

A fresh faced Robin van Persie and fellow Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp also netted, while French pair Robert Pires — who got a brace — and Patrick Vieira completed the rout.

Current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was playing in midfield for the Toffees that afternoon.

15. ARSENAL 7-0 MIDDLESBROUGH (2006)

Despite boasting an irresistible strike force in Yakubu and Mark Viduka, Middlesbrough’s defending during the 2005/2006 season was not quite as impressive.

Steve McClaren’s side shipped seven against Arsenal in January, with Thierry Henry tearing them apart and netting a fine hat trick.

The Gunners’ other scorers included low sock enthusiast Aleksandr Hleb, Philippe Senderos and Robert Pires. Meanwhile, Gilberto Silva netted one of his 17 Premier League goals, nodding home at the front post to make it 5-0 on the hour mark.

14. CHELSEA 7-0 STOKE CITY (2010)

Do not adjust your screens. Yes, Tony Pulis’ Stoke did once ship seven goals.

Salomon Kalou starred for Chelsea, grabbing a hat trick, with the result enough to see the Blues return to the top of the Premier League with two games left to play.

Frank Lampard also registered a brace, while Daniel Sturridge and Florent Malouda capped things off with goals in the final minutes.

13. MANCHESTER CITY 7-0 NORWICH CITY (2013)

Fielding right-back Steven Whittaker as a winger did not help Norwich City stem the tide against a rampant Manchester City back in 2013.

The tone for the Canaries’ dire afternoon was set when Bradley Johnson scored an own goal 16 minutes in. Things escalated quickly after that, with strikes from David Silva and Alvaro Negredo, as well as a second Norwich own goal, making it 4-0 before the break.

City showed little mercy in the second half as well. Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko all got in on the act to boost the eventual champion’s goal difference.

12. CRYSTAL PALACE 0-7 LIVERPOOL (2020)

Prior to their visit to Crystal Palace, people were beginning to question whether Liverpool were burned out after achieving so much over the past few seasons.

The Reds answered their doubters with an incredible win in which Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino both notched braces.

Not to be left out, Sadio Mane also scored, along with Takumi Minamino and Jordan Henderson.

11. NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1-8 MANCHESTER UNITED (1999)

When defender Alan Rodgers made it 1-1 against United back in 1999, Forest might have been hopeful of holding that season’s treble winners.

Instead, the Red Devils showed remarkable ruthlessness going forward, scoring seven without reply before full time. Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole both got braces but the man of the hour was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

He only came on with 20 minutes to play but still managed to score FOUR times to seal a massive win.

10. MIDDLESBROUGH 8-1 MANCHESTER CITY (2008)

Prior to the Abu Dhabi takeover the following summer, City endured a humili-eight-ing day out at the Riverside Stadium.

A Citizens’ team containing the likes of Sun Jihai, Benjani and Michael Ball —not the singer — were smashed by MIddlesbrough, with figure of ridicule Afonso Alves netting a hat trick.

Arsenal alumnus Jeremie Aliadiere also scored, along with Adam Johnson and Stewart Downing, who got a brace. The pick of the goals came from Fabio Rochemback, who netted a trademark, piledriver free kick.

9. NEWCASTLE UNITED 8-0 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (1999)

Alan Shearer became just the second man to score five goals in a Premier League game back in 1999.

Sheffield Wednesday were his victims, with the late Gary Speed, Aaron Hughes and a young Kieron Dyer also getting on the scoresheet.

The game was Sir Bobby Robson’s first in charge of Newcastle after taking over from Ruud Gullit. Not a bad start, eh?

8. CHELSEA 8-0 WIGAN ATHLETIC (2010)

Things were not going all that badly for Wigan at Stamford Bridge — before Gary Caldwell got sent off that is.

After rallying well following Nicolas Anelka’s early strike, the dismissal knocked the stuffing out of the Latics with Chelsea going on to add seven goals.

Didier Drogba managed a hat trick, with Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and Ashley Cole all netting on a day in which Carlo Ancelotti’s side confirmed the title in some style.

7. CHELSEA 8-0 ASTON VILLA (2012)

Chelsea were at it again two years later, this time putting eight past a young Aston Villa side.

Fernando Torres opened the scoring with a rare Chelsea strike inside three minutes and the goals kept on coming after that.

The Blues registered seven different scorers in total with Ramires the only player to grab a brace. Sharing is caring we guess.

6. SOUTHAMPTON 8-0 SUNDERLAND (2014)

A lot of terrible things have happened to Sunderland over the past few years, though not many as bad as this.

The Southampton team that recorded the club’s record league win against the Black Cats contained several future Premier League stars, with Toby Alderweireld starting and Sadio Mane and Victor Wanyama only good enough for a place on the bench.

Sunderland did not exactly help themselves, scoring two own goals, but Saints were still unstoppable with Graziano Pelle notching a pair of fine finishes.

5. MANCHESTER CITY 8-0 WATFORD (2019)

The 2019/2020 season was not a vintage one for City, but it did have its moments.

The club’s stunning 8-0 win over Watford was one, with David Silva getting the party started inside 60 seconds.

City spent the rest of the game camped out on the edge of the Hornets’ box and a conveyor belt of ruthlessly efficient goals followed.

4. TOTTENHAM 9-1 WIGAN ATHLETIC (2009)

This has to be one of the madest games in Premier League history.

At half time, Tottenham were only 1-0 up, and there was little indication that things were about to get weird.First Jermain Defoe grabbed an eight minute hat trick, which was intersected by a Paul Scharner strike. Aaron Lennon then scored, before Defoe added two more to make it 7-1.

A Chris Kirkland own goal and a tidy finish from Harry Redknapp’s favourite son, Niko Kranjcar, in the final few minutes capped off an extraordinary second half.

3. MANCHESTER UNITED 9-0 IPSWICH TOWN (1995)

Until recent developments, United’s 9-0 win over Ipswich stood unchallenged as the biggest win in Premier League history.

Roy Keane — who was playing right-back — opened the scoring inside 15 minutes and Ipswich’s resistance from then on out was non-existent.

The historic afternoon saw Andy Cole become the first player to net five goals in a single Premier League game, while Mark Hughes grabbed a brace. Paul Ince also netted in controversial circumstances, capitalising on a quick free to catch a stricken Craig Forrest out.

2. MANCHESTER UNITED 9-0 SOUTHAMPTON (2021)

Going down to 10 men with less than two minutes played is never a good idea, as Southampton learned against a rampant United.

After Alex Jankewitz’s dismissal, the Red Devils raced into a 4-0 lead by half time. Two more goals followed, before Jan Bednarek’s controversial red card inspired United to add even more goals before the final whistle.

The result came on Groundhog Day, the significance of which will become clear after reading our next and final entry…

1. SOUTHAMPTON 0-9 LEICESTER (2019)

Leicester City did not waste any time getting at Southampton back in October 2019 with Ben Chilwell opening the scoring inside 10 minutes.

Soon after, Ryan Bertrand was dismissed and the floodgates opened. Leicester were 5-0 up by half time and would go on to add four more goals before the final whistle.

Spare a though for James Ward-Prowse, the only player to be on the pitch for all of the 18 goals Saints conceded against United and the Foxes.

–90min