Premier League
MANCHESTER UNITED’S 9-0 WIN IS PREMIER LEAGUE’S BIGGEST SCORELINE
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
Manchester United’s under-pressure coach Ruben Amorim will be given the full three years of his contract to prove himself and the club will become the most profitable in the world, co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said on Wednesday.
Amorim was Ratcliffe’s choice to replace Erik ten Hag last November but the Portuguese coach has struggled to turn around the club’s flagging fortunes, winning only 10 of his 34 Premier League matches in charge.
United endured their worst top-flight finish last season since they were relegated in 1973–74, coming 15th, and they missed out on Europe after being beaten by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
But Ratcliffe has issued his strongest statement of support for Amorim yet, comparing the situation to when Alex Ferguson struggled in the early years of his reign before becoming the greatest manager in the club’s history.
“I remember the clamouring for Alex Ferguson to be fired in his first two years,” Ratcliffe, who owns 30% of the club and controls the football side of the business, told The Times’ podcast The Business. “You look at (Mikel) Arteta at Arsenal. He had a miserable time for the first couple of years.
“We’re results-driven at the end of the day, but we have to be patient and we have to see through the results. I think there’s lots of good things at Manchester United. We have to be patient and we have a long-term plan. It isn’t a light switch.
“Ruben needs to demonstrate that he’s a great coach over three years.”
‘WE’VE MADE ERRORS’
While the American Glazer family retain majority control of the 20-time champions of England, Ratcliffe rejected suggestions they could instruct him to sack Amorim.
“It absolutely wouldn’t happen because it’s just a good working relationship. They come to the board meetings. We sit down and we talk about things,” Ratcliffe said.
“We’ve made errors. There’s absolutely no question that we’ve made errors as we’ve gone along and we’ve talked about it. But no one’s perfect.”
Asked to confirm whether Amorim would see out his contract, Ratcliffe said: “Yes. That’s where I would be. Three years, because football’s not overnight.”
Despite United’s stock falling on the pitch, off it they recently posted record revenues of 666.5 million pounds ($892.1 million) in the year to June 2025, albeit with a 33 million pounds loss.
Amorim’s squad was boosted by more than 200 million pounds worth of new signings in the summer.
“The better your squad, the better your football should be. So a lot of what we have done in the first year is spend an awful lot of time putting the club on a sustainable, healthy footing,” Ratcliffe, who completed his acquisition of a minority stake in the club in 2024, said.
“If you look at our results for last year we have the highest revenues ever. Profitability, the second highest. We’re not seeing all the benefits of the restructuring that we’ve done in this set of results, and we were not in the Champions League.
“Those numbers will get better. Manchester United will become the most profitable football club in the world, in my view, and from that will stem, I hope, a long-term, sustainable, high-level of football.”
Ratcliffe also said he wants to revive the club’s Academy that once churned out the likes of multiple title winners David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.
“The academy has really slipped at Manchester United,” Ratcliffe said. “You don’t solve the academy problem overnight. It takes time. We just recruited a new academy director.”
-Reuters
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Manchester United cruised to a rare comfortable home Premier League victory as goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
With the pressure growing on manager Ruben Amorim after a disappointing start to the season, Mount calmed the nerves around the ground with a fine early finish to break the deadlock.
United continued to dominate, with a spectacular save from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs preventing Bruno Fernandes from adding a sumptuous second before Sesko netted his first Old Trafford goal after 31 minutes.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty late in the first half, a decision that was overturned following a VAR intervention, but they never really threatened after the break as United eased to a third home league victory of the season.
The result put United in provisional eighth place with 10 points from seven games, two places below Sunderland on 11.
Wins, especially comfortable ones, have been in short supply for Portuguese Amorim since he took charge in November.
United supporters have slowly started to turn on the new manager as a result, with nothing short of victory over promoted Sunderland, despite the visitors’ impressive start to the season, enough to appease the disgruntled masses.
Mount’s superb control and finish was just what the beleaguered boss needed. The fine strike was the earliest United have scored in the Premier League since Marcus Rashford’s goal at Ipswich Town in Amorim’s first game in charge.
It was only a matter of time until the hosts scored again, such was their dominance. From a long throw, Sesko was alert to the flick-on before steering home his second in as many games.
United thought they had shot themselves in the foot as Sesko was penalised for a high boot in his own penalty area, only for VAR to deem it not to be a foul.
The hosts took their foot off the gas in the second half, but still should have added to their tally, with veteran Brazilian Casemiro blazing their best chance over the bar.
Sunderland did manufacture a late gilt-edged chance but Senne Lammens, making his debut in the United goal, stood tall to block, completing an assured performance from the keeper and his new teammates.
-Reuters
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Premier League champions Liverpool dropped points for the first time this season when they lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace in the eighth minute of added time as Manchester United and Chelsea suffered 3-1 defeats on Saturday.
United slumped at Brentford and 10-man Chelsea were beaten at home by Brighton & Hove Albion, who scored twice in stoppage time.
Manchester City thrashed Burnley 5-1 thanks to two own goals and a late brace from Erling Haaland while Leeds United were held to a 2-2 draw after Bournemouth equalised in added time through 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi.
There was also a late twist at Tottenham Hotspur when Joao Palhinha struck an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
LIVERPOOL SUFFER FIRST LOSS
Liverpool were on the back foot early on when Palace took the lead in the ninth minute through a set-piece when the ball fell to Ismaila Sarr who smashed it home.
Liverpool would have conceded more if not for goalkeeper Alisson while Jean-Philippe Mateta nearly made it 2-0 when he hit the post.
Although Liverpool equalised through Federico Chiesa in the 87th minute, fellow substitute Eddie Nketiah provided late drama when he scored the winner in the 97th minute, with Selhurst Park celebrating the goal twice after VAR confirmed he was not offside.
“The boys are in really good form and think we can win every game and today we showed that,” Nketiah told the BBC.
Palace ended the day in second place, three points behind leaders Liverpool although Arsenal can go second if they beat Newcastle United on Sunday.
OWN GOALS, HAALAND GIVE MAN CITY WIN
Burnley’s Maxime Esteve became only the sixth player to score two own goals in a Premier League game as City climbed up to fourth.
Esteve scored the first when he tried to deny Phil Foden but Jaidon Anthony made it 1-1 with a shot that deflected off Ruben Dias.
Matheus Nunes restored City’s lead with a close-range effort before Esteve’s second own goal came when he looked to stop Oscar Bobb from finding the net.
Haaland struck twice in the dying minutes to hand Burnley their biggest loss of the season.
MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE AT BRENTFORD
Bryan Mbeumo received a warm welcome from the Brentford fans as he returned to his former club for the first time since his move to Manchester United but the reception paled in comparison to the roars when the home side went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes.
Igor Thiago capitalised on United’s high line for the opener when Jordan Henderson sent him through on goal in the eighth minute, before the Brazilian forward grabbed his second when United keeper Altay Bayindir spilled a save right into his path.
United pulled one back when Benjamin Sesko scored his first goal for the club but Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher before Mathias Jensen put the game out of reach in added time with a rocket from outside the box.
“We didn’t control the game, we played the game of Brentford. We were really confused (on) second balls, first balls, set pieces,” United manager Ruben Amorim said.
“The crucial moments, they were against us. Tough to lose again.”
CHELSEA SEE RED AGAIN
Chelsea had a player sent off for a second time in as many league games when Trevoh Chalobah saw red for denying Brighton a goal-scoring opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Fernandez had given Chelsea a 1-0 lead with a close-range header but Chalobah’s red card in the 53rd minute reduced the home side to 10 men and Brighton made it count when Danny Welbeck opened his account for the season with the equaliser.
Brighton capitalised again in the 92nd minute when Maxim De Cuyper powered home a header and the visitors sealed all three points when Welbeck scored in the 10th minute of added time.
Bournemouth took the lead at Leeds when Antoine Semenyo scored from a free kick but the home side made it 2-1 when Joe Rodon and Sean Longstaff netted either side of halftime.
With Leeds close to taking three points, Kroupi volleyed home from inside the box in the 93rd minute to lift Bournemouth into a group of three clubs on 11 points.
Sunderland moved to 11 points and fourth place by beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground to leave Forest’s new manager Ange Postecoglou winless after five games in charge.
Omar Alderete’s first-half goal was the difference between the two sides with Sunderland mounting a staunch rearguard action as Forest laid siege to their goal.
Wolves were seconds away from earning their first win of the season after losing their opening five games in their worst ever start to a league campaign.
They led through Santiago Bueno’s scrappy goal early in the second half but Palhinha guided in a superb finish to send Tottenham to third place on goal difference.
-Reuters
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