Football stands as the globe’s most beloved sport, and the pinnacle of the game is undoubtedly the English Premier League, the most-watched football league worldwide. Fans often revel in the thrill of goals, and the most unforgettable matches typically showcase a flurry of scoring. Yet, while goals can create magical moments for one team, they can simultaneously bring heartache to the opponent.
There are times when a solitary team dominates the scoreboard entirely. Let’s dive into some of the most lopsided victories recorded in Premier League history. One of these monumental matches occurred almost exactly 30 years ago…
The excitement of goals in football
The Premier League commenced in 1992, and the 2024/25 season marks the 33rd year of this elite English top-tier competition. Up until now (following the latest match), there have been an impressive 34,109 goals scored across 12,667 Premier League encounters. This brings the long-term average to approximately 2.69 goals per game.
As of this 2024/25 season, the average has slightly risen to over three goals per match (currently at 3.02). Naturally, certain fixtures will see far more goals than others, and these exceptional games contribute to the overall average.
Imagine a game where goals are scored at three times the usual rate, and all those goals only find the back of one net. These scenarios lead to the most remarkable wins (or, from the other side of the coin, devastating defeats) recorded in Premier League history.
Dominant nine-goal victories in the Premier League
1995: Manchester United 9-0 Ipswich Town
The staggering scoreline of 9-0 stands as the record for the largest victory in Premier League history. This milestone was achieved for the first time on March 4, 1995, when Manchester United triumphed over Ipswich Town.
At the half-time whistle, the score was a modest 3-0, yet the second half saw the goals multiply, leaving the final tally at 9-0. Striker Andy Cole netted five goals, becoming the first player in Premier League history to achieve such a feat in a single match.
Despite this remarkable win, Manchester United missed out on the title that year, with Blackburn Rovers coming out on top. Alan Shearer was the Premier League’s leading scorer, netting 34 goals for Blackburn, while Andy Cole finished the season with 21 league goals.
This iconic victory at Old Trafford has now reached its 30th anniversary and remains the most significant win in the Premier League era, though it has since been matched on three occasions.
Goals (Man United): Roy Keane 15′, Andy Cole 19′, 37′, 53′, 65′, 87′, Mark Hughes 55′, 59′, Paul Ince 72′
2019: Southampton 0-9 Leicester City
It took 24 long years before the record was equalled again. In the 2019/20 Premier League season, Southampton faced Leicester City at St Mary’s Stadium in October 2019, resulting in another 9-0 defeat.
Leicester City emerged victorious as this match not only matched the record but also established a new benchmark for the biggest away win in English top-flight football history (beyond just the Premier League).
Two players stood out during this encounter, each netting hat-tricks: Leicester’s own Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez. Notably, Perez managed to accomplish this scoring feat, despite having only tallied 12 goals over his 80 league appearances during his four years at Leicester City, making a quarter of his total goals from that one spectacular match.
Goals (Leicester City): Ben Chilwell 10′, Youri Tielemans 17′, Ayoze Perez 19′, 39′, 57′, Jamie Vardy 45′, 58′, 90+4′ (pen.), James Maddison 85′
2021: Manchester United 9-0 Southampton
Just 15 months later, in February 2021, Southampton faced another 9-0 drubbing, this time at the hands of Manchester United. This defeat made Southampton the first club to lose twice by such a scoreline, and in consecutive seasons no less. Conversely, Manchester United accounted for two of the three largest winning margins recorded to date.
Goals (Man United): Aaron Wan-Bissaka 18′, Marcus Rashford 25′, Jan Bednarek 34′ (own goal), Edinson Cavani 39′, Anthony Martial 69′, 90′, Scott McTominay 71′, Bruno Fernandes 88′ (pen.), Daniel James 90+3′
2022: Liverpool 9-0 Bournemouth
In August 2022, the fourth match that tied for the largest win/loss in Premier League history occurred, as Liverpool overwhelmed Bournemouth with a 9-0 scoreline.
This remarkable victory was sparked by an explosive start from the Reds, who surged to a 2-0 lead within the first six minutes, thanks to a header from Luis Diaz and a long-range shot from Harvey Elliott, marking his inaugural Premier League goal.
Goals (Liverpool): Luis Diaz 3′, 85′, Harvey Elliott 6′, Trent Alexander-Arnold 28′, Roberto Firmino 31′, 62′, Virgil Van Dijk 45′, Chris Mepham 46′ (own goal), Fabio Carvalho 80′
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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