Biggest wins in Premier League history: Highest-scoring games, heaviest defeats as Arsenal put Sheffield United to the sword

Simon Borg

Biggest wins in Premier League history: Highest-scoring games, heaviest defeats as Arsenal put Sheffield United to the sword image

Sheffield United have endured a torrid time on their return to the Premier League in 2023/24.

Relegation back to the Championship appears certain and chastening defeats have been the order of the day.

Newcastle United romped to an 8-0 victory at Bramall Lane in September and a change of manager from Paul Heckingbotham to his predecessor Chris Wilder has not brought about a change of fortune.

Heading into their March 4 game against title-chasing Arsenal, United had lost their previous two home games 5-0. The Gunners were ahead by the same scoreline at halftime.

It puts a Premier League record under threat.

MORE: Arsenal vs. Sheffield United as it happens

What is the biggest win in Premier League history?

The record for the biggest win in Premier League history is shared by LiverpoolManchester United, and Leicester City, who have all won a match in the competition by a scoreline of 9-0. United have done it twice.

The Red Devils achieved that feat first when they thrashed Ipswich Town back in March 1995. It would be 14 years before that scoreline was matched, when Leicester produced a remarkable performance to defeat Southampton 9-0 away in October 2019. Southampton fans could scarcely believe it when, 16 months later, they lost by the same scoreline to United at Old Trafford.

In August 2022, Liverpool beat Bournemouth 9-0 at Anfield in a match that cost Cherries manager Scott Parker his job.

Biggest wins in Premier League history by margin of victory

Here are the 23 matches that have featured the widest margin of victory in the Premier League since 1992/93.

It's notable that Manchester United have won 9-0 on two separate occasions, 26 years apart. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have an 8-0 victory (2019) and 7-0 triumph (2021). Liverpool defeated United 7-0 in March 2023 in what was a truly shocking result. Newcastle's 8-0 win at Sheffield United was the second-biggest away win in Premier League history.

Margin of
Victory
Home Team Away Team Result Date
9 Liverpool Bournemouth 9-0 Aug. 27, 2022
9 Manchester United Southampton 9-0 Feb. 2, 2021
9 Southampton Leicester City 0-9 Oct. 25, 2019
9 Manchester United Ipswich Town 9-0 March 4, 1995
8 Sheffield United Newcastle 0-8 Sep. 24, 2023
8 Manchester City Watford 8-0 Sept. 21, 2019
8 Southampton Sunderland 8-0 Oct. 18, 2014
8 Chelsea Aston Villa 8-0 Dec. 23, 2012
8 Chelsea Wigan Athletic 8-0 May 9, 2010
8 Tottenham Hotspur Wigan Athletic 9-1 Nov. 22, 2009
8 Newcastle United Sheff. Wednesday 8-0 Sept. 19, 1999
7 Liverpool Manchester United 7-0 Mar. 5, 2023
7 Manchester City Leeds United 7-0 Dec. 14, 2021
7 Chelsea Norwich City 7-0 Oct. 23, 2021
7 Crystal Palace Liverpool 0-7 Dec. 19, 2020
7 Manchester City Norwich City 7-0 Nov. 2, 2013
7 Chelsea Stoke City 7-0 April 25, 2010
7 Middlesbrough Manchester City 8-1 May 11, 2008
7 Arsenal Middlesbrough 7-0 Jan. 14, 2006
7 Arsenal Everton 7-0 May 11, 2005
7 Nottingham Forest Manchester United 1-8 Feb. 6, 1999
7 Manchester United Barnsley 7-0 Oct. 25, 1997
7 Blackburn Rovers Nottingham Forest 7-0 Nov. 18, 1995

MORE: Most Premier League goals scored in a single season

Most goals in a Premier League match

There have been 30 matches that have seen nine or more goals scored.

Man United have been involved in seven of them, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in five, and Southampton have been part of four of them.

Goals
Scored
Home Team Away Team Result Date
11 Portsmouth Reading 7-4 Sept. 29, 2007
10 West Bromwich Manchester United 5-5 May 19, 2013
10 Arsenal Newcastle 7-3 Dec. 29, 2012
10 Manchester United Arsenal 8-2 Aug. 28, 2011
10 Tottenham Wigan Athletic 9-1 Nov. 22, 2009
10 Tottenham Reading 6-4 Dec. 29, 2007
9 Manchester City Manchester United 6-3 Oct. 2, 2022
9 Manchester City Leicester City 6-3 Dec. 26, 2021
9 Liverpool Bournemouth 9-0 Aug. 27, 2022
9 Manchester United Southampton 9-0 Feb. 2, 2021
9 Aston Villa Liverpool 7-2 Oct. 4, 2020
9 Southampton Leicester City 0-9 Oct. 25, 2019
9 Tottenham Leicester City 5-4 May 13, 2018
9 Manchester City Stoke City 7-2 Oct. 14, 2017
9 Everton Bournemouth 6-3 Feb. 4, 2017
9 Swansea City Crystal Palace 5-4 Nov. 26, 2016
9 Norwich City Liverpool 4-5 Jan. 23, 2016
9 Everton Chelsea 3-6 Aug. 30, 2014
9 Cardiff City Liverpool 3-6 March 22, 2014
9 Manchester City Arsenal 6-3 Dec. 14, 2013
9 Chelsea  Sunderland 7-2 Jan. 16, 2010
9 Middlesbrough Manchester City 8-1 May 11, 2008
9 Tottenham Arsenal 4-5 Nov. 13, 2004
9 Tottenham Southampton 7-2 March 11, 2000
9 West Ham Bradford City 5-4 Feb. 12, 2000
9 Nottingham Forest Manchester United 1-8 Feb. 6, 1999
9 Blackburn Rovers Sheff. Wednesday 7-2 Aug. 26, 1997
9 Southampton Manchester United 6-3 Oct. 26, 1996
9 Manchester United Ipswich Town 9-0 March 4, 1995
9 Norwich City Southampton 4-5 April 9, 1994

Simon Borg

Simon Borg Photo

Simon Borg is a senior editor at The Sporting News who has covered football/soccer for over a decade. A supporter of Italian club Parma Calcio from his years growing up in Europe, he was previously a long-time member of Major League Soccer's digital media team, as a multimedia content producer, on-air personality, and Editor-in-Chief. Based in New York City, Borg is multilingual and has covered the domestic and global scene for TSN since 2021.