Examining the Longest Winless Streaks in Premier League History

The Premier League stands tall as the wealthiest, most popular, and highest-quality top-flight league in global football. Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has even asserted that winning the English top division is more challenging than lifting the Champions League, the ultimate prize in European club football.

However, not every team that has graced the Premier League can claim an elite status. Securing a victory against such high-caliber opposition, especially in a league where teams like Guardiola's dominant City are just one of many incredible sides, is an immensely difficult task. Weeks between triumphs can swiftly turn into months. Let's take a look at the clubs that have experienced the longest winless streaks in the history of the competition.

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10. Wolves

17 games

Mick McCarthy, with over two decades of managerial experience and overseeing more than 650 matches, encountered an unprecedented situation when the chairman of his club, Steve Morgan, entered the sanctity of the dressing room uninvited. This occurred after Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered a lackluster 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool in January 2012.

McCarthy, mindful of not openly criticizing his superior, subtly hinted at his negative perception of the incident. The seasoned former Republic of Ireland international jokingly suggested that he should pursue "a sensible job as a window cleaner or an insurance salesman." However, Morgan's outburst only brought about a brief improvement before McCarthy was ultimately sacked within two weeks. The team soon faced relegation, and it took another six years under the management of Nuno Espirito Santo for Wolves to secure their next Premier League victory.

9. QPR

17 games

Queens Park Rangers' dismal run of 17 matches without a victory began in a surreal setting. On the final day of the 2011/2012 season, Sergio Aguero scored a memorable stoppage-time winner for Manchester City against QPR, securing the Premier League title. QPR managed to avoid relegation thanks to a draw between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City, resulting in the entire Etihad Stadium erupting with jubilation at the final whistle.

Manager Mark Hughes boldly declared that his team would not find themselves in a similar situation again during his tenure. However, Hughes was sacked before QPR could secure another league win. The team's struggles continued into the following season, as they failed to claim three points in any of their first 16 matches, ultimately leading to their relegation.

8. Nottingham Forest

19 games

The sense of betrayal still weighed heavily on Dave Bassett. Even two decades after managing Nottingham Forest during their disastrous start to the 1998/1999 Premier League season, Bassett claimed that he had been "betrayed by the club's directors." This feeling of betrayal stemmed from the decision to sell striker Kevin Campbell to Trabzonspor before the start of the campaign, which left Bassett feeling abandoned.

Although Dutch forward Pierre van Hooijdonk remained at the club, he effectively went on strike as he felt his demands for player recruitment were not being met. Bassett was eventually replaced by Ron Atkinson in January. In Atkinson's second game in charge, he successfully halted the team's losing streak and secured a 1-0 victory over Everton, with the winning goal scored by none other than the returning Van Hooijdonk. The charismatic new manager's arrival brought a glimmer of hope amidst the turmoil.

7. Aston Villa

19 games

Tim Sherwood experienced the opening day of a season as a manager for the first time in his career. Aston Villa managed to secure a narrow victory against newly promoted Bournemouth in a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere on the sun-soaked south coast. This would turn out to be the club's final league win of the entire calendar year.

In November, Remi Garde replaced Sherwood as Villa's manager, but he struggled to assert his authority over the squad. Micah Richards, the team's captain at the time, recalled stifling laughter during Garde's team talks and went on to label him as "the worst manager" he had ever encountered. Richards gave a scathing assessment, stating that Garde "brought absolutely nothing" to the team. However, Garde did manage to put an end to Villa's winless streak by securing a determined victory over Crystal Palace, a match in which he dropped six players, including Richards himself.

6. West Brom

20 games

The 2017/2018 season saw West Bromwich Albion achieve their best start to a top-flight campaign in nearly forty years, securing consecutive victories. However, their fortunes took a drastic turn as the club underwent significant changes, including the sacking of their chairman, CEO, and two managers before Easter.

Although West Brom had a prolonged period of five months without a win, they were not as abysmal as some other teams on this unfortunate list. During this winless stretch, they managed to avoid defeat in half of their matches, with only three clubs losing more games over the same period. According to UnderStat's expected goals (xG) model, which assesses the quality and quantity of shots rather than actual goals scored, West Brom's performance indicated that they were creating and conceding chances that would typically warrant a mid-table position. Unfortunately, luck was not on their side, as they ultimately finished 20th in the league standings.

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