After five gameweeks of the new season, two of the so-called “Big Six” are already equalling or breaking records for their worst Premier League start, and for all the wrong reasons.
Tottenham Hotspur are bottom of the table on goal difference having failed to win any of their opening fixtures and only scoring their first goals when trailing 3-0 to Aston Villa on Saturday.
As for Manchester United, a lucky point from a desperate 1-1 draw at Fulham has seen them equal their worst Premier League start and leave the fanbase with a growing feeling of deja vu.
Fittingly, they face off after the international break, but before that, let’s take a closer look at those starts, as well as the worst Premier League start endured by each of their apparent rivals at the top of the English game.
Tottenham – 2 points – 2026/27
We may as well start with the side propping up the early table. After Roberto De Zerbi led a successful escape last season and the subsequent £400million summer spend, hopes were high on the white side of north London.
Instead, it’s been more of the same with no wins, two goals and two points from their opening five games. Remarkably, the loss to Aston Villa means Unai Emery has won more league games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium than De Zerbi, Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank combined (4-3) from just five attempts.
A third consecutive 17th-placed finish might not sound too bad to a lot of fans right now.
Man Utd – 5 points – 2026/27 & 2014/15
Man Utd also came into this season with high expectations following a third-placed finish and Michael Carrick winning more points than any other manager in his interim spell.
Five games in and the knives are already out for the former captain with somewhat lazy comparisons to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer more plentiful than points right now. Very few, if any, players are performing well and the game plan feels less coherent by the week.
Carrick played in the other Man Utd side who picked up five points from their first five games in the Premier League era. Twelve years ago, Louis van Gaal’s reign started in equally miserable fashion, with a sole win coming against the soon-to-be relegated Queens Park Rangers.
The Dutchman did steady the ship and lead Man Utd to a top-four finish. His one-time player will be hoping for a repeat.
Chelsea – 4 points – 2015/16
After a bright spark featuring two wins and a tonne of goals, the wheels have come off for Chelsea with just a point from their last three games. Friday night’s hammering at Brentford was reminiscent of the Liam Rosenior days.
Their seven points are still three better than the class of 2015/16 and the infamous “Mourinho season”. Having won his third league title with the Blues months prior, the Special One blew up and so did his team, losing three of their opening five games.
By the time he was sacked in December, the champions were languishing in 16th. A similar fate for Xabi Alonso feels unlikely but anything is possible at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool – 2 points – 2012/13
Andoni Iraola’s enjoyed an unbeaten five-game start albeit with two wins being accompanied by three draws. Sunday’s win on his return to Bournemouth was a fine way to enter a three-week international break.
It has all gone a lot better to begin with for the Spaniard than another newcomer at Anfield 14 years ago. Brendan Rodgers did nearly lead Liverpool to the title in his second season, but he picked up just two points from his opening five games with the Reds.
A 3-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion was followed by home losses to Arsenal and Man Utd, but Rodgers’ side quickly improved, losing only six of their remaining 33 league games. It set the tone for a near-miraculous title challenge 12 months later.
Arsenal – 4 points – 2011/12
Arsenal’s perfect start ended in brutal fashion at Brighton and Hove Albion, but it could be a lot worse for the Gunners and most of their fans will remind themselves of that.
Fifteen years ago, the banter era at the Emirates was arguably at its peak as Arsene Wenger’s side gained just four points from their opening five games. Worse than that was the generational 8-2 loss to arch-rivals Man Utd.
The likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri had departed in the months prior but replacements soon arrived, one being Mikel Arteta. The success of today’s team can strangely be traced back to one of their lowest ebbs.
Manchester City – 1 point – 1995/96
Man City are top of the table after five games with Enzo Maresca enjoying a 100% record in the daunting post-Guardiola world.
There are still issues to be worked out and bigger tests will come but little more could be demanded of the former Chelsea boss. He’s certainly outdone one of his predecessors from over 30 years ago.
Obviously, it was an entirely different Man City in 1995 but Alan Ball’s record remains quite something. The England World Cup winner’s first game in charge was a respectable 1-1 draw with Spurs but it was followed by a bad run of epic proportions.
Four losses and one goal soon became eight losses and two goals as the road to relegation began right away. Barring a negative outcome from their never-ending case with the league, anything close to that feels a lifetime away.
