Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 3-1 home loss to Leeds United on Saturday made it five consecutive losses to start their Premier League campaign.
Vitor Pereira had been handed a new three-year contract the day before the game but with the sale of key players, questionable recruitment and a horror run of results, a relegation battle seems inevitable.
It means that Wolves are joint-fourth in the worst Prem starts ever – but who has had as bad or worse a losing start to a Premier League season? And did they stay up?
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=4. Sunderland, 2005/06: five defeats
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The first of two sides that Pereira’s men have equalled with five straight losses to start a post-1992 season, and both of whom were managed by future Wolves managers.
Mick McCarthy led Sunderland to the Championship title in style in 2005 but found life in the Premier League far more difficult, conceding nine and scoring two in a pointless opening five games. When combined with their 15 losses to end the 2002/03 season, it made for a top-flight record of 20 consecutive losses.
The sequence was broken with a 1-1 draw at West Brom and followed up with a long-awaited win at rivals Middlesbrough. However, those four points made up a near-third of their then-record low 15 points as they finished rock bottom.
=4. Southampton, 1998/99: five defeats
Matt Le Tissier helped Southampton stay up against the odds in 1998/99. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Like McCarthy several years later, Dave Jones led Wolves to promotion to the Premier League in 2002/03, ending a 19-year absence from the top-flight.
Prior to that, he managed Southampton and pulled off a “Great Escape” to rival any other. Saints lost their opening five games, scoring two like Sunderland but conceding 16, and didn’t win until their 10th game.
Despite not winning a game until late-October, Southampton got over the magical 40 point mark having won their final three games, finishing 17th ahead of Blackburn Rovers.
Saints are the only club on this list not to sack their manager during the season, but could be joined by Wolves given recent developments.
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3. Norwich City, 2021/22: six defeats
Daniel Farke was sacked after Norwich suffered a horror start to the 2021/22 season (Image credit: PA)
Norwich City quickly sacked Daniel Farke following a horror start to the 2021/22 season, which came off the back of another promotion for one of the true yo-yo clubs.
Like Southampton in 1998/99, 16 goals were conceded with just two scored in their opening five games and no win came from their first 10, which included a 7-0 loss at Chelsea.
Farke was let go rather cruelly after their first win, with Dean Smith taking charge for the remainder of a campaign that unsurprisingly ended with a 20th place finish and just 22 points, a mere 16 adrift of safety. They haven’t been back since despite possessing one of the 100 most expensively assembled squads in the sport.
=1. Portsmouth, 2009-10: 7 defeats
Portsmouth were relegated just two years after winning the FA Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)
Just over 12 months on from a famous FA Cup win, Portsmouth found themselves hurtling towards relegation amid severe financial difficulties. Administration came later in the season and a nine-point deduction but the writing was on the wall after a joint-worst start.
Stripped of many of the players who had contributed to their success under Harry Redknapp, a side now managed by Paul Hart lost their first seven games, scoring two and conceding 12.
Their first points came at the eighth attempt and, again, Wolves were involved as Portsmouth won 1-0 at Molineux. It didn’t lead to a change in fortunes with Hart sacked and replaced by Avram Grant.
Pompey made another FA Cup final, losing to Grant’s old side Chelsea, but finished rock bottom and have not been in the top-flight since.
=1. Crystal Palace, 2017-18: 7 defeats
Frank de Boer lasted just four games in charge of Crystal Palace (Image credit: Getty Images)
The undisputed worst start to a Premier League season belongs to the current FA Cup holders, who also lost their opening seven games but in even more shambolic fashion.
Frank de Boer came with a glittering CV but was later brandished the “worst manager in Premier League history” by Jose Mourinho after losing all four of his games in charge including 3-0 at home to newly-promoted Huddersfield Town.
Roy Hodgson was parachuted in for his first stint at Selhurst Park but couldn’t stop the rot right away as four became seven. Crystal Palace also failed to score in any of these games – another Premier League-worst start to a season.
Their first win came in their eight game, brilliantly against the champions as Chelsea were beaten 2-1 at Selhurst Park. It kickstarted a stunning revival with Palace eventually finishing 11th after 11 wins and 11 draws, staying up by 11 points.
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