5 biggest wins in the English Premier League
During almost a quarter of a century of the English Premier League, there have been brilliant goals, world class players and some amazing results. All this has kept us fascinated and obsessed by the world’s greatest club football competition.
In this feature, we will look at 5 of the most one-sided games ever to grace the EPL and what the results meant for the teams involved.
Do you remember Manchester City’s thrashing of Fergie’s Man United? Perhaps you recall when The Red Devils hit eight past a hapless Arsenal?
Both these hammerings and more are reviewed, so strap yourselves in, it could be a bumpy ride!!
#1 Man United 9-0 Ipswich, 4th March 1995
During the 1994/95 season, it was expected that Man United (Premier League Champions in both previous seasons) would be challenging for the title once more. On the 4th March 1995, they were lying in 2nd place, just 3 points behind Blackburn Rovers and desperate for a win to keep the pressure on the league leaders.
Ipswich meanwhile were languishing second from bottom (Leicester City being the only team below them!) and seven points adrift of safety, were desperate for some kind of result that would have seen them prolong their Premier League survival hopes.
The reverse fixture earlier that season had been something of a surprise, with Ipswich running out 3-2 winners in September 1994.
What ensued was one of the most one-sided match-ups in the history of the Premier League. United were ahead after just 16 minutes when Roy Keane struck from distance, beating ‘keeper Craig Forrest (whose day was about to get far worse!)
Goal machine Andy Cole followed that up with 2 clinical finishes before half time and the Old Trafford faithful scented blood. During the break, Alex Fergusson suggested Ipswich already looked a beaten side and that United should focus on trying to finish with six goals.
They must have misheard him because 6 more goals followed in 45 breathless second half minutes. Andy Cole finished with five (A joint Premier League record for goals in a match) Mark ‘Sparky’ Hughes grabbing 2 and Paul Ince getting the other.
So what did it mean for both teams?
Unfortunately, it was relegation that season for Ipswich, finishing bottom of the League. While Man United, despite wiping out Blackburn’s goal difference at the top of the table, went on to finish runners-up in the EPL by just a single point.