5 Premier League teams who dropped most points from winning positions last season (2021-22)
The Premier League is one of the toughest leagues in the world. There's certainly a lot of unpredictability to it given how the weakest of teams can rise to the occasion and cause an upset against the favorites.
English clubs, irrespective of their stature and history, possess a lot of character and fighting spirit. This is the very reason why a win is never guaranteed in England's top-flight football.
The 2021-22 Premier League season provided wholesome entertainment, with teams battling at various positions on the table. While certain clubs did enjoy consistency on the pitch, many struggled to achieve that for the entire 90 minutes of the match.
Some top teams failed to maintain their lead and succumbed to the attacking retaliation of their opponents. Here, we take a look at the clubs who lost the most number of points after being in a winning position in the 2021-22 campaign.
#5 Leeds United & Aston Villa (19)
Leeds United had a narrow escape from relegation as they were able to confirm their survival on the last day of the 2021-22 season. This campaign saw them lose 18 matches and register 11 draws.
While their attacking and direct play was entertaining, Leeds always looked vulnerable in defending. Eventually, they ended up losing 19 points from winning positions last season. Along with Leeds, Aston Villa too ended up losing the same number of points last campaign.
The Villans had an impressive start to the 2021-22 campaign but lost their consistency as the season progressed. Had they not lost points from winning positions, they would have had a good chance of finishing in the top ten of the league instead of their 14th placed finish.
#4 Chelsea (20)
Chelsea finished third in the 2021-22 Premier League season. With their star-studded squad and Champions League triumph in the previous campaign, the Blues were expected to strongly challenge for the title.
After a good start to the season, Chelsea lost their form in the league, struggling with consistency. The Blues lost 20 points from winning positions, which severely hampered their bid to successfully fight for the league title.
Chelsea have lost more Premier League points from winning positions against Arsenal than they have vs any other side in the competition (36).
In the end, Chelsea were 21 points short of champions Manchester City. Had the London club done better in sustaining their lead, we could have witnessed a three-way title challenge in the 2021-22 campaign.
#3 Leicester City (21)
Compared to how Leicester City have performed in the past few seasons, they certainly underperformed last season. The Foxes ended up with 52 points, finishing in eighth position in the league table.
Like many clubs on the list, Leicester lost form after having a decent start to the 2021-22 campaign. The Foxes lost 21 points from winning positions, which could have come in very handy to book a place in Europe for the upcoming campaign.
Leicester City 2-2 West Ham: A league-high 11 goals conceded from corners this season & now seven points dropped from winning positions in their last four Premier League games for Leicester. https://t.co/dtw1zopjf2
Injuries to Wilfried Ndidi and Jamie Vardy didn't help Leicester's cause but they should have done better. However, manager Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to keep his best players for the upcoming season and perform much better.
#2 Newcastle United (24)
Newcastle United had a rollercoaster ride in the Premier League last season. After struggling to register a win in their first 14 games, the Magpies went on to win 12 times in their final 18 matches.
Manager Eddie Howe did a stunning job in helping Newcastle United revive themselves after their poor start to the 2021-22 campaign. Despite a good finish to the season, it cannot be ignored how the Magpies dropped points after being in winning positions.
28 - Since Steve Bruce took the Newcastle United job prior to the start of the 2019-20 campaign, the Magpies have dropped 28 points from winning positions in home league games, the most of any Premier League side. Curtains. https://t.co/Hz6dAIYsNu
They dropped 24 points from winning positions, which speaks highly of how vulnerable they were at the back. With cash-rich new owners and a smart manager in Eddie Howe, Newcastle can be expected to do much better come next season.
#1 Southampton (29)
Southampton have certainly looked like an interesting team under Ralph Hasenhuttl's management. More often than not, they seem to have adopted an attacking style of football.
Having said that, the Saints have struggled on the defensive front since taking the lead. In total, they have dropped 29 points in the 2021-22 season from winning positions, the most by any team in the Premier League.
Since Ralph Hasenhüttl's first Southampton game in charge in December 2018, Southampton have dropped more points from winning positions than any other Premier League side. #MOTD #CRYSOU https://t.co/efHUDeYQMv
They surrendered their lead in 12 matches last season, which took them very close to the relegation zone by the end of the campaign. Southampton have dropped 52 points in the last two seasons from winning positions, raising questions about their defensive abilities time and again.