The Big Six's worst-ever finishes in the Premier League era, featuring Moyes, Ardiles and Walsall
- Oliver Martin
- 7 April 2022
With Manchester United on course to equal their lowest finish since the Premier League began in 1992, we look at how it compares to their fellow big clubs' worst-ever showings.
Almost ten years since their last Premier League title, Manchester United sit seventh in the table, with a Champions League spot already looking beyond them.
Should Ralf Rangnick's side remain where they are, it would equal their worst ever Premier League finish.
But where does Manchester United's lowest position rank alongside their rivals?
Planet Sport looks back at the lowest league finishes for each of the 'Big 6' in the Premier League era.
Manchester United - 7th (2013/14)
The highest finish on this list, Manchester United's worst Premier League season came under David Moyes in 2013/14.
The Red Devils' first season without Sir Alex Ferguson in 27 years was always destined to be an anti-climax.
While the squad Moyes inherited was certainly not the finest in United's history, he still had Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie combining for 37 goals.
Despite the duo, United looked tactically inept at times under Moyes. They found themselves in 12th place after six games, which included a humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Manchester City.
Ironically, United finished below Everton, Moyes' former club, despite poaching their top goalscorer from the previous season, Marouane Fellaini making the switch for £27.5million in the summer.
The January addition of Juan Mata was unable to prevent United's lowest finish since 1990 and Moyes was sacked in the April, with Ryan Giggs taking charge for the final four games of the season.
Liverpool - 8th (2011/12, 1993/94, 2015/16)
Liverpool have finished eighth on three separate occasions during the Premier League era. First, under Roy Evans in 1993/94 and again in Jurgen Klopp's first season with the club in 2015/16. The worst of the three, however, came under Kenny Dalglish in 2011/12.
Fifty-two points marked their lowest points tally since 1954, with the blue half of Merseyside finishing four points ahead. Set the target of a Champions League finish by the board ahead of the season, Liverpool finished a massive 17 points short of their goal.
Talisman Luis Suarez was banned for eight games after being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra, while midfielders Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard missed much of the season through injury.
It was not all doom and gloom, however, as Liverpool emerged victorious in the League Cup final against Cardiff, bringing a six-year wait for silverware to an end.
However, the Reds managed just four wins from their 11 games following the cup final, with an FA Cup final loss in the May proving the final nail in the coffin for Dalglish's second coming.
Arsenal - 12th (1994/95)
The Gunners' worst ever Premier League season came in 1994/95, just four years after winning the First Division title.
Much more was expected of a squad containing legendary Gooners such as Tony Adams, Ray Parlour and David Seaman, especially off the back of a Cup Winners' Cup victory the previous May.
Instead, Arsenal struggled in the league and were over-reliant on the goals of Ian Wright. Suffering injuries to key defenders, the 49 goals in the against column was almost double that of the previous season.
Off the pitch, midfielder Paul Merson also took time away from the sport due to gambling and drug problems.
To add to the off-field distractions, long-serving manager George Graham departed the club in the February after being found guilty of receiving illegal transfer payments.
There was to be no happy ending for Arsenal as they looked to retain the Cup Winners' Cup, either. A John Hartson equaliser took the final against Real Zaragoza to extra time, only for a speculative Nayim strike to embarrass Seaman and hand the Spanish side the trophy.
Chelsea - 14th (1993/94)
They may be the reigning European champions, but roll the clock back 30 years and Chelsea were just a jobbing mid-table side.
After spending a season in Division Two in 1989/90, Chelsea finished 11th four times and 14th twice between 1991 and 1996.
The Blues' 14th place under player-manager Glenn Hoddle in 1994 still stands as their lowest finish in the Premier League era.
The season included an 11-game winless streak, while a 4-1 loss to Leeds at Elland Road proved their heaviest defeat.
However, an FA Cup final appearance against Manchester United secured a European spot for Chelsea for the first time in over 20 years. United won the final 4-0, , extending Chelsea's wait for a major trophy to 24 years.
14th May 1994 - Utd complete the double by thrashing Chelsea in the FA Cup Final 4-0 #MUFC pic.twitter.com/ntZLNC62GZ
— 🇾🇪The Fergie Years🇾🇪 (@Fergie_Years) May 14, 2021
Chelsea's worst post-takeover finish came during the 2015/16 season. After winning the title the previous May, Jose Mourinho was sacked in the December following nine defeats from the first 16 games. Guus Hiddink returned as interim manager and led the Blues to tenth, the worst title defence in Premier League history.
Tottenham - 15th (1993/94)
Tottenham Hotspur began the 1993/94 season under club legend Osvaldo Ardiles, who was entering just his fourth year of management. Spurs had finished in a promising eighth during the inaugural Premier League season, so expectations were high prior to Ardiles' first game in charge.
Teddy Sheringham led the line for Tottenham, scoring nine goals inside the first ten games of the season as Spurs occupied fifth.
A nine-game winless streak, which coincided with an injury that would rule Sheringham out until April, then punctured the optimism.
A further abysmal run of form at the start of 1994 which saw Spurs lose seven games on the bounce meant relegation was a realistic proposition.
However, with Sheringham restored to the squad, Spurs managed to limp over the line, finishing the season three points clear of the drop zone. Sheringham, despite playing in just 19 games of their 42 games finished top scorer with 13 goals.
The season was to take an even grimmer turn following the conclusion of the campaign with the FA handing Spurs a then-record £600,000 fine and 12-point deduction for the following season as a result of financial irregularities at the club during the 1980s.
Despite the penalty, Spurs still went on to gain 17 more points than they did the previous campaign.
Manchester City - 3rd in Division 2 (98/99)
At a time when English football was dominated by the red side of Manchester, the current champions found themselves in the old Second Division.
Two relegations in three years meant Manchester City were competing in the third tier for the first time in their history, alongside the likes of Macclesfield, Chesterfield and Northampton Town.
Despite technically being the lowest finish on this list, Man City's 'worst' season did actually earn them a trophy. A third-placed finish - behind Fulham and Walsall - secured a play-off spot under Joe Royle, who led his team to an aggregate victory over Wigan in the semi-final.
At Wembley, two late Gillingham goals, in the 82nd and 87th minutes, had the Man City fans heading for the exits. However, Kevin Horlock threw them a lifeline in the 90th minute before Paul Dickov scored a dramatic 95th-minute equaliser to take the game into extra time.
City went on to win the shootout 3-1 despite Dickov missing his penalty, and secured back-to-back promotions the following season to end a five-year absence from the top flight.
