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The Premier League is often considered to be the toughest and the most competitive league in the world. With so many top clubs and stellar players plying their trade in the country, the English top-flight is always closely contested.
That's true on many occasions- the Premier League being so cut-throat means that we don't often get to see lopsided affairs the way we normally do in other leagues.
However, sometimes we do! The competition has produced some really humiliating scorelines even between the top teams of the Premier League. In recent times, comprehensive defeats have in fact become a norm in the Premier League.
Here, we take a look at the 10 most embarrassing defeats of this century in the Premier League:
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10 most embarrassing defeats in the Premier League:
Honorable mentions: Chelsea 8-0 Aston Villa (2012), Manchester City 5-0 Liverpool (2017), Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal (2018), Manchester United 6-1 Arsenal (2001).
#10 Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Wigan Athletic (2009)
Spurs came within inches of equalling Manchester United's record 9-0 victory about 15 years before this, but they couldn't have cared less.
Tottenham were just 1-0 ahead at half-time but ran riot after the break, with Jermaine Defoe alone netting five, including a seven-minute treble. Wigan were left so humiliated that they later reimbursed the ticket costs of the travelling fans.
#9 Southampton 8-0 Sunderland (2014)
Sunderland were flirting with relegation long before they actually went down in 2017. This pounding at Southampton was a poor allegory to the crisis clouds that were slowly building above the Stadium of Light.
Graziano Pelle scored a brace that evening, with Jack Cork, Dusan Tadic, and Victor Wanyama also getting in on the act. And the worst part is that the remaining three goals scored were own goals!
#8 Newcastle United 5-1 Tottenham Hotspur (2016)
Still licking some of the wounds sustained after caving in on the title race, Tottenham just needed to win against the already-relegated Newcastle to secure second position and finish above Arsenal for the first time in two decades.
However, the Toons ripped the script to shreds and took Spurs to the cleaners. Despite being down to 10 men after the hour, they pulled off an incredible 5-1 win. Mauricio Pochettino later said that it was the 'worst day' of his career.
#7 Middlesbrough 8-1 Manchester City (2008)
Even though Manchester City have come really far after the takeover, this never gets old. Middlesbrough taking the mickey out of Manchester City on the final day of the 2007/08 season is an image that continues to linger in the memory of the Boro faithful.
Richard Dunne's early shower that day left a gaping hole in City's defense, and the hosts made a scrumptious meal out of it. Afonso Alves even bagged a hat-trick, before Elano Blumer pulled back a late consolation.
#6 Chelsea 6-0 Arsenal (2014)
The Gunners had been at the receiving end of some really embarrassing defeats in Arsene Wenger's final few years. But this one takes the cake as it occurred on his 1000th game in-charge!
His arch-nemesis Jose Mourinho was in the opposite dugout that day and in no mood for pleasantries as Chelsea totally ruined the occasion with a ruthless display. The visitors were also at a numerical disadvantage after Kieran Gibbs was sent off in the 15th minute.
#5 Manchester City 6-0 Chelsea (2019)
Well, the Blues have capitulated in the Premier League several times, but the worst of them all was the 6-0 defeat at the Etihad last year. City, who had lost the reverse fixture 2-0, went about exacting revenge by firing in four inside 30 minutes.
Sergio Aguero completed his hat-trick straight after the break, before Raheem Sterling bagged another one late on to deepen Maurizio Sarri's wounds.
#4 Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal (2011)
Arsenal were admittedly ravaged by injuries before this clash and were left to negotiate the trip to Old Trafford without several first-teamers. Still, that was no excuse for this titanic implosion.
The Gunners were simply blown out of the water like a bunch of amateurs in a Sunday League outfit, with Wayne Rooney hitting a trident of goals. Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie's strikes were nothing more than mere footnotes.
#3 Stoke City 6-1 Liverpool (2015)
Liverpool were supposed to give Steven Gerrard the perfect farewell on his Premier League swansong, but Stoke City interrupted and played party poopers. They rolled over the Reds like a bowling ball knocking down pins, and blitzed to a 5-0 lead in the opening stanza.
The outgoing skipper got on the scoresheet after the break, but his former team-mate Peter Crouch then put the final nail in his coffin.
#2 Southampton 0-9 Leicester City (2019)
Leicester City's renaissance under Brandon Rodgers was at its apex after the Southampton slaughter back in October. Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez both netted hat-tricks as the Foxes equalled United's Premier League record for the biggest ever win.
They devoured the hapless hosts, who were reduced to 10 men early on after Ryan Bertrand's sending-off. This was also the biggest ever win away from home, but curiously, the Saints salvaged some pride by winning the reverse fixture 2-1 at the King Power!
#1 Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City (2011)
Results of this nature became commonplace for the Red Devils in the immediate few years after Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, but this debacle happened well under his watch.
The Sky Blues were riding a wave of confidence under Roberto Mancini and sent an ominous title warning with the Old Trafford conquest, which was also United's worst defeat at home since February 1955.
Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli both netted twice, with the latter even breaking into his famous 'Why always me?' celebration.
