Mirror Football's favourite thrashings as Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal feature
You don't often see matches like the one witnessed at Bramall Lane on Sunday afternoon, and when you do you tend to remember them.
Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Callum Wilson, Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak all got themselves on the scoresheet to set a new Premier League record, with Newcastle's eight different goalscorers the most the division has ever seen from one team in the same game.
And seeing as the chaos got us thinking about other memorable thrashings over the years, we decided to ask our team about their favourite drubbings.
John Cross
Liverpool hammered Manchester United at Anfield in March (Getty Images)Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United - March 5, 2023: Sorry Manchester United fans. But I had to choose a thrashing that I covered - and I still can’t believe it happened.
Last March at Anfield, Liverpool put SEVEN - yes, seven - past their great rivals in a result which stood out like a sore thumb. United were in the game at half time, it was only 1-0 and suddenly the floodgates opened and Liverpool scored goal after goal.
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It was one where anyone at Anfield that day will never forget. A total humiliation but also some wonderful goals and a result completely out of context with the rest of the campaign.
United finished above Liverpool in the Premier League table. Liverpool were supposed to be in transition. Jurgen Klopp was rebuilding. It still makes no sense and you can file under freak result. But it was unforgettable all the same.
And sorry, but Liverpool putting seven past United is a way bigger result than Newcastle sticking eight past Sheffield United.
Ben Husband
Mick McCarthy was at a loss to explain Wolves' 6-0 defeat to Southampton (PA)Wolves 0-6 Southampton - March 31, 2007: Unfortunately, as a Wolves fan I've had to sit through my fair share of hammerings. With one more on the way against Man City this weekend.
If I had to pick the most memorable, though, it would be Southampton coming to Molineux and winning 6-0 in 2007. Under Mick McCarthy, Wolves had been tipped for the drop, only to still be in the play-off mix come the end of March.
Marek Saganowski scored a hat-trick for the Saints, but it was their keeper who picked up Man of the Match, after the most dominant display by a team losing 6-0 at home ever seen. Southampton had six shots on target and scored every single one.
The home crowd sang "we're going to win 4-0" at half-time, only to have to repeat the chant all the way to seven. Molineux gave the Wolves players a standing ovation, with the game going into folklore as one of the weirdest in recent times.
Fraser Watson
Liverpool 8-0 Swansea - January 8, 1990: Never has an 8-0 defeat been so well received - and I'm not talking about Sheffield United!
Back in 1990, third division Swansea produced a monumental effort to hold the mighty Liverpool at the Vetch Field. It was a third round FA Cup tie, and we were still in the era of the competition signifying romance, prestige, and money-spinning replays.
So the Jack Army rocked up at Anfield only three days later more out of gratitude then expectation. And sure enough, there were few rumblings of discontent when Kenny Dalglish picked a full strength side and the Reds ran riot. This time around, the gulf in class was evident as Ian Rush scored a hat trick and the hosts sauntered to an 8-0 win.
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But the clash went down in folklore for reasons other than the scoreline. You don't have to go far on YouTube to find iconic footage of Swansea fan running onto the pitch as Bruce Grobbelaar was about to take a free kick, before cheekily rounding him, scoring, and taking off in the direction of the away fans swirling his club scarf around his head.
Cheered by both sets of supporters, he even dodged a few stewards for good measure before eventually being taken down. And even the bemused keeper saw the funny side.
Swansea fans made the five hour journey home happy, and to this day that FA Cup night at Anfield is lauded as a memorable club occasion. But no one ever mentions the score.
James Whaling
Connor Wickham celebrates Sheffield Wednesday's third goal as they thrashed Leeds in 2014 (PA)Sheffield Wednesday 6-0 Leeds United - January 11, 2014: It was just one of those days where everything they tried came off.
In January 2014, Sheffield Wednesday welcomed Leeds United to Hillsborough in the midst of something of a resurgence under caretaker boss Stuart Gray, but still in grave danger of relegation to League One following the dismissal of Dave Jones. Leeds arrived in a bad run of form but still harbouring hopes of a playoff push under Brian McDermott. But things were about to get a whole lot worse for the Whites and their boss.
Already 2-0 down at the break thanks to strikes from Reda Johnson and Atdhe Nuhiu, McDermott brought on target man Matt Smith. He lasted a mere 47 seconds before his elbow on Johnson saw him dismissed.
And then the floodgates opened. Connor Wickham made it three before Chris Maguire's free-kick deflected horribly past the helpless Paddy Kenny. Owls academy product Caolan Lavery then emerged from the bench to score a brace with the away end already depleted.
After our rivals from across the city, Leeds is considered the next biggest game for most Wednesday fans. Yorkshire's two most successful clubs. Always lively, always hostile, usually very close. But not this time.
This 21-year-old left the house at 10am for the lunchtime kick-off and didn't return until the next morning. One to savour.
Liam Prenderville
Germany stunned Brazil - and the rest of the world - in 2014 (AFP via Getty Images)Brazil 1-7 Germany - July 8, 2014: The most brutal and humiliating defeat in World Cup history takes top spot for me.
Brazil went into the 2014 tournament as favourites under Luiz Felipe Scolari and despite a mixed start, the hosts had their sights firmly set on a spot in the final at the Maracana. Narrow wins over Colombia and Chile had done little to change the carnival atmosphere sweeping through the country but as usual, the Germans were beginning to click into gear.
There was that bizarre mourning of Neymar before kick-off, after the tournament poster boy suffered a broken back in the quarter-final while skipper Thiago Silva was suspended. And a thunderous occasion before kick-off soon turned into the ultimate nightmare as Brazil well and truly fell apart.
Every time Germany went forward they looked like they would score, and more often than not they did, hitting four in a chaotic six minute spell to take a 5-0 lead after half an hour. Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil were running the show and the images of Brazil fans crying and screaming in horror will never be forgotten.
Andre Schurrle added a couple more and despite Oscar getting the tiniest of consolations, the remaining Brazil fans made their feelings known at the final whistle as the World Cup party ended in catastrophe.
Darren Lewis
Ex-Arsenal man Serge Gnabry ran riot against Tottenham (AFP/Getty Images)Tottenham 2-7 Bayern Munich - October 1, 2019: They've obviously come a long way since then but being at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to report on this slaughter was quite something.
It was the first time in their 137-year history that they’d ever conceded seven goals at home in any competition. It wasn’t under a manager out of his depth, either. It was under Mauricio Pochettino, one of the best bosses the club had had in Premier League history.
It happened in October 2019, just months after Spurs had faced eventual winners Liverpool in the Champions League final in Spain. The north London bloodbath was so emphatic, so ruthless, so utterly devastating, many of us reporters in the press box believed Pochettino would be sacked that night.
There had been absolutely no sign of what was to come at the start. Spurs had beaten Southampton at home in the Premier League the previous weekend. And Pochettino’s team actually took the lead against Bayern through Son Heung-min to suggest they were ready to give the German champions a real fight.
Joshua Kimmich equalised and Robert Lewandowski put Bayern ahead. Then Bayern ripped Spurs apart. At times you had to watch through your fingers as the Germans tore Spurs limb from limb.
Ex-Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry hit four in a ten out of ten performance. Two of them came in two chaotic minutes, shortly after half time, which had left Spurs dizzy. Harry Kane scored from the spot as Pochettino’s side tried to hang on for dear life. But Gnabry crushed them. He made it 5-2 in the 83rd minute as we journalists were putting the finishing touches to a bad night at the office for the home side.
Then Lewandowski added a sixth. By which time you had visions of the bald trainer from the Rocky movies with a contorted face, screaming for the referee to stop the thing. Then Gnabry added a seventh. And even in injury time, every time Bayern surged forward they looked as though they’d score. At one stage I genuinely believed they’d get ten.
The post-match press conference suddenly took on an even bigger significance. Would we have to clear space for our later editions to cover a managerial departure or a crisis meeting at the club? How would the Spurs players react?
As it was, Pochettino dealt with the aftermath in typically pragmatic fashion. He went on to remain in his post for over a month longer. But that Bayern defeat hastened the end. You tend not to survive those.
Mike Walters
Watford - and chairman Elton John - at a photo call in August 1982 (Mirrorpix)Watford 8-0 Sunderland - September 25, 1982: Damned with faint praise as upstarts whose relentless, attacking football and 4-2-4 formation would soon be found out, this was the day Watford announced themselves on their maiden voyage in the top flight. And it was the rout which earned the Hornets' favourite son, Luther Blissett, an England call-up.
Four goals to the good at half-time (and they could have been 2-0 down in the opening 10 minutes), Watford godfather Graham Taylor refused to let his players sit down in the dressing room during the break. He kept them running on the spot, hoping to sustain the momentum of their blitz in the first period, and it worked.
Blissett, who had never scored a hat-trick for Watford before, plundered four goals, including the greatest three-touch goal I've ever seen from one end of the pitch to the other - Ian Bolton's raking 50-yard pass (not a hoof, for those who peddled the garbage about Taylor's so-called kick-and-rush tactics), Nigel Callaghan's first time cross on the run and Blissett's bullet header.
Sunderland were not that bad - Watford's front four of Blissett, Callaghan, Ross Jenkins and John Barnes were simply unstoppable. Those were the days when football was fun - not this tippy-tappy dirge, and 25 passes to get out of your own half, that everyone pretends is culture today. Mackems fans took it in good heart, and entertained themselves by doing the conga.
David McDonnell
Michael Owen hit a hat-trick and Steven Gerrard was also on target as England thrashed Germany in 2001 (Press Association)Germany 1-5 England - September 1, 2001: England's thrashing of arch rivals Germany in Munich was one of those 'I was there moments' – a privilege to witness first-hand such an historic result.
Even though England had beaten Germany 1-0 at Euro 2000 a year earlier, there was no indication of the hammering the Three Lions were about to inflict on Ruid Voeller's side. Germany remained formidable opponents, having lost just one of their previous 60 qualification games and were unbeaten at Munich's Olympiastadion since 1973. In fact, the Germany FA were so confident they would finish top of the World Cup qualifying group, they had arranged friendlies on the dates of the play-offs.
Those plans looked vindicated when Carsten Jancker gave Germany an early lead, but all that was to change in a remarkable turnaround. Michael Owen equalised, then Steven Gerrard put England ahead with a trademark 25-yard shot. Owen went on to claim a hat-trick, with Emile Heskey making it 5-1.
England fans and media at the game were in total disbelief at having seen Sven Goran Eriksson's side dismantle their greatest rivals so ruthlessly. The win ultimately helped England go on to win the group and qualify automatically for the 2002 World Cup, with Germany needing to get there via the play-offs.
Jacob Leeks
Bukayo Saka shone in England's big win in June (Getty Images)Portsmouth 6-1 Leicester - September 24, 2010 & England 7-0 North Macedonia - 19 June, 2023: There's only two major thrashings on the scale of Newcastle's win that I look back on with any fondness. The first came way back in 2010 when Portsmouth hosted Leicester in the Championship.
It had been an awful season for Pompey, who were just coming out of administration. They had not won any of their opening seven games heading into the clash with the Foxes but suddenly everything clicked for Steve Cotterill's side. A stunning 6-1 win for the Blues was capped off by a wondergoal from Michael Brown, who ran through virtually the entire Leicester defence before squeezing in a shot from a tight angle.
To make the win even more memorable, I was actually at a scout camp while the game was on, so recorded it and watched it back two days later without knowing the score. You can imagine my delight at seeing Pompey finally claim a win.
The second was actually fairly recent, with England's 7-0 hammering of North Macedonia in June. Bukayo Saka's wonderful hat-trick was the highlight, with his third being the best goal I've ever seen live.
There was a wonderful, high-spirited atmosphere at Old Trafford, with the sun and England's easy win sending every one home delighted. This was also my boyfriend's first ever Three Lions game, quite the way to kick things off, even if we were both slightly worse for wear.
Felix Keith
Harry Maguire's celebration against Albania caught the eye (PA)England 5-0 Albania - November 12, 2021: OK, so it’s only a 5-0 win, but does anyone else’s thrashing have a moment like Harry Maguire’s celebration from England’s comfortable win over Albania? Of course it doesn’t.
Maguire came into this game at Wembley on the back of the now-frequent criticism which has engulfed him. These were the last days of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United – a deep, dark time for Maguire, who was receiving pelters left, right and centre.
Cue a free header from a free-kick nine minutes in. Maguire runs to celebrate just like a man who doesn’t get the opportunity very often. First he cups his ears to the Wembley crowd. Then, confusingly, he subverts the initial idea by sticking his fingers in his ears while doing a knee-slide on the soaking wet turf.
Up in the stands, he left us spectators bemused. Does he want to hear our cheers or not? "It's embarrassing," said Roy Keane on punditry duty. He just didn’t understand it. The best art isn’t supposed to be easy.
Harry Kane scored a hat-trick and Jordan Henderson also netted to put England up 5-0 at half-time. The second half was forgettably drab, but I went home delighted to have seen Maguire’s piece of evocative performance theatre. Five stars – thought provoking and unforgettable.
Simon Bird
Newcastle ran riot against Sheffield United (MI News/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)Sheffield United 0-8 Newcastle United - September 24, 2023: I’ve not enjoyed a more one sided contest, or witnessed one, as relentless as Newcastle’s victory this weekend.
This was a Toon side worried about the rigours of their draw with AC Milan in the San Siro, and whether energy levels would be high. But they swarmed all over Sheffield United with power, tenacity, and they didn’t back off an inch even when four up. But I have one reservation.
I can’t work out whether it was Newcastle being back to their best of last least… or the Blades being so bad. They surrendered space in midfield, failed to compete and some of the individual commitment to the basics of defending was among the worst I’ve witnessed.
Having said that, Anthony Gordon was unplayable, Kieran Trippier pinpoint and others full of zest. What a show of intent from Newcastle. Eddie Howe hopes it could "ignite" their up and down start to the season.
Kieran King
Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez each struck hat-tricks at Southampton (Offside via Getty Images)Southampton 0-9 Leicester - October 25, 2019: This one is pretty easy, isn't it? It has to be Leicester's 9-0 win at Southampton in October 2019 - which is still *just* the biggest-ever away victory in Premier League history. The Foxes were ruthless at St Mary's and thrashed a dismal Saints side.
Although Brendan Rodgers' side were handed a helping hand when Ryan Bertrand was sent off, Leicester ran riot thanks to a hat-trick each from Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez, while Youri Tielemans, Ben Chilwell and James Maddison also found the net.
Leicester were terrific and played some outstanding free-flowing attacking football, but it was simply a dreadful performance from Ralph Hasenhuttl's Southampton. They had been without a win in seven home games before the visit of Leicester, but instead of trying to end that run, it turned into a damage limitation process by half-time.
The Foxes didn't let up and Jonny Evans' reaction to scoring their eighth goal - knowing they needed one more goal to break the away record - summed up the mentality in Rodgers' side. This was the best I had ever seen Leicester play, and at that time, they were a major threat to the so-called 'big six', having leapfrogged Manchester City into second.
It was only the second time two players had scored a hat-trick in the same game, after Jermaine Pennant and Robert Pires netted three apiece for Arsenal against Southampton in 2003. Following their win on the south coast, Leicester sat only behind Liverpool in the Premier League table after picking up an impressive 25 points from 10 matches.
Paul Abdale
Liverpool were thrashed by a rampant Aston Villa in October 2020 (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool - October 4, 2020: It takes something extraordinary when Manchester United conceding six goals at home to Spurs is not the story of the day. But Villa's 7-2 demolition of Liverpool in 2020 was exactly that, extraordinary.
Harry Kane helped Tottenham to a rout of United at Old Trafford earlier in the afternoon but what followed later at Villa Park almost defied belief. Jurgen Klopp's side were the defending champions, Villa had just survived relegation on the final day. Yet the Reds were taken apart and Klopp was left open-mouthed in shock. He congratulated Villa boss Dean Smith at the final whistle with the word “wow”.
Ollie Watkins had never scored in the Premier League before this game. He had a hat-trick in the first half as Villa capitalised on defensive errors and a large slice of luck with deflections.
Jack Grealish pulled the strings after the break exposing a calamitous high defensive line and Villa added three more. The only downside for Villa was the lack of fans due to covid restrictions which denied supporters the chance to fully celebrate one of the most incredible results in their history.
Mark Jones
Liverpool tore Arsenal apart at Anfield in 2014 (PA)Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal - February 8, 2014: Arsenal were top of the Premier League when they kicked off at Anfield. Twenty minutes later they were 4-0 down.
It was a ruthless, relentless display of attacking from Brendan Rodgers' side, with the goals flying in from all angles. Martin Skrtel had thrown himself at two set-pieces to score twice in the opening 10 minutes, then Raheem Sterling tapped home when the Gunners were undone, and Daniel Sturridge raced through for a fourth to spark delirium. Nobody could believe what they were witnessing.
Luis Suarez thundered a volley against the post after being picked out on the edge of the box from a corner for what would have been one of the all-time great Premier League goals, and a dizzied Arsenal didn't know where to look.
Sterling would make it five early in the second half, with Mikel Arteta's penalty Arsenal's only consolation on an afternoon when they could have shipped double figures. To make matters worse for Arsene Wenger, he took a tumble at Lime Street Station on the way home.
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