For the first time this year, Liverpool suffered their first Premier League defeat last weekend. Troy Deeney’s strike and a second-half double from Ismaila Sarr earned the relegation-threatened Watford an astounding 3-0 win at Vicarage Road. However, the defeat is unlikely to stop the Reds from winning the title this year, considering they’re still 25 points ahead of second-place Manchester City.
While Watford’s defeat may not hinder them from lifting the title, it stopped them from matching Arsenal’s unbeaten record in the EPL. That has inspired us to examine how the longest unbeaten runs ended in the Premier League.
Arsenal – 2003/04
Arsenal – 2003/04
Besides the Hornets’ fans and Betway punters who waged on Watford, Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” squad highly enjoyed Liverpool’s defeat last weekend. That’s because it stopped Liverpool from breaking their record run, which included an unbeaten season spanning from May 2003 to October 2004.
At the time, Arsenal was ready to make it to 50 unbeaten matches, but their great rival, Manchester United, denied them the chance. During the game, best remembered for Pizzagate, Wayne Rooney and Ruud Van Nistelrooy recorded a single goal, ending the match with a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford.
Liverpool – 2019/20
Liverpool – 2019/20
During their 28th game this season, Liverpool experienced an unfamiliar feeling as the Hornets managed to succeed where no other team had succeeded this season. Before arriving at Vicarage Road, the Reds had only lost two points all season. Before reaching Vicarage Road, the Reds had only lost two points all season. Fortunately, the Punters that have mastered the concept of value when enjoying English Premier League football betting with Betway had a great weekend after risking on the Hornets.
Besides their excellent performance in the English Premier League, Liverpool is still competitive in the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. However, Liverpool lost the 2019 FA community shield after losing 5-4 on penalties against Manchester City. Nonetheless, that has stopped the Reds from taking the lead over Manchester City in the EPL.
Liverpool’s 44 matches unbeaten record ended on 29th February after losing 3-0 to Watford. That has been the Reds’ biggest defeat this season since November 2015. Nonetheless, Liverpool managed to record 22 consecutive home wins, surpassing the record they established in 1972.
Chelsea – 2004/2005
Chelsea – 2004/2005
During Jose Mourinho’s maiden season at Stamford Bridge, the Blues remained dominant in their campaign and won the title. This season, they finished 12 points ahead of Arsenal, with a total of 95 points. However, Chelsea suffered a 1-0 away defeat at Old Trafford in October 2004, ending their 40-match undefeated streak. That was the only time the Blues tasted defeat, and they didn’t lose another match in the same City for about 13 months.
TThis season became very popular in Chelsea’s history, as several records were set during the season. his season, Chelsea claimed their first EPL title in over five decades and the League Cup. Their achievements during the season include the most away victories in a single season after winning 15 times.
Other records included the cleanest sheets in the season, the fewest goals conceded away, and the most wins. Their achievement came despite missing the EPL title in the previous season to the unbeaten Arsenal.
Manchester City – 2017/18
Manchester City – 2017/18
Two seasons ago, Pep Guardiola’s team was arguably the best in the EPL. The squad won the league title with 100 points after scoring 106 goals in their campaign. However, the team also suffered two league losses that season.
Their first defeat this season came as Jurgen Klopp’s men claimed a thriller victory at Anfield. Klopp’s men scored three times in eight minutes, leaving the score-line at 4-1. Fortunately, City managed to outwit Liverpool’s goalkeeper twice in the last six minutes, ending their 30-match undefeated record with a 4-3 loss.
Arsenal – 2001/02
All of Wenger’s great squads tended to avoid defeats, starting with their double-winning season of 2001/2002. During this season, Everton ended their term with two losses in 13 games, though they got their revenge in October when they ended Arsenal’s 30-match unbeaten run. Arsenal – 2001/02
While the Gunners appeared to be on the course to record a 31-match unbeaten run at Goodison Park, the 16-year-old Wayne Rooney has other plans for them. Rooney curled a brilliant 30-yard strike in the final minute, recording his first EPL goal and securing a 2-1 win for Everton.
This season, Arsenal won the EPL by a seven-point margin, managing a unique scoring feat at home and away in all their league matches. They tasted defeat for only three division defeats that season, all of which were home losses. However, they performed poorly in the Champions League and got eliminated during the second group stage. Additionally, Arsenal traded several fringe players like Sylvinho and Nelson Vivas.