Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have both set the worst records since the Premier League's inception. It is an absurd situation where the 16th and 17th placed teams in the league meet in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final.
Tottenham lost 0-2 to Crystal Palace in a home game of the 2024-2025 Premier League's 36th round at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, UK, on the 11th (Korean time).
With this defeat, Tottenham remains at 38 points (11 wins, 5 draws, 20 losses) and has dropped to 17th place. Although they have already secured their stay regardless of the results of remaining games, being just above the relegation zone is certainly a blow to their pride. Palace recorded 49 points (12 wins, 13 draws, 11 losses) and is in 12th place.
Under manager Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham started with a 4-3-3 formation. Since the UEL is important, they utilized rotation. Mathys Tel, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, Jed Spence, Ben Davies, Kevin Danso, Pedro Porro, and Anthony Kinski started.
Tottenham wobbled from the first half. Just 8 minutes into the match, there was a dangerous moment when Ismaila Sarr nearly scored. However, the goal was cancelled due to offside, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief.
Injury troubles arose. In the 15th minute of the first half, Kulusevski fell after a tackle from the opponent and lay on the pitch for a while. He seemed to signal that he was okay and tried to continue, but eventually was substituted by Maiki Moore four minutes later. It was a significant crisis for Tottenham, which has already lost James Maddison and Lucas Verival for the season.
Palace continued to press. In the 24th minute of the first half, Jean-Philippe Mateta fired a powerful shot, but Kinski saved it. Three minutes later, a shot from Daniel Muñoz hit the post. In the 43rd minute of the first half, Maxence Lacroix shook the net with a header, but it was disallowed due to a teammate's handball foul.
Palace finally broke the deadlock. In the 45th minute of the first half, they perfectly dismantled Tottenham's defense with two passes. Then, Eberechi Eze surged in from the left and finished the incoming pass accurately. The first half ended with Palace leading 1-0.
Eze scored a brace. In the 2nd minute of the second half, he activated his scoring ability with a precise shot. Tottenham's defense crumbled again with a single pass, unable to stop the counterattack.
Son Heung-min returned after a month. He entered the field in the 13th minute of the second half, replacing Porro. This was his first game back after missing eight matches due to a foot injury suffered during the first leg of the UEL quarterfinal against Frankfurt last month.
Palace knocked on Tottenham's goal once more. In the 22nd minute of the second half, Sarr headed a cross from the left side, but the ball hit the post. Tottenham's defense struggled to regain stability.
Son Heung-min attempted several shots. In the 25th minute of the second half, his shot was blocked by a defensive effort, and in the 28th minute, a free kick also hit the defensive wall. He worked diligently until the end trying to score a consolation goal but was unable to do so. Ultimately, the match ended in a 0-2 defeat for Tottenham.
Tottenham is having the worst season. With this defeat, Tottenham has shockingly lost 20 games by the 36th round. This is a record for the most losses in a single season in the club's history since the Premier League's inception in 1992. Previously, Tottenham had only lost 19 games in the 1993-1994 and 2003-2004 seasons.
Now Tottenham has allowed Palace to achieve a double against them, bringing them to the tie record for the most losses in a single season under a 38-game system in the club's history. Tottenham had not lost more than 20 games in a 38-game season since the 1912-1913 season under manager Peter McWilliam. However, this season they have shattered that record with manager Postecoglou.
The problem is that there are still 2 games left in the league. Tottenham will face Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion in upcoming matches. Both Villa and Brighton are strong teams fighting for European competition.
If Tottenham loses all remaining matches and finishes the season with 22 losses, they will match the record for the most losses in a single season across all 42-game formats. Tottenham recorded 21 losses in the 1953-1954, 1974-1975, and 1976-1977 seasons, and had 22 losses in the 1934-1935 season.
At the same time, Manchester United also wrote a worst history. Manchester United lost 0-2 to West Ham United in a home game of the 2024-2025 Premier League's 36th round at Old Trafford in Manchester, UK.
With this defeat, Manchester United remains at 39 points (10 wins, 9 draws, 17 losses) and has fallen to 16th place. West Ham, with 40 points (10 wins, 10 draws, 16 losses), has climbed to 15th place, pushing both Manchester United and Tottenham down just above the relegation zone.
The match was one-sided. Manchester United conceded the opening goal to Tomas Soucek in the 26th minute of the first half and fell behind. Shortly thereafter, in the early second half, a negative occurrence compounded when Rasmus Hojlund fell injured and had to be substituted.
Manchester United was unable to turn the tables in the second half. The front line with Rasmus Hojlund was lacking in impact. Instead, they conceded an additional goal to Jarrod Bowen in the 12th minute of the second half, leading to their collapse. Ultimately, Manchester United knelt without scoring a single goal at home.
Like Tottenham, Manchester United also recorded the disgrace of breaking the record for the most losses in a single season since the inception of the Premier League with this defeat. Football statistics outlet 'Squawka' reported, "Manchester United has recorded 17 losses in a single season for the first time in 51 years. This is the second time in Premier League history to go seven consecutive matches without a win, with the last record from 1992."
"Theater of Dreams" Old Trafford has also transformed into a place of humiliation. Squawka explained, "Manchester United has suffered nine home losses in the Premier League this season. This season will be recorded among those with the most home losses in a single league alongside the 1930-1931, 1933-1934, and 1962-1963 seasons."
Manchester United still has one home game remaining. They will play their final match of the season against Villa at Old Trafford on the 26th. If they lose here as well, they will write the worst history since their founding in 1878.
Yet, surprisingly, Tottenham and Manchester United still have the possibility of lifting a trophy and finishing the season on a high note. The two teams will face off in the UEL final to be held on the 22nd in Bilbao, Spain. While they have been setting the worst records in the league, it is ironic that they meet at the highest level in European competition.
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