Are Sheffield United the Premier League’s WORST-EVER team? Six-goal humiliation against Arsenal has Blades on to concede a century, but woeful Derby, Swindon and Ipswich sides set a very low bar!

The ‘Greasy Chip Butty Song’ belted out by Sheffield United fans ahead of every game at Bramall Lane extols the delights of a night out in the city.

On Monday, as Arsenal smashed in goal after goal against the hapless Blades, quite a few departed early to find other ways to spend their evening.

Five goals to the good by the 39th minute – the earliest an away side has every been five to the good in Premier League history – thoughts were turning to what long-standing records Arsenal might break.

Their all-time record away victory of 7-0 – achieved on three occasions – seemed not only possible, but likely. Some cheekily mentioned Arsenal’s record league win, 12-0 against Loughborough in 1900.

That didn’t come to pass, with the Gunners taking their foot off the gas after half-time to add just the one further goal.

Sheffield United suffered another humiliating defeat as Arsenal thrashed them 6-0 on Monday

Chris Wilder’s side are heading for the drop and could set a number of unwanted records

United supporters were seen leaving Bramall Lane inside the opening 25 minutes after Arsenal’s blistering start to their Premier League clash

The Blades are 11 points shy of safety with just 11 matches left to perform a great escape

But 6-0 was humiliating enough for Sheffield United, who were whacked even closer to what appears an inevitable relegation back to the Championship.

Arsenal are now the leading goalscorers at Bramall Lane this calendar year, surpassing the five league goals netted by both Aston Villa and Brighton.

By means of comparison, the Blades have scored four times – in five games.

Consecutive home games this year have seen them beaten 5-2 by Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round, thumped 5-0 by Aston Villa, 5-0 by Brighton in the league and then 6-0 by Arsenal.

Talk has turned to where Chris Wilder’s side rank among the worst-performing teams in the 32 years of the Premier League and we join that discussion here.

Lowest points tally

This is one dubious honour United – or Burnley, who also currently have 13 points – won’t be claiming.

Robbie Savage rues a missed chance during Derby’s dreadful 2007-08 season

Derby County’s paltry return of just 11 points in the 2007-08 season looks set to stand the test of time and infamy. The Rams’ return was also the lowest points total since the introduction of three points for a win in 1981.

That Derby side – managed by Billy Davies until late November and then Paul Jewell – managed to win only one and lose a staggering 29 of their 38 matches (a Premier League loss record).

Their sole league win that season came on September 17, a 1-0 home success against Newcastle United. Kenny Miller netted from long-range but the Setanta cameras missed it live because they were showing a replay.

Little did anyone suspect it would prove to be Derby’s only winning goal of the campaign because they failed to win their remaining 32 games – the longest winless run in Premier League history.

It’s small consolation, but the Blades and Burnley still have plenty of time to surpass some of the other worst points returns in Premier League history.

Sunderland amassed just 15 in 2005-06, Huddersfield got 16 in 2018-19 and Aston Villa took a meagre 17 in 2015-16.

Derby are crestfallen after Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard scores against them back in 2007-08

Dejection was a familiar feeling for the Rams as they set the league’s lowest points return

Kenny Miller and Roy Carroll points the finger of blame at each other after Derby conceded

Most goals conceded

Now this is one Sheffield United may end up with. After Monday night’s battering, they’ve conceded 72 goals in 27 games, an average of 2.67 per game.

Project that over their remaining 11 matches and they could concede 101 in total.

That would far exceed the 89 conceded by Derby in 2007-08, the leakiest defence over a 38-game Premier League campaign.

That Rams side shipped six goals on four separate occasions that season and lost two other matches 5-0.

Sheffield United have, this season, been beaten 8-0 by Newcastle, 6-0 by Arsenal and 5-0 by Arsenal (again), Burnley, Brighton and Aston Villa. So it’s no wonder they’re on course for the record.

It should be noted that Swindon Town in 1993-94 conceded 100 goals over the course of the season, but that came over 42 matches. Ipswich also shipped 93 in 1994-95 over 42 games.

Swindon are powerless to stop Newcastle striker Andy Cole scoring against them in 1993-94

Cole (right) in Manchester United colours as they thrashed hapless Ipswich 9-0 in 1995

Fewest goals scored

This is another ignominious entry in the Premier League record books the Blades will avoid – or at least avoid repeating.

They have already mustered 22 goals this season and that surpasses the 20 goals they managed in the equally dismal 2020-21 season. The aforementioned Derby side also only scored 20 in 2007-08.

In 2002-03, Sunderland only managed to net 21 times and failed to score in 20 of their 38 games.

Worst goal difference

This isn’t looking too promising for Wilder’s team. They have scored 22 times but conceded 72, meaning their goal difference currently stands on -50.

The worst goal difference of the Premier League era is – surprise, surprise – Derby in 2007-08 with -69, meaning the Blades need to be 20 goals down over the next 11 games to beat it.

Norwich City ended up with -61 in the 2021-22 campaign and Ipswich were -57 in 1994-95 over 42 matches. It didn’t help the Tractor Boys that Manchester United pasted them 9-0 at Old Trafford.

Huddersfield Town en route to having their relegation confirmed at Crystal Palace in 2019

Oli McBurnie looks dejected as Sheffield United slipped towards relegation in 2021

Earliest relegation

The Blades are 11 points off safety with 11 games left to play and even if Everton and Nottingham Forest are hit with points deductions, they’re unlikely to be spared.

The earliest conformation of a Premier League team’s relegation has come in March, so given the Blades only have two remaining games this month, that fate won’t befall them.

The Derby vintage of 2007-08 had relegation confirmed on March 29 after they drew 2-2 with Fulham and Birmingham City’s win over Manchester City left them 19 points from safety with only six games remaining.

In 2018-19, Huddersfield Town were relegated on March 30 after suffering a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace. That was also with half-a-dozen matches left.

Ipswich in 1994-95 and the Blades themselves in 2020-21 also went down with six to play.

That will come in mid-April so every incentive to extend their stay of execution as long as possible to avoid another unwanted record.