Every Premier League team to lose their first five games – and where they finished | OneFootball

Wolves have endured a nightmare start to the Premier League season with the club rooted to the bottom of the table.

Vitor Pereira’s team have lost all five league games in 2025/26, becoming just the sixth team to open a Premier League season with five consecutive defeats.

Amid their disastrous form, we’ve looked at the previous five teams to go winless at this stage of a season – and where they finished the campaign.

Southampton – 1998/99

Southampton struggled badly during the opening weeks of the 1998/99 campaign, opening the season with five successive losses and a nine-game winless run.

The Saints did not record their first victory until October 24th, when Matt Le Tissier and Egil Østenstad earned a 2-1 win over Coventry City.

Southampton improved slightly after that win, but required a late-season surge to survive. Dave Jones’ side won their last three games to end the campaign 17th, five points clear of the drop zone.

Final position: 17th

Sunderland – 2005/06

Sunderland started a torrid 2005/06 season with five defeats on the bounce, but did pick up a first victory after beating Middlesbrough on September 25th. However, that win was one of just three managed all season, as Sunderland finished rock-bottom of the Premier League with a paltry 15 points.

Final position: 20th

Portsmouth – 2009/10

Portsmouth finished bottom of the Premier League in 2009/10, a campaign in which the club entered administration. Pompey were bottom of the table from the second matchday onwards, having lost their opening seven Premier League games.

In March they were docked nine points for entering administration, leaving survival hopes in tatters.

Final position: 20th

Crystal Palace – 2017/18

An example that should offer encouragement to Wolves. Crystal Palace recovered from a poor start in 2017/18 to finish the season 11th in the table. The Eagles sacked Frank de Boer as manager in September after the Dutchman lost his first four Premier League games without scoring.

Roy Hodgon replaced De Boer and lost his first three games, but recovered to help the South Londoners climb the table. Incredibly, Palace finished 11 points clear of the relegation places despite not recording a point or goal in their first seven games.

Final position: 11th

Norwich City – 2021/22

Norwich’s yo-yo existence was on the way down in 2021/22, as the Canaries were relegated from the Premier League. A poor start saw Norwich lose their opening six and a first win did not arrive until November 6th. Norwich spent all but one matchweek inside the Premier League’s relegation places.

Final position: 20th

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