The Premier League has witnessed many dramatic upsets, where lower-ranked teams have defied the odds to topple footballing giants. From last-minute goals to stunning away victories, these results have often left fans in disbelief. Here are 10 of the biggest Premier League upsets that shocked the football world.

1. Liverpool 0-1 Barnsley, November 1997

Barnsley’s single Premier League season in 1997-98 was memorable for many reasons, but their victory at Anfield was undoubtedly the highlight. Despite a dreadful away record that saw them concede 40 goals in just 14 matches, the Tykes pulled off a stunning win against Liverpool. With Michael Owen and Steve McManaman in their ranks, Liverpool were expected to cruise to victory. However, Ashley Ward’s 35th-minute goal secured Barnsley’s historic 1-0 triumph, which also marked their first-ever win at Anfield.

2. Bradford 1-0 Liverpool, May 2000

On the final day of the 1999-2000 season, Bradford needed a win to survive in the Premier League, while Liverpool required a victory to qualify for the Champions League. With so much at stake, Liverpool were expected to win, but Bradford had other ideas. A header from David Wetherall in the 12th minute gave the home side the lead, and despite the attacking talents of Michael Owen and Emile Heskey, Liverpool failed to find an equalizer. Bradford’s 1-0 win sent them into wild celebrations and secured their Premier League survival.

3. Arsenal 1-2 Hull, September 2008

Hull City’s first-ever season in the Premier League was filled with surprises, and none more so than their 2-1 win at the Emirates against Arsenal. The Gunners had been unbeaten at home for 17 months, but Hull defied expectations. After Paul McShane’s own goal gave Arsenal the lead, Geovanni’s brilliant equalizer and Daniel Cousin’s header in the 66th minute secured a famous win. Hull’s victory not only stunned the home crowd but also denied Arsenal the chance to return to the top of the table.

4. Arsenal 2-3 West Brom, September 2010

In a thrilling encounter at the Emirates, West Bromwich Albion pulled off one of the most memorable upsets in Premier League history. Arsenal were chasing Chelsea at the top of the table, but West Brom’s clinical second-half display put the Gunners to the sword. After an early goal from Peter Odemwingie and further strikes from Gonzalo Jara and Jerome Thomas, Arsenal were left stunned. Despite two late goals from Samir Nasri, the Baggies held on for a famous 3-2 victory, their first away win in 19 matches.

5. Manchester United 2-3 Blackburn, December 2011

Blackburn Rovers pulled off a massive upset by defeating Manchester United at Old Trafford, ruining Sir Alex Ferguson’s 70th birthday celebrations. The match was full of drama, with Blackburn taking a surprise 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Ayegbeni Yakubu. Dimitar Berbatov’s brace brought United level, but a late header from Grant Hanley, following a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner, handed Blackburn a shock win. Ferguson later described the result as a “disaster,” as United went on to lose the title to Manchester City by just goal difference.

6. Chelsea 0-1 QPR, January 2013

QPR were struggling at the foot of the Premier League table, but they stunned Chelsea with a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge. Shaun Wright-Phillips scored the only goal of the game, a brilliant strike in the 78th minute, following an injury to Junior Hoilett. The result was QPR’s first victory at Chelsea in over 20 years and dealt a significant blow to the Blues’ title hopes. It was a massive morale boost for a team that had been languishing near the bottom of the table.

7. Huddersfield 2-1 Manchester United, October 2017

Huddersfield Town were in the Premier League for their first time ever, but they pulled off a sensational victory against Manchester United in just their seventh top-flight match. United had been in excellent form under Jose Mourinho, but Huddersfield shocked everyone by taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Aaron Mooy and Laurent Depoitre. Despite a late strike from Marcus Rashford, Huddersfield held on for a 2-1 win, which ended United’s unbeaten start to the season and sent shockwaves through the footballing world.

8. Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace, December 2018

Crystal Palace’s 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium in December 2018 was another major shock in Premier League history. After Manchester City took the lead through Ilkay Gundogan, Palace fought back valiantly. Jeffrey Schlupp’s equalizer and a stunning 30-yard goal from Andros Townsend put the visitors in front, and Luka Milivojevic sealed the win with a second-half penalty. Despite a late goal from Kevin De Bruyne and a string of missed chances, City couldn’t recover, and Palace claimed a famous victory, handing Pep Guardiola’s side their first home defeat of the season.

9. Watford 3-0 Liverpool, February 2020

Liverpool were on an incredible 44-match unbeaten run in the Premier League when they traveled to Watford in February 2020. However, the Reds’ pursuit of an invincible season came to a crashing halt as they were thrashed 3-0 at Vicarage Road. Ismaila Sarr was the star of the show, scoring two goals in six minutes before assisting Troy Deeney’s third. Liverpool’s normally impeccable defence was all at sea as Watford claimed a much-needed win to move out of the relegation zone.

10. Liverpool 0-1 Burnley, January 2021

Burnley’s shock 1-0 victory at Anfield in January 2021 ended Liverpool’s 68-match unbeaten run at home. Ashley Barnes’ 83rd-minute penalty sealed Burnley’s first win at Anfield since 1974, as the champions-elect failed to break down Sean Dyche’s resolute defense. Despite dominating possession, Liverpool were unable to score, and Burnley took full advantage, handing Jurgen Klopp’s side their first home league defeat in almost four years.


These 10 shock results remind us that in football, anything can happen. Underdogs regularly rise to the occasion, and the Premier League’s unpredictability is one of the reasons it remains the most exciting league in the world.

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What makes the premier League so special?

“The Premier League is one of the most difficult in the world. There’s five, six, or seven clubs that can be the champions. Only one can win, and all the others are disappointed and live in the middle of disaster.”

~ Jurgen Klopp