One of the keys to staying in the Premier League is having a fairly decent backline.
Burnley were able to stay in the top-flight for many years largely because they were good at the back, even though they did not score many goals.
But keeping goals out is easier said and done and now, 101GreatGoals have taken a look back at the worst defences in Premier League history.
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5= Barnsley, Burnley & Wolves (82)
5th spot is shared by three teams. Barnsley were the first side to ship 82 goals in the Premier League, doing so back in 1997/98. The Yorkshire outfit finished 19th in the league that term, with a goal difference of -45.
The next team to do so was Burnley many years later in 2009/10. The Clarets’ solid backline had not been established yet and their poor defence saw them finish 18th with a -40 goal difference.
We had to wait just two years for another team to match that record, with Wolves finishing dead bottom of the league in 2011/12 with a -42 goal difference.
4: Norwich, 2021/22 (84)
They shipped 84 goals in 2021/22, with their lack of goals also seeing them finish dead bottom of the division with a -61 goal difference.
3: Fulham, 2013/14 (85)
Beating Norwich by a single goal is the Fulham team of 2013/14. They too were, unsurprisingly, relegated that campaign thanks to their awful backline.
Fulham ended the season 19th in the league with a -45 goal difference.
2: Derby County, 2007/08 (89)
The next entry on this list goes to Derby County in what is arguably the worst-ever Premier League campaign from a side.
The Rams won just one game all season and finished with 12 points, which remains the lowest points tally from a single team in the PL.
Derby also hold the record for most goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League season.
1: Swindon Town, 1993/94 (100)
Taking top spot with a record that is unlikely to be ever beaten is Swindon Town.
Swindon shipped a century of goals in the Premier League’s second-ever campaign.
However, the English top-flight still had 22 teams that season, so they did have to play four more games than anyone else on this list.
Who has kept the most clean sheets in a single Premier League season?
