Much of what makes the Premier League so special is the quality that fans get to witness on a weekly basis. Whether it be the remarkable teamwork on display by some of the greatest squads ever assembled, the wonder goals, or the equally incredible saves, there is plenty to sit back and marvel at when England's top flight is on our screens.
However, these amazing feats also mean that when something extraordinarily bad happens, it will often live just as long in infamy as the great moments. While most will want these buried and forgotten forever, GIVEMESPORT is on hand to ensure the exact opposite happens as we bring you the 10 most embarrassing moments in Premier League history.
Ranking Factors
No match results are included
How remarkable/shocking the moment was
Context of the game
How memorable it turned out to be
10 Most Embarrassing Premier League Moments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Arsenal and Manchester United players looking dejected. Related
Ranking the Most Embarrassing Defeats for English Clubs in Europe
Every big 6 club feature on this list
11 Kyle Walker's Clash With Rasmus Hojlund
15th December 2024
hojlund walker
The most recent entry to the list is one Kyle Walker will not look back on fondly. The 2-1 defeat to Manchester United was bad enough for the Manchester City captain, but perhaps it was karma for his pathetic antics earlier in the game.
Seconds after the hosts had taken the lead, Walker rather unnecessarily charged into Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund, conceding a free kick. The Dane then squared up to his counterpart, with the two men going nose to nose. Neither one was the aggressor, but Walker decided to drop to the floor as if he had been headbutted. Replays showed that no such thing had occurred and that the full-back had a delayed reaction to any contact, which was not assertive in the first place. Roy Keane even said he felt embarrassed for Walker in the aftermath.
10 Gerrard's 38-second Red Card vs Manchester United
22nd March 2015
Steven Gerrard sent off against Manchester United
There are plenty of moments from Steven Gerrard's final season at Liverpool he would quite like to forget, with the sobering 6-1 defeat to Stoke in his final game for the club being a key example. However, aside from his infamous slip that cost him his only league title - which just managed to avoid this list out of sympathy - this is one moment he may look back on with particular regret.
When Liverpool's biggest rivals, Manchester United, came to Anfield in 2015, Gerrard found himself named on the bench. The hosts were 1-0 down at half-time after a toothless display, and Gerrard was sent on to ignite some fight. Unfortunately, he went overboard. After a crunching tackle on Juan Mata, United's Ander Herrera attempted to give a little back to the Liverpool captain. In response, Gerrard stamped on United's number 21 and was promptly sent off by Martin Atkinson.
All in all, Gerrard's cameo lasted just 38 seconds, and his side went on to lose the game 2-1, thanks to Mata's incredible overhead kick. While not his finest moment, Gerrard's short stint at least made for a hilarious heat map.
9 Hull City Team Talk vs Manchester City
26th December 2008
Phil Brown
As if being 4-0 down at half-time wasn't bad enough, Phil Brown decided to double down on the situation and make matters worse for his Hull City team during their Boxing Day clash against Manchester City. This was way before the Citizens became the superpower they are now, but they were still well above anything the Tigers had on offer on the day.
Not content with just giving his squad the hairdryer treatment inside the comfort of the away dressing room, Brown decided to go one step further and demanded his players take a seat on the pitch in front of the travelling supporters. The moment was so bizarre that when the two teams met a year later, perennial jokester Jimmy Bullard recreated it with his celebration after scoring a penalty for the visitors.
Roger Milla, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe celebrate. Related
30 Greatest Goal Celebrations in Football History (Ranked)
The best football celebrations ever have been ranked, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Roger Milla.
8 Wenger Stands Above Old Trafford Dugout
29th August 2009
MixCollage-16-Dec-2024-07-01-PM-6996
Arsene Wenger may be one of the greatest managers to ever grace the Premier League, but boy did he have some moments he would like to forget. Whether it be his scuffle on the touchline with José Mourinho, or his heated war of words with Alan Pardew. However, it is this clash with great foe Sir Alex Ferguson that takes the cake.
Back in August 2009, Wenger thought Robin van Persie had scored a late equaliser against Manchester United, only to discover that it had been ruled out for offside. In frustration, the Frenchman kicked a water bottle into the air and was incredibly sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean. Irate and with just seconds left, Wenger took his cue but rather than going to the stands, he instead stood atop the United dugout with his arms folded amid a sea of sarcastic cheers from the Old Trafford faithful.
7 Sunderland's Beach Ball Goal vs Liverpool
17th October 2009
MixCollage-16-Dec-2024-07-12-PM-2463
Not so much an embarrassing moment for anyone on the pitch per se, but most certainly for one fan in the stands. History has taught us that inflatable objects and Premier League football do not go hand in hand. Just ask Alex Ferguson, who almost suffered a heart attack when assistant Mike Phelan burst a balloon right next to him.
However, the icing on top of that specific cake is undoubtedly when Liverpool lost a game thanks to a beach ball. As the legend goes, a Liverpool fan threw the inflatable onto the pitch as a joke, but wasn’t laughing when Darren Bent’s strike deflected off the ball and left Pepe Reina bamboozled as it soared into the back of the net.
6 Kevin Keegan's Rant
29th April 1996
Kevin Keegan Newcastle 90s
Say it with us now: "I will love it if we beat them! Love it!" Arguably the most quoted speech in Premier League history comes from the mouth of the legendary Kevin Keegan. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner was aiming to bring Newcastle their first title in almost 70 years, and the 1995-96 season looked like the time to do it. With eleven games to go, the Magpies held a comfortable nine-point lead at the top, with second-place Manchester United seemingly far behind.
However, Newcastle fell apart and went into the last game of the season need the Red Devils to slip up. This led Keegan to cut a pro-wrestling-like promo on Alex Ferguson and his side, reiterating that they would push the leaders until the very end. Had they won, this would’ve looked more inspirational than embarrassing, but United beat Middlesbrough on the final day as Newcastle dropped even more points, leaving them four points off the crown.
A custom image of England's David Seaman, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard during embarrassing World Cup defeats Related
10 Most Embarrassing England Defeats in World Cup History (Ranked)
England have only won the World Cup once, but they have suffered many more embarrassing defeats. Here are some of the worst.
5 Fernando Torres' Open Goal Miss
18th September 2011
MixCollage-16-Dec-2024-07-38-PM-5031
Have there been worse misses in Premier League history? Yes, there have. However, the miss, coupled with the troubles that Fernando Torres had following his move to Chelsea, made this all the more awkward to watch. Interestingly enough, the Spaniard had already scored a very well-taken goal earlier in the game against Manchester United in 2011 and looked destined to grab his second after skillfully bypassing goalkeeper David de Gea.
With the goal at his mercy, Torres sliced his shot wide with all the grace of a baby giraffe on ice skates. The World Cup winner couldn't help but fall to the floor in dismay as the entire stadium laughed at his misfortune.
8 football stars who underwent dramatic body transformations after retiring Related
9 Football Stars Who Underwent Dramatic Body Transformations After Retiring
These football stars shocked everyone by getting into even better shape after quitting the game...
4 Lee Bowyer & Kieron Dyer's Fight
2nd April 2005
Lee Bowyer, Kieron Dyer
Tempers can flare on the football pitch, that is part of what happens when you are playing at such high stakes and with such adrenaline. But to go as far as you start attacking your teammate in front of a packed out stadium is a whole different scenario. That's what St James' Park got towards the end of the 2004/2005 season.
It was already a poor day at the office for the Magpies against Aston Villa, but things boiled over when Lee Boweyer began swinging for the fences at fellow midfielder Kieron Dyer. The pair had become frustrated at one another throughout proceedings and were both sent off for the incident, which reportedly led to manager Graeme Souness challenging them both to a fight.
3 David Dunn's Failed Rabona
19th October 2003
MixCollage-16-Dec-2024-08-00-PM-4138
While English football is now regarded as some of the best in Europe, in 2003, it still carried the stereotype of long balls and route-one football. The intricate play and silky skills we often see in the modern game were far less common.
One player who sought to challenge that narrative was Birmingham City’s David Dunn. In a match against local rivals Aston Villa, of all teams, Dunn decided it was the perfect moment to attempt an audacious rabona to dazzle the crowd. Unfortunately for him, he barely made contact with the ball, and his showboating ended with him landing face-first on the turf. Thankfully, Dunn managed to laugh about it afterward.
2
1 Henry & Pires Penalty Mishap
22nd October 2005
MixCollage-16-Dec-2024-08-09-PM-6273
There's a famous saying: often replicated, never duplicated. Unfortunately for Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, that's not the case with their attempt at one of the cheekiest penalties in history, as many others have actually been able to pull it off far more successfully since.
The French duo remain the only two to attempt the penalty pass in English football, where the ball is laid off to a teammate to score from an even closer distance. However, when the two 'Invincibles' tried it, it spectacularly failed as Pires failed to kick the ball off the spot, meaning Henry wasn't able to tap it home before Manchester City's defenders scrambled the ball out of the danger zone.
If you had money on two players being able to pull this off, it was these two. Yet, it couldn't have gone more wrong if they tried.