Premier League: Most appearances without a win

Winning a match in the Premier League is no easy accomplishment and there's a small contingent of players who will attest to that.

Ben Brereton Diaz joined an exclusive group following Southampton's defeat to Bournemouth as he became one of only three players to have gone 20 games without a maiden Premier League victory.

We've delved into the archives and picked out the players who accompany the Southampton forward on the unwanted list.

5. Emanuel Villa - 16 matches

A member of the infamous 2007/08 Derby County side that set the lowest points tally in Premier League history, Emanuel Villa was signed by the Rams in the January transfer window as Paul Jewell's side desperately attempted to avoid the drop.

Unfortunately Villa did not taste victory once in his brief Premier League spell, with Derby drawing four and losing 12 of the Argentine's 16 appearances in the top flight.

The striker did score a brace against Fulham, though his efforts were in vain as a 2-2 draw ultimately consigned Derby to relegation in March.

4. Marvin Sordell - 17 matches

Making his breakthrough with Watford in 2009, Marvin Sordell moved to Bolton Wanderers on deadline day in January 2012 but made just three appearances - one draw and two defeats - as the Trotters suffered relegation from the Premier League.

Despite his inclusion in Team GB's 2012 Olympic squad, Sordell would not return to the Premier League until the 2014/15 campaign, this time with Burnley.

Competing for a starting berth with Danny Ings, Ashley Barnes and Lukas Jutkiewicz in attack, Sordell appeared for the Clarets on 14 occasions but failed to savour a win as Sean Dyche's side finished the campaign in 19th.

=2. Ben Brereton Diaz - 24 matches*

Like Sordell, Ben Brereton Diaz's unwanted record stretches across two clubs in Sheffield United and Southampton.

The Stoke-on-Trent-born Chile international joined Sheffield United on loan from Villarreal in January 2024 and despite scoring six goals in 14 appearances, including a brace against Fulham, Brereton Diaz failed to be on the winning side in his 14-match stint at Bramall Lane.

That trend has continued into the 2024/25 season with the striker yet to taste success in the Premier League since his summer switch to Southampton.

=2. Gareth Bale - 24 matches

Yes, you've read the above correctly: five-time Champions League winner and former Premier League Player of the Season Gareth Bale failed to be on the winning side in his first 24 appearances in England's top flight.

Bale joined Tottenham in May 2007 and played in eight matches under both Martin Jol and Juande Ramos before sustaining a severe ankle ligament injury which ruled him out for the remainder of the 2007/08 season.

The Welshman returned in time for the commencement of the 2008/09 campaign but featured in a Spurs side that endured their worst-ever league start under Ramos, with the team bottom of the table with two points from their opening eight matches.

Harry Redknapp was named Ramos' successor and though the former Portsmouth boss was triumphant in his first match against Bolton, Bale was unavailable due to suspension. The winger only made nine appearances under Redknapp for the remainder of the season and Tottenham failed to win any of the Premier League fixtures which Bale was involved in.

Bale finally broke his duck in September 2009 when he played six minutes of Tottenham's 5-0 win over Burnley.

1. Oliver Burke - 27 matches

The record for most games before a maiden Premier League victory lies with Oliver Burke, who broke Bale's record in 2020 following unfruitful spells with West Brom and Sheffield United.

Burke joined West Brom from RB Leipzig in August 2017 and made 15 appearances as the Baggies finished bottom.

Stints with Celtic and Alaves followed before Burke returned to the Premier League ahead of the 2020/21 campaign with Sheffield United. The Scotsman featured more regularly under Chris Wilder but still had to wait another 12 matches before savouring his first Premier League victory, which was a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle United in January 2021.

Burke would add a further four wins to his belt in that season as the Blades were consigned to relegation.

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