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The nitty gritty of winning matches in the Premier League is not just about winning the title. It is also about qualifying for the Champions League or Europa League and also preventing relegation.
Based on the Premier League, the supposed points needed to avoid relegation are generally 40. However, West Bromwich Albion were the clear exceptions who were relegated with 42 points in the 2002-03 season. But there have been situations where clubs have been unable to accumulate even half of the proposed points.
Nonetheless, let's contemplate the lowest points accumulated by clubs in Premier League history.
#5 Sunderland – 19 points (2002-2003 Premier League season)
Sunderland narrowly escaped relegation the previous season (2001-02) by finishing 17th. However, they reached a dead end in the 2002-03 season where they finished 20th out of 20 teams.
Sunderland held the longest losing streak of the season with 15 losses. It started immediately after their goalless match against Blackburn Rovers on the 11th of January 2003.
Surprisingly, that draw was the only game Sunderland did not lose in the season after the New Year. They lost a total of 16 games out of the 17 played.
Sunderland managed to register only four wins that season - against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. They scored the Iowest number of goals (21) with Kevin Phillips being the club's highest goal scorer with six goals.
Sunderland got involved with three managers, Peter Reid, Howard Wilkinson and Mick McCarty, that season because of the shambolic state of the club.
#4 Aston Villa – 17 points (2015-2016 Premier League season)
Aston Villa's relegation may not have been seen as a shock because of their performance from the previous season (2014-2015) where they finished 17th. However, it was a sad one for the club as it was their first relegation since the re-branding of the league in 1992.
Aston Villa were involved for the most losses and winless streaks that season with 11 and 19 games respectively. They won their opening game against Bournemouth and went on to win just two games for the remainder of the season. They were against Norwich City and Crystal Palace.
Villa's biggest loss came in February 2016 in a 6-0 defeat against Liverpool. They scored a total of 27goals with Jordan Ayew being the top scorer with seven goals.
Villa changed administration four times involving two managers, Tim Sherwood and Remi Garde (two caretakers, Kevin MacDonald and Eric Black).
#3 Huddersfield – 16 points (2018-2019 Premier League season)
Huddersfield had a bad run of games in the 2018-19 season. They finished last in the table registering three wins, seven draws and 28 losses in which two out of the three wins came against Wolves. With their loss to Crystal Palace in March, they became the first team to be relegated in March since Derby County in 2007-2008.
Huddersfield had the longest losing streak with 14 matches. They scored a total of 22 goals, with Karlan Grant contributing the most with four goals.
Huddersfield, the two-time participant in the EPL, were promoted to the EPL for the first time since their existence the previous season (2017-2018). Their biggest loss of the season came in August against Manchester City in a 6-1 defeat.
They were involved with three managers, namely David Wagner, Mark Hudson (caretaker) and Jan Siewert that season.
#2 Sunderland – 15 points (2005-2006 Premier League season)
Sunderland, unfortunately, are present twice on the list after a shambolic performance in 2005-06 as well.
Sunderland spent close to three seasons in the EFL Championships after their last relegation. However, they came back with a less rejuvenated side compared to the 2002-03 side.
They recorded only three victories that season - against West Brom Albion, Fulham and Middlesbrough. They scored 26 goals and conceded 69 goals leaving them with a goal difference of –43.
Liam Lawrence, Tommy Miller, Dean Whitehead and Anthony Le Tallec were tied with the most league goals (3) for the club. Manager Mick McCarty was eventually sacked after spending three years with the club. It later led to the appointment of caretaker Kevin Ball and then full-time manager Niall Quinn.
#1 Derby County – 11 points (2007-2008 Premier League season)
Derby County till date holds the record for the lowest points ever recorded in Premier League history with 11 points. They doubled as the only team to register a single win in an entire EPL campaign.
County qualified to the league in 2006 for the first time since 2001-2002 through the playoffs at the EFL Championships. They were expecting a different outing this time around but it never happened.
County were involved in a winless streak of 32 games, which is unprecedented. They scored 20 goals and conceded 89 goals. Kenny Miller was the club's highest goal scorer with four goals.
They became the first team in EPL history to get relegated in March, a feat that will later be replicated by Huddersfield 11 years later. Billy Davies started the season as County's manager but was later replaced by Paul Jewell.
