Chris Wilder’s team is headed for relegation back to the Championship, Sheffield United has managed to escape one unpleasant Premier League record.
After being humiliated 6-0 at home by Arsenal on Monday, the bottom club and Burnley, who both appear to be near certainties for the relegation, are tied on 13 points.
In order to become the poorest side in Premier League history, both have eclipsed Derby County’s 11 points from 2007–08.
Nevertheless, Sheffield United is expected to surpass Swindon Town’s record of 100 goals given up in 1993–94 due to their extremely vulnerable defense.
The Yorkshire club have conceded 72 goals at an average of 2.67 per match, the worst ever defensive record after 27 Premier League games.
It is the second-most goals leaked after 27 games in any of England’s top four divisions, only surpassed by the 73 Doncaster Rovers gave away in the fourth tier in 1997-98.
Should that trend average continue, and there is little evidence to suggest it will not, Wilder’s team are on course to become the first Premier League to concede more than 100 goals.
Swindon’s total came from a 42-game season while Ipswich Town conceded 93 also in a 42-match campaign. The highest number of goals shipped in a 38-game season is Derby’s 89.
Swathes of Sheffield United fans left as Arsenal went 3-0 ahead inside 15 minutes and they will be fearing more thrashings with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United still to play
Sheffield United travel to Bournemouth on Saturday.
