After Manchester United’s impotence caused them to draw against 10-man Bournemouth, the Red Devils are now the joint top team in the league with the most draws so far at 10 drawn games, alongside relegation strugglers Middlesbrough.
And while many will certainly dispute whether a draw can be considered good or not, arguments can be drawn from history. Three teams hold the record of having the most draws in a season in the Premier League, 17 games. How did these teams fare?
Newcastle United (2003-04)
With the likes of Alan Shearer, Craig Bellamy, and Gary Speed on the team, many expected Newcastle United to score a bunch of goals during the season and perhaps secure a place in the top four. Their 3-0 thrashing of Portsmouth at home, 3-0 dismantling of Manchester City before Christmas, and 4-2 humbling of Everton in April of 2004 proved they had what it takes to put the ball in the back of the net.
However, their defence proved to be their downfall. The fact that the Magpies drew from winning positions in their final three games of the season meant they weren’t able to secure a top four finish, although they did finish fifth and gained qualification for the UEFA Cup.
Newcastle ended the season with 56 points, four points shy of the top four. Their over-all record was 13W 17D 8L.
Aston Villa (2011-12)
The Claret and Blues did not expect this season to be such an abysmal campaign, and yet it was. They, like Newcastle, had capable strikers – Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor were prominent first-team strikers and had at least 10-15 goals in each of them. They also had the veteran Robbie Keane in their ranks to provide more tenacity in attack.
However, their inability to close down games meant they clocked in less points than they should’ve. Villa drew five games from winning positions in the second half of the season, and drew a total nine games from the beginning of January till their final game in May.
Villa ended the season with 38 points, just two points clear of relegation. Their over-all record was 7W 17D 14L.
Sunderland (2014-15)
The Black Cats were hopeful of a stress-free campaign during the 2014-15 season under Gus Poyet. After four draws in their first five league matches of the season, it was soon apparent they won’t be having any such luck. Still, Sunderland did well to draw in those matches. Indeed, they came from behind to draw against both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur
Later on, they also managed to share the spoils with the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal, which meant they did not drop as much points as they would’ve – which is something all the Sunderland fans can hope for. This time, the draws helped the team.
Just like Aston Villa during the 2011-12 season, Sunderland ended with 38 points after clocking in a 7W 17D 14L over-all standing.