The biggest half-time leads in Premier League history
Once Sweden scored their fifth goal against Cuba in the quarter-final of the 1938 World Cup, the French reporter Emmanuel Gambardella stopped firing away on his typewriter.
«Up to five goals is journalism,» he declared. «After that, it is statistics.» One can only imagine what the former president of the French Football Federation would have made of this article.
On no fewer than seven separate occasions, a Premier League team has rifled five goals past their opponent before the half-time interval (Sweden had only been 4-0 up at the break against Cuba).
Here is a look at the English top-flight matches which Gambardella wouldn't have bothered coming back from half-time for.
The gulf in class between Premier League title hopefuls Arsenal and doomed relegation candidates Sheffield United was clear to see in this clash in March 2024.
Martin Odegaard had put the Gunners ahead in the fifth minute before Jayden Bogle's own goal and another strike from Gabriel Martinelli made it 3-0.
Two further efforts from Kai Havertz and Declan Rice put Mikel Arteta's side well on their way to another impressive victory.
Sheffield Wednesday were almost propelled into the atmosphere by the new-manager bounce the Owls enjoyed in November 1997. A week after a 6-1 reverse against Manchester United ended David Pleat's reign, caretaker boss Peter Shreeves oversaw the club's largest top-flight win in three years.
West Ham cult hero Paulo Di Canio scored 20 minutes in to kick off proceedings, with Guy Whittingham firing home just six minutes after.
An Andy Booth hat trick was the icing on the cake as all three of the home side's frontmen had stamped their authority in the opening half.
A torrential downpour during the half-time interval raised genuine
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