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Is John Carver the worst manager in Premier League history?

Newcastle have lost their last eight games under John Carver

Newcastle's miserable form under John Carver continued as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat away to Leicester City.

The Magpies fell behind after just 36 seconds at the King Power Stadium before having Mike Williamson and Daryl Janmaat sent off in a shambolic second half.

Carver has won just two out of 16 Premier League games since taking over from Alan Pardew in January, leaving the Magpies deep in relegation trouble.

It is only the second time in Newcastle’s history that they have lost eight consecutive league games, but it may come as a surprise that Carver doesn’t even make the top 10 worst managers of the Premier League era.

Worst Premier League managers
Image: The 15 managers with the worst points per game ratios in Premier League history

The stats reveal that Jimmy Gabriel is the least successful boss in terms of points per game having drawn one and lost six of his seven matches in charge of Everton in the 1993/94 campaign.

Gabriel is followed by Paul Jewell, who failed to win in 24 games at Derby County between 2007 and 2008, while Mick McCarthy comes third having averaged just 0.27 points per game during two top flight stints at Sunderland between 2003 and 2006.

Terry Connor’s winless run of 13 games as Wolves boss at the end of the 2011/12 season puts him fourth, while Ian Holloway is fifth having averaged just 0.38 points per game before he was sacked eight games into Crystal Palace’s return to the Premier League last season.

More from Leicester V Newcastle

Despite Newcastle’s dismal winless run, Carver is way down in 12th. His average of 0.5625 points per game is marginally higher than former Burnley manager Brian Laws, while former Charlton boss Les Reed comes 13th.

Newcastle had Daryl Janmaat sent off against Leicester
Image: Newcastle had Daryl Janmaat sent off against Leicester

Carver does, however, rank as Newcastle’s worst manager of the Premier League era. Alan Shearer only managed one win in his eight games in charge at St James’s Park at the end of the 2008/09 season, but the former England striker’s average of 0.63 points per game is superior to Carver’s and puts him just outside the top 15 worst Premier League managers.

Newcastle face West Brom, QPR and West Ham in their final three games of the season, and current form suggests Carver could find himself in the top 10 come the end of the season.

Top 15 worst managers in Premier League history

1 Jimmy Gabriel, Everton, 0.14 points per game

2 Paul Jewell, Derby County, 0.21 points per game

3 Mick McCarthy, Sunderland, 0.27 points per game

4 Terry Connor, Wolves, 0.31 points per game

5 Ian Holloway, Crystal Palace, 0.38 points per game

6 Billy Davies, Derby County, 0.43 points per game

7 Roy McFarland, Bolton Wanderers, 0.45 points per game

8 Kevin Ball, Sunderland, 0.5 points per game

9 Howard Wilkinson, Sunderland, 0.55 points per game

10 Sammy Lee, Bolton Wanderers, 0.55 points per game

11 Brain Laws, Burnley, 0.56 points per game

12 John Carver, Newcastle, 0.56 points per game

13 Les Reed, Charlton, 0.56 points per game

14 Chris Hutchings, Bradford City, 0.58 points per game

15 Dave Bassett, Nottingham Forest, 0.62 points per game

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