Bale unwanted record broken by Burke as Blades lose again

Gareth Bale's unwanted piece of Premier League history has been taken by Oliver Burke after Sheffield United lost again at Burnley.

Tottenham winger Bale, a four-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, previously held the record for the longest wait for a first Premier League win.

After his initial move to Spurs from Southampton in 2007, the Wales superstar went 24 matches without ending on the winning side.

Not until September 2009 did Bale play a part in a top-flight triumph, making a late cameo at left-back in a 5-0 defeat of Burnley.

The Clarets were the opposition again on Tuesday as Sheffield United's Burke attempted to avoid topping Bale's miserable mark.

But a 1-0 reverse courtesy of Ben Mee's header meant Burke, a 63rd-minute substitute, took the record outright.

25 - Sheffield United’s Oliver Burke hasn’t ended on the winning side in any of his first 25 appearances in the Premier League – the longest winless start to a player’s career in the competition (overtaking Gareth Bale’s 24 apps). Ouch. pic.twitter.com/Kwc5ZKxCjr

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 29, 2020

Burke's first 15 winless Premier League matches came in West Brom's 2017-18 relegation campaign and United are facing the same fate this term.

Chris Wilder's side are rooted to the bottom of the table with just two points after 16 matches.

As well as Burke's personal woe, the failure to beat Burnley saw the Blades equal Queens Park Rangers' 2012-13 record winless run from the start of a season. QPR were relegated.

16 - Sheffield United are winless in their 16 Premier League games this season – equalling Queens Park Rangers’ Premier League record of longest winless run from the start of a campaign (16 in 2012-13). Slide. pic.twitter.com/PqcGt5x1Ue

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 29, 2020