Worst Premier League goal droughts: Calvert-Lewin, Forlán, Torres and other notable barren runs

Goal droughts are a normal part of football, even if they never feel normal when you are the one missing chances. A goal drought is a run of matches in which a forward does not score, usually measured by games played, minutes played, or time between goals. For strikers, droughts attract attention quickly because a striker’s primary job is to score goals, and when goals stop, confidence and scrutiny tend to rise together.

This article is for football fans who want a clear, factual look at some of the most talked about goal droughts involving top level attackers, with a focus on Premier League examples and closely related international runs. The core question is simple: how long can elite forwards go without scoring, and what are some of the most notable barren spells in modern English football?

What is a goal drought, and why does it matter more for strikers?

A goal drought means a player goes multiple competitive matches without scoring. The pressure tends to fall hardest on centre-forwards because teams often build their attacking structure around a primary striker, and goals are the easiest output to measure. When a striker misses a few chances, confidence can drop. When that confidence drop coincides with games where the striker gets few clear chances, the run can extend quickly. This leads to more questions from supporters and media, more pressure on the player, and often a heightened sense that every missed opportunity is “the one” that proves something.

A drought does not automatically mean a striker has stopped contributing, because pressing, hold up play, and chance creation can still matter. However, at Premier League level, goals remain the headline metric for forwards, so long sequences without scoring become notable, especially when they happen to established international players or big money signings.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal drought in 2023/24

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s drought became a major talking point because it combined a long run without scoring with a high pressure moment late in a match. Calvert-Lewin ended his run of games without scoring from the penalty spot on 2 April 2024, in the 88th minute at St James’ Park. The context mattered because Everton had been on a very poor run and looked likely to lose for a fourth match in a row, so the penalty offered a chance to level the score and earn a point.

The numbers behind the drought were stark. Prior to scoring on 2 April 2024 (vs Newcastle), Calvert-Lewin’s previous Everton goal had been on 29 October 2023 (vs West Ham). That gap was described as 156 days, which is just over five months. In match terms, the run was 23 games long. In the 2023/24 Premier League season overall, he played 26 times, scored four goals, and provided one assist. He started the campaign relatively well, despite missing some early matches through injury, scoring three goals in the first seven Premier League matches he played. After that, goal number four took five months to arrive.

Diego Forlán’s Manchester United drought: 24 games without a goal

Diego Forlán is often cited as an example of how a difficult start does not have to define a career. Despite later success, his early Manchester United period is remembered for a long scoring drought after a high profile move. Forlán joined Manchester United from Independiente in January 2002 for a fee of £7m and then went 24 games without scoring.

The drought covered the end of his first season and continued into 2002/03. He went 18 games without a goal in that first campaign, and the run only ended in September 2002 when he scored in the Champions League against Maccabi Haifa, with the goal coming from the penalty spot. His first Premier League goal did not arrive until 26 October 2002. The key point is that even at a top club, with a major fee and significant expectation, a striker can go months and dozens of matches without scoring.

Other notable droughts that attracted attention

Some droughts are not record breaking but still stand out because of the player involved.

Erling Haaland, for example, once went nine Premier League games without a goal. The run included injury absence for five of those matches, but it was still notable given his usual scoring rate.

Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s record goalscorer with 260 league goals, also experienced a barren run. His worst sequence without scoring, as described here, came for England rather than at club level. Ahead of Euro 1996, Shearer went 12 England matches without scoring. Terry Venables publicly stuck by him, and Shearer then scored in the tournament opener against Switzerland and finished the competition with five goals to win the Golden Boot.

Fernando Torres is another high profile example, particularly because of the expectations attached to his transfer fee. After strong spells at Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, Torres joined Chelsea for £50m. He had scored 81 goals in 142 games for Liverpool before the move. At Chelsea, he went over 900 minutes before scoring his first goal for the club and scored once in 18 games in his debut season. In the 2011/12 campaign, Torres then went 24 games without scoring. He finished his Chelsea Premier League career with 20 league goals in 110 matches.

How do “non-striker” droughts compare?

Goal droughts look different when the player is not expected to score regularly. Defenders and defensive midfielders can go long periods without scoring without it being considered a crisis, because their job is primarily to prevent goals and support build up play rather than finish chances.

Kenny Cunningham is an extreme example of a Premier League outfield player with very few goals. Cunningham played 335 Premier League matches without scoring, across spells at Wimbledon and Birmingham. He also played 72 times for Ireland without scoring. At club level, he scored twice in 615 matches, and that record was described as one goal in 531 senior league games. The key distinction is role expectation: a striker going 20 plus matches without scoring is usually treated as a major problem, while a defender doing the same can be seen as normal, even if the numbers still look unusual.

What these droughts have in common

These examples show a few recurring patterns that help explain why droughts happen and why they become such a big story.

1. Expectation amplifies scrutiny. Big transfer fees, international reputations, or previous scoring records make any dry spell feel bigger.
2. Pressure can snowball. Missed chances can reduce confidence, which can affect decision making and finishing.
3. Team context matters. If a team creates fewer high quality chances, a striker can go multiple games without a clear opportunity, which extends the run.
4. The drought often ends with a high pressure moment. Penalties, late goals, or “must score” situations can become the turning point, as with Calvert-Lewin’s late spot kick at St James’ Park.

What changes next, and how fans should read future droughts

Modern football analysis increasingly separates individual finishing from team chance creation. This means future discussions of goal droughts are likely to focus not only on “games without scoring” but also on minutes played, quality of chances, and whether the striker is getting consistent service. That shift does not remove pressure from the player, but it does provide a clearer framework for understanding whether a drought is driven by poor finishing, limited opportunities, injury disruption, or tactical role.

For fans, the most practical way to interpret a striker’s drought is to track three things consistently: how many clear chances the striker is receiving, how many minutes the striker is playing, and whether the team’s overall chance creation is stable. Those factors help explain why two droughts that look similar by match count can be very different in reality.

Takeaway framework: a simple way to assess a goal drought

A drought is easiest to understand when you separate it into three independent questions.

1. Output: How many games, minutes, or days since the last goal?
2. Opportunity: Is the player getting chances to score, or is the team creating less?
3. Context: Are expectations unusually high because of reputation, fee, or timing?

Using that three part view helps keep the discussion factual and avoids treating every barren run as the same type of problem.

FAQ: worst goal droughts and how to interpret them

What is considered a “bad” goal drought for a Premier League striker?

A Premier League striker drought becomes notable when it reaches multiple matches in a row, especially if the striker is a team’s main scorer. In the examples discussed here, runs of 20 plus games, such as 23 for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and 24 for Diego Forlán and Fernando Torres (in 2011/12), are treated as severe.

How long was Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 2023/24 goal drought?

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s drought lasted 23 games, from 29 October 2023 (vs West Ham) to 2 April 2024 (vs Newcastle). The gap was described as 156 days.

How long did Diego Forlán go without scoring at Manchester United?

Diego Forlán went 24 games without scoring after joining Manchester United from Independiente in January 2002 for £7m.

Did Alan Shearer ever have a major drought?

Alan Shearer’s worst run mentioned here was for England, when he went 12 matches without scoring ahead of Euro 1996. He then scored in the tournament opener against Switzerland and finished Euro 1996 with five goals.

How bad was Fernando Torres’s scoring run at Chelsea?

Fernando Torres went over 900 minutes before scoring his first Chelsea goal, scored once in 18 games in his debut season, and then went 24 games without scoring in the 2011/12 campaign. He ended his Chelsea Premier League career with 20 goals in 110 matches.

Who played the most Premier League games without scoring?

Kenny Cunningham was described as the outfield player with the most Premier League appearances without scoring, with 335 Premier League matches and zero goals.