The first five Premier League games you need to watch from The Archive

Boredom need never again be a problem now the Premier League have launched ‘The Archive’…

Prepare for your productivity to plummet, with every single Premier League game now available to watch. Whether it’s three, eight or 20-minute highlights, or even the entire match, the options are endless – and a little overwhelming.

Don’t worry. We have the perfect five games to wet the whistle before you find the deep cuts and matches you attended. Spoiler alert: you won’t find yourself in the crowd.

The highest-scoring Premier League match of all time, Portsmouth and Reading played out an 11-goal thriller that also included a missed penalty and a disallowed goal that was a good yard onside. It should have been 8-5!

The fact there were 11 goals obviously takes the cake, but this is peak Barclays . Portsmouth are really the poster boys for this era of Premier League football, while the 2007-08 campaign was iconic in its own right. Derby County finished on 11 points, only four points separated first and third, and there were two points between 19th and 16th.

Pompey’s barnstormer with Reading should be your first port of call when you load up The Archive for the first time.

Six of the 11 goals came in the final 20 minutes, both teams scored an own goal, and Benjani bagged a hat-trick, yet was the only player with multiple goals. That means there were nine different scorers – another Premier League record, shared with Tottenham Hotspur 4-5 Arsenal in 2004-05.

The Battle of the Bridge was unforgettable for many reasons, and it’s no surprise to see it alongside Portsmouth vs Reading in The Archive’s suggested games.

The main storyline is that the result confirmed Leicester City as champions in the most astonishing Premier League achievements ever – now look at them – but we are suckers for the flying challenges and touchline scraps. That is what turned this London derby into all-out war.

There were a record 12 yellow cards and, somehow, zero reds shown by Mark Clattenburg, even if Eric Dier nearly murdered Cesc Fabregas while already on a booking. Altercations broke out for fun on an incredibly dramatic night that saw Spurs’ title challenge go up in smoke.

This game had absolutely everything .

Matt Le Tissier scored arguably his greatest-ever goal, serving as a much-needed reminder that the Saints legend who now spends his nights arguing with Grok was actually an outrageous footballer.

Roy Keane was sent off because Roy Keane. Phil Neville scored an own goal because Phil Neville. David Beckham scored a free-kick because Golden Balls. The entertainment levels are off the charts.

Watching Manchester United get smacked might feel like a more recent trend, but they were susceptible to shipping goals for fun back in the day, even with Peter Schmeichel in goal.

This was just proper football. Back when this country had a set, etc, etc.

The Archive’s coverage also serves as a reminder of what match broadcasts were like back then and is a must-watch for younger audiences. From the cameraman struggling to keep up with play to the dodgy rewinding and fast-forwarding, it’s bloody great.

Another must-watch for younger audiences unfamiliar with Dennis Bergkamp, Arsenal’s dramatic draw away to Leicester in 1997-98 featured arguably the greatest hat-trick in Premier League history, capped by a third goal that epitomised the Gunners legend.

Again, this was a proper football match, and the players on show are a joy. Arsenal had some ridiculous players back then, didn’t they? Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira in midfield, Ian Wright partnering Bergkamp up top – incredible. Then you have David Platt, Ray Parlour, David Seaman and Lee Dixon, to name a few.

Bergkamp’s first goal was a peach, his second was cheeky and instinctive, and his third was just…wow. Any description won’t do it justice. Just go and watch this game.

Peak Barclays does not exactly represent the highest standard of football, but it remains one of the most entertaining eras, especially compared to today’s more structured, system-driven game.

Watching your D’Alessandros and Ben Arfas is great fun, but if you want to see the absolute peak standard of Premier League football, look no further than Manchester City and Liverpool’s title decider in 2018-19.

There was so much at stake, and you can really tell. All three goals were brilliant and completely different. There are world-class players everywhere. Both teams are going for it. It’s Pep Guardiola vs Jurgen Klopp and about as high a standard as the Premier League has ever seen.