The BEST episodes of Match of the Day

Every episode of Match of the Day ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Match of the Day!

Match of the Day (often abbreviated as MOTD) is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in the Barclays Premier League. It is one of the BBC's longest-running shows, having been on air since 1964, though it has not always been aired regularly. The 'Match of the Day' brand is also often used for live football coverage on the BBC. They run a competition called Goal of the Month, choosing the best goal each month, where the winner from there will then be entered into a goal of the season award.

Last Updated: 3/17/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Continuing
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22nd August 1964
star
10.00
1 votes

#1 - 22nd August 1964

Season 1964 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/22/1964

The first episode of Match of the Day from 1964, presented by Kenneth Wolstenholme and former Arsenal player Walley Barnes. The featured match is Liverpool versus Arsenal at Anfield.

Directors: Alan Chivers
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MOTD - April 15th, 1989
star
10.00
27 votes

#2 - MOTD - April 15th, 1989

Season 1989 - Episode 34 - Aired 4/15/1989

Match of the Day recorded this night of the Hillsborough disaster, April 15th 1989. This episode contains distressing scenes. The Hillsborough disaster was an incident that occurred on 15 April 1989 at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, during the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest football clubs. The crush resulted in the deaths of 96 people and injuries to 766 others. The incident has since been blamed primarily on the police, and remains the worst stadium-related disaster in British history, and one of the world's worst football disasters.

MOTD - 2nd May 2016
star
9.50
2 votes

#3 - MOTD - 2nd May 2016

Season 2015 - Episode 43 - Aired 5/2/2016

Dan Walker presents highlights from the Premier League.

MOTD - April 13th, 2013
star
9.00
2 votes

#4 - MOTD - April 13th, 2013

Season 2012 - Episode 34 - Aired 4/13/2013

Newcastle v Sunderland Arsenal v Norwich Aston Villa v Fulham Everton v QPR Reading v Liverpool Southampton v West Ham Wigan v Swansea

MOTD - January 11th 2014
star
9.00
2 votes

#5 - MOTD - January 11th 2014

Season 2013 - Episode 21 - Aired 1/11/2014

Gary Lineker introduces highlights of seven Premier League fixtures, including the game between Hull City and Chelsea. The Tigers began the season away to the Blues, and will be looking to exact revenge for a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. However, Steve Bruce's side have already beaten Liverpool at the KC Stadium this term, and are not to be underestimated. Elsewhere, Swansea City head to Manchester United hoping to make amends for their 4-1 defeat to the Red Devils earlier in the season. There is a relegation six-pointer between Fulham and Sunderland, while Cardiff City host West Ham United, Everton meet Norwich City, Southampton play West Brom and Tottenham Hotspur take on fellow Londoners Crystal Palace.

MOTD - May 5th 2014
star
9.00
2 votes

#6 - MOTD - May 5th 2014

Season 2013 - Episode 38 - Aired 5/5/2014

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and reaction from the evening's Premier League fixture from Selhurst Park, as title-chasing Liverpool visit in-form Crystal Palace with the season nearing its climax. There are also highlight's from Sundays two games, with Chelsea also face struggling opposition in the shape of Norwich, who pushed Jose Mourinho's side all the way in the reverse fixture but were undone by two late goals. Chris Hughton was the man in charge of Norwich that day, but his recent sacking means he is not at the helm at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal, meanwhile, stage their final home game of a season which has been a difficult one for manager Arsene Wenger. Their opponents West Brom have a poor record at the Emirates, with four defeats in their last five visits, and they have been embroiled in a relegation battle for most of the campaign.

MOTD - 24th May 2015
star
9.00
2 votes

#7 - MOTD - 24th May 2015

Season 2014 - Episode 50 - Aired 5/24/2015

Highlights from the final day of the Premier League season, presented by Gary Lineker. Leicester City and Queens Park Rangers, both of whom have spent most of the season battling against relegation, meet at the King Power Stadium, while Aston Villa host Burnley in another game between two bottom-half sides. All eyes will be on Steven Gerrard in Liverpool's match at Stoke, with the Reds captain set to play his final game for the club before departing to join Los Angeles Galaxy. In London, Chelsea play Sunderland, Arsenal take on West Brom and Crystal Palace meet Swansea. Elsewhere, Tottenham travel to Everton, Hull play Manchester United, Manchester City face Southampton and Newcastle take on West Ham.

MOTD - 1st April 2017
star
9.00
2 votes

#8 - MOTD - 1st April 2017

Season 2016 - Episode 35 - Aired 4/1/2017

Gary Lineker introduces highlights of the day's eight Premier League matches, including the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton. Other games include Chelsea v Crystal Palace, Burnley v Tottenham, Leicester v Stoke, Manchester United v West Brom, Hull v West Ham, Watford v Sunderland and Southampton v Bournemouth.

MOTD - 26th September 2015
star
8.75
4 votes

#9 - MOTD - 26th September 2015

Season 2015 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/26/2015

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and reaction to the day's eight Premier League matches. In the lunchtime kick-off Tottenham host Manchester City at White Hart Lane, with both clubs having had contrasting starts to the season. The day's other fixtures see Leicester take on Arsenal, Liverpool play Aston Villa, Manchester United face Sunderland, Southampton against Swansea, Stoke versus promoted Bournemouth, West Ham hosting Norwich and champions Chelsea travelling to Newcastle.

MOTD - 28th November 2015
star
8.75
4 votes

#10 - MOTD - 28th November 2015

Season 2015 - Episode 17 - Aired 11/28/2015

Gary Lineker presents highlights of the day's six Premier League games, including early-season pacesetters Manchester City taking on Southampton. City brought the curtain down on their Premier League season with a 2-0 home victory over Saints last season - consolidating their second-place finish behind Chelsea. Elsewhere, former Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew takes on the Magpies with his current club Crystal Palace. Pardew swapped St James' Park for Selhurst Park earlier this year and will want to continue his impressive start to the season with Palace. The day's other fixtures see another of the season's surprise packages, Leicester City, take on Manchester United. Elsewhere, Sunderland entertain Stoke, Everton travel to Bournemouth and Aston Villa face Watford.

MOTD - 20th December 2014
star
8.67
3 votes

#11 - MOTD - 20th December 2014

Season 2014 - Episode 19 - Aired 12/20/2014

Gary Lineker presents highlights of the day's seven Premier League games. Reigning champions Manchester City take on Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium hoping to record a seventh successive win against the Eagles. Similarly, Manchester United head to Villa Park hoping to clinch an eighth consecutive victory against Aston Villa. Elsewhere, Southampton host Everton, QPR meet West Brom and Hull take on Swansea, while Tottenham entertain Burnley and West Ham face Leicester.

MOTD - 15th May 2016
star
8.67
3 votes

#12 - MOTD - 15th May 2016

Season 2015 - Episode 45 - Aired 5/15/2016

Gary Lineker presents highlights from all ten matches on the final day of a Premier League season that has been one of the most memorable in the competition's history. Champions Leicester travel to Chelsea, Tottenham are away to Newcastle, Arsenal take on Aston Villa, Everton play Norwich, Manchester United face Bournemouth, Southampton host Crystal Palace, Stoke welcome West Ham, Swansea play Manchester City, Watford face Sunderland and West Brom are at home to Liverpool.

MOTD - 16th May 2015
star
8.50
2 votes

#13 - MOTD - 16th May 2015

Season 2014 - Episode 49 - Aired 5/16/2015

Gary Lineker introduces highlights from the day's seven Premier League matches in the penultimate week of the season. The threat of relegation has haunted both Sunderland and Leicester for much of the campaign, and they face each other in what could be a crucial clash in the fight to avoid dropping into the Championship. Burnley, who have also been in and around the bottom three all season, take on Stoke at Turf Moor. Elsewhere, QPR host Newcastle, Southampton play Aston Villa, Hull travel to Tottenham, West Ham face Everton and Liverpool are in action against Crystal Palace.

MOTD - 5th December 2015
star
8.50
4 votes

#14 - MOTD - 5th December 2015

Season 2015 - Episode 18 - Aired 12/5/2015

Highlights including Man United v West Ham, Chelsea v Bournemouth and Stoke v Man City.

MOTD - 13th January 2016
star
8.50
2 votes

#15 - MOTD - 13th January 2016

Season 2015 - Episode 25 - Aired 1/13/2016

Gary Lineker introduces the best of the action and reaction from the week's ten Premier League matches, including a mouthwatering clash between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield and a meeting of two of the Premier League's early-season form sides Tottenham and Leicester City.

MOTD - 2nd March 2024
star
8.50
2 votes

#16 - MOTD - 2nd March 2024

Season 2023 - Episode 34 - Aired 3/2/2024

Gary Lineker presents highlights and analysis from the day’s seven Premier League matches, which all have a big impact on both the top and bottom of the table.

MOTD - 22nd August 2015
star
8.33
3 votes

#17 - MOTD - 22nd August 2015

Season 2015 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/22/2015

Gary Lineker presents highlights of the day's six Premier League matches. In the lunchtime kick-off, Manchester United welcomed Newcastle to Old Trafford, while West Ham entertained Bournemouth at Upton Park. Former West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is a guest in the studio alongside Alan Shearer. In the day's other games, Crystal Palace host Aston Villa, Tottenham travel to take on Leicester, Norwich play Stoke and Sunderland meet Swansea.

MOTD - 18th March 2017
star
8.33
9 votes

#18 - MOTD - 18th March 2017

Season 2016 - Episode 34 - Aired 3/18/2017

Gary Lineker introduces highlights from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures. Arsenal face a trip to West Brom in the day's early kick-off and the Gunners are desperate to avoid defeat at the Hawthorns for a second successive year. Title favourites Chelsea travel to Stoke, where they have lost on two of their last three league visits. Elsewhere, Everton host Hull, reigning Premier League champions Leicester are away to West Ham, Sunderland take on Burnley at the Stadium of Light, Bournemouth are at home to Swansea and Crystal Palace face Watford.

MOTD - 13th December 2014
star
8.25
4 votes

#19 - MOTD - 13th December 2014

Season 2014 - Episode 18 - Aired 12/13/2014

Dan Walker presents highlights of the day's seven Premier League games, including title-chasing Chelsea's match with Hull City at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have never lost to Hull in six previous Premier League meetings. Newcastle travel to Arsenal, while Leicester play host Manchester City boasting three wins to the champions' two in all-time Premier League matches. However, the Foxes are still to beat them at home. Elsewhere, West Brom host neighbours Aston Villa at the Hawthorns - 11 goals were scored in the two league games between the clubs last season and Southampton take on Burnley at Turf Moor in what was the first top-flight meeting between the two clubs in 40 years. The day's other fixtures saw Crystal Palace entertain Stoke and Sunderland host West Ham.

MOTD - 22nd July 2020
star
8.20
5 votes

#20 - MOTD - 22nd July 2020

Season 2019 - Episode 48 - Aired 7/22/2020

Gary Lineker introduces highlights of the days Premier League matches.

MOTD - 6th February 2016
star
8.20
5 votes

#21 - MOTD - 6th February 2016

Season 2015 - Episode 30 - Aired 2/6/2016

Gary Lineker introduces highlights from the day's seven Premier League matches, including an intriguing clash between Manchester City and Leicester City at the Etihad. Everton are out for revenge at the Britannia Stadium - Stoke beat them 4-3 in a thrilling encounter over Christmas - while Sunderland are on the hunt for points at Anfield. Aston Villa take on Norwich in a match they surely must win if they are to stand a chance of escaping relegation this season. Elsewhere, West Brom travel to Newcastle, Swansea host Crystal Palace and Tottenham meet Watford at White Hart Lane.

MOTD - 4th February 2017
star
8.10
10 votes

#22 - MOTD - 4th February 2017

Season 2016 - Episode 27 - Aired 2/4/2017

Gary Lineker introduces highlights of Saturday's eight Premier League matches, including the game between title rivals Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, while Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce faces former side Sunderland in a game of huge significance in the relegation battle. Other matches include Tottenham v Middlesbrough, Everton v Bournemouth, Hull v Liverpool, Southampton v West Ham, Watford v Burnley and West Brom v Stoke.

MOTD - 2nd February 2016
star
8.00
2 votes

#23 - MOTD - 2nd February 2016

Season 2015 - Episode 29 - Aired 2/2/2016

Gary Lineker presents highlights of Tuesday's eight fixtures in the Premier League. Title-chasing Leicester host Liverpool at the King Power Stadium, hoping to avenge the 1-0 defeat they suffered at Anfield on Boxing Day. Another club looking for retribution is Arsenal, who were on the end of a surprise 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Southampton at Christmas. Elsewhere, struggling Sunderland face Manchester City, Tottenham travel to Norwich, West Ham host Aston Villa, Crystal Palace play Bournemouth, Manchester United welcome Stoke and West Brom take on Swansea.

MOTD - 27th February 2016
star
8.00
3 votes

#24 - MOTD - 27th February 2016

Season 2015 - Episode 33 - Aired 2/27/2016

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and reaction to the day's six Premier League matches. High-flying Leicester City's home clash against Norwich City was one of the standout fixtures. The Foxes have been this season's surprise Premier League package and they look to continue their remarkable form against the Canaries at the King Power Stadium. In the lunchtime game, Sam Allardyce returned to his former employers West Ham. Allardyce left Upton Park last summer and, with new club Sunderland in relegation trouble, revenge would have tasted all the sweeter at his old stomping ground. Elsewhere, Chelsea travelled to Southampton, Stoke took on struggling Aston Villa, Watford faced Bournemouth at Vicarage Road and West Brom entertained Crystal Palace.

MOTD - 19th March 2016
star
8.00
1 votes

#25 - MOTD - 19th March 2016

Season 2015 - Episode 37 - Aired 3/19/2016

Gary Lineker presents highlights of Saturday's six Premier League matches. In the day's early kick-off, title-chasing Arsenal travel to Goodison Park to take on Everton. The Gunners are confident of victory, having lost just once to the Toffees in their last 18 encounters. Elsewhere, leaders Leicester travel to take on Crystal Palace, Chelsea play West Ham, Watford take on Stoke, West Brom face Norwich and Swansea are in action against Aston Villa.