After Ipswich beat Everton in the Premier League at Goodison Park in February 2002, they would go on to win just one of their final 12 games that season before being relegated.
It has taken the Tractor Boys 22 years to return to the top flight, but that run has been extended to one win in 19, as Ipswich are still winless on their return.
Never before have Ipswich gone eight games without a win to start a top-flight season, so manager Kieran McKenna will be looking to avoid making unwanted history here, even though his side are in a respectable position given the difficult start they had.
Meeting Liverpool and Manchester City in their first two games was very unfortunate, and Ipswich then proved they were capable at this level by drawing their next four matches in succession.
However, a 4-1 defeat at West Ham United is not how McKenna would have wanted to sign off before the international break, and illustrated the true reality of Premier League football and how unforgiving it can be.
Everton fans do not need reminding about the disastrous back-to-back defeats they suffered against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, with the only game they avoided defeat in across their opening six games being an EFL Cup tie against fourth-tier Doncaster Rovers.
Since then though, Everton have gone three matches without defeat, picking up their first point of the season at Leicester, beating Crystal Palace, and keeping Newcastle United at bay in a goalless draw before the break.
Anthony Gordon became the first ex-Everton player to have a penalty saved at Goodison Park for 102 years when his England teammate Jordan Pickford denied him from the spot in the first half, and Everton were livid that they did not get one of their own after the interval, when Dan Burn appeared to trip Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
That point left Everton in 16th heading into the internationals, and two points above the drop zone, so with games against Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City in the space of three-and-a-half weeks in December, Sean Dyche‘s side really have to pick up wins sooner rather than later.
The five games before that torrid run pairs Everton up with Ipswich next, then Fulham, Southampton, West Ham and Brentford, and with new owners set to take over in that time, if Dyche cannot move Everton up the table, his job will be seriously under threat.
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Everton fans do not need reminding about the disastrous back-to-back defeats they suffered against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, with the only game they avoided defeat in across their opening six games being an EFL Cup tie against fourth-tier Doncaster Rovers.
Since then though, Everton have gone three matches without defeat, picking up their first point of the season at Leicester, beating Crystal Palace, and keeping Newcastle United at bay in a goalless draw before the break.
Anthony Gordon became the first ex-Everton player to have a penalty saved at Goodison Park for 102 years when his England teammate Jordan Pickford denied him from the spot in the first half, and Everton were livid that they did not get one of their own after the interval, when Dan Burn appeared to trip Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
