MOURINHO'S REDS EQUAL HISTORIC CLUB RECORD
With Tuesday's victory over CSKA Moscow, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United equalled a historic club record by remaining unbeaten at Old Trafford for 40 matches in all competitions.
The Reds have not lost at home since the Manchester derby in September 2016. In 40 ensuing games, fans have seen 29 wins, 11 draws, 85 goals scored and just 17 conceded.
This current run is the joint-best in club history, alongside a record that was initially established in the mid-1960s. After a 0-1 home reverse against Leeds United on 5 December 1964, Matt Busby’s Reds went unbeaten at Old Trafford until Leicester City sprung a 2-1 upset on 9 April 1966. Of that stupendous 40-game streak, United won 26 and drew 14, scoring 89 goals and conceding 32.
Manchester City on Sunday are all that stand between the Reds and a new club record.
United’s top 5 unbeaten home runs
1. 40 matches – December 1964 to April 1966
2. 40 matches – September 2016 to present
3. 38 matches – December 1998 to April 2000
4. 37 matches – April 2010 to October 2011
5. 33 matches – March 1955 to October 1956
FORTRESS OLD TRAFFORD
Historically, United’s success has been built on relentless home form. This season has adhered to that template for success. From the opening day obliteration of West Ham United, through the visits of Leicester City, Basel, Everton, Burton Albion, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Benfica, Newcastle, Brighton and CSKA Moscow, United have ground down all comers. Some have been quickly swatted aside, others gradually outmanoeuvred, but none have left with so much as a point.
The result is that United have broken a post-war record of winning the first 11 home games in a season, scoring 31 times and conceding just thrice. Ahead of the recent victory over an in-form Tottenham, manager Jose Mourinho shrugged: “I just think normally we have performances at home, normally we trust our game, and yes, the results have been positive at home. We had lots of draws at home last season - too many - but normally at home we are a strong and confident team.”
Last term’s results – though frustrating at times – nevertheless marked a vital solidifying of Old Trafford as a venue. Last September, Manchester City put on an impressive show, but secured a 2-1 victory amid controversial circumstances in which goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was fortunate to escape a red card and the concession of a penalty. That remains the solitary home defeat the Portuguese has suffered since his arrival in the summer of 2016. Teams no longer relish the trip to Old Trafford.
A substantial part of United’s post-Sir Alex Ferguson travails stemmed from a loss of authority in M16, where visiting teams were suddenly emboldened into attacking at a stadium where previously they had realistically countenanced only defeat. Within a season, West Bromwich Albion, Everton, Newcastle United, Tottenham, Swansea City, Liverpool, Manchester City and Sunderland had all departed as victors.
Though the reign of Louis van Gaal began with a home defeat against Swansea, his appointment coincided with the initial restoration of fortress Old Trafford. The Dutchman’s two-season reign contained six home defeats in total – two less than the season which preceded his appointment.
Mourinho’s arrival has dug a moat and manned the ramparts. His career record in home league games makes for ludicrous reading, with 284 matches rendering 222 wins, 52 draws and just 10 defeats.
THE ALL-TIME BEST HOME START
It was Newcastle who ended our all-time record run of winning starts at home when the Magpies became the first team to stop Ernest Mangnall’s side from winning at Bank Street in the Reds’ 14th home game of the 1907/08 season, posting a 1-1 draw to end United’s run at a whopping 13…
07.09.07 - Liverpool 4-0
09.09.07 - Middlesbrough 2-1
21.09.07 - Sheffield United 2-1
05.10.07 - Nottingham Forest 4-0
26.10.07 - Bolton Wanderers 2-1
09.11.07 - Everton 4-3
23.11.07 - Arsenal 4-2
07.12.07 - Bristol City 2-1
21.12.07 - Manchester City 3-1
25.12.07 - Bury 2-1
11.01.08 - Blackpool (FA Cup) 3-1
25.01.08 - Chelsea 1-0
01.02.08 - Chelsea (FA Cup) 1-0
08.02.08 – Newcastle United 1-1
WHEN SEXTON’S REDS GOT OFF TO A FLYER
With 11 home games this season, Mourinho’s men have broken the post-War-record of eight opening wins set back in the 1979/80 campaign. Here’s how Dave Sexton’s Reds set that mark…
22 August | First Division | West Bromwich Albion | Won 2-0
Defender Gordon McQueen, fresh from scoring on the opening day at Southampton, set the ball rolling after just four minutes, before Steve Coppell’s clincher early in the second half.
1 September | First Division | Middlesbrough | Won 2-1
A brace from arch predator Lou Macari, with a goal coming early in each half, did the damage, rendering Craig Johnston’s second-half retort nothing more than a consolation.
5 September | League Cup 2nd round, 2nd leg | Tottenham Hotspur | Won 3-1
Trailing on aggregate after a 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane, the Reds roared back on a raucous night at Old Trafford which was ultimately settled by Paul Miller’s second-half own-goal.
15 September | First Division | Derby County | Won 1-0
A nervy afternoon for the Reds, who were unable to convincingly finish off the struggling Rams after forging ahead through Ashley Grimes’ opening goal in the 20th minute.
29 September | First Division | Stoke City | Won 4-0
After successive away defeats at Wolves and Norwich, United put on a resounding show. Summer buy Ray Wilkins opened the scoring, before a McQueen brace sandwiched Sammy McIlroy’s effort.
6 October | First Division | Brighton & Hove Albion | Won 2-0
Another sound defensive display from Sexton’s men, who took the spoils with a goal midway through either half from the ever-deadly Coppell and Macari.
20 October | First Division | Ipswich Town | Won 1-0
A 6-0 defeat at Portman Road later in the season underlined the credentials of an Ipswich side who would finish second, but Grimes’ second-half effort was enough to overcome them at Old Trafford.
3 November | First Division | Southampton | Won 1-0
A fifth straight home clean sheet for the Reds, who endured a couple of nerve-jangling moments after Macari had opened the scoring less than eight minutes into the match.
What happened next?
United’s winning home run came to an end against Crystal Palace. David Swindlehurst put the Eagles ahead with 13 minutes remaining and, though Joe Jordan equalised moments from the end, the Reds ran out of time to nick a winner. By the end of the campaign, Sexton’s men had won 18 of 23 home games in all competitions, beaten only by Wolves in the First Division and Spurs in the FA Cup.