Arsenal Still Shy Of Man Utd Record Run
Arsenal's 2-1 win at Newcastle United on Saturday was their seventh successive Barclays Premier League victory over the Magpies, but even such an amount of joy against a particular opponent cannot trouble the top 20 of winning runs.
A quickfire first-half brace from Olivier Giroud set Arsene Wenger's side on their way to taking all three points at St James' Park, and their seven straight wins over Newcastle is the third longest current winning sequence by any side over another in the Barclays Premier League (excluding runs against sides no longer in the BPL).
The last time Newcastle took anything from Arsenal was in a goalless draw in the north east in August 2011, with the Gunners having rattled in 16 goals in their four home victories since that fixture.
Arsenal also own the second longest ongoing winning run, with their 3-0 home success over West Ham United on 14 March marking their ninth consecutive victory over their London rivals.
The longest current sequence belongs to Manchester City, with Newcastle again on the wrong end of this record. The reigning Barclays Premier League champions have won 11 matches in a row against the Magpies, most recently in a 5-0 romp at the Etihad Stadium last month.
City will need to do the double over Newcastle again next season if they are to equal the record for the longest winning run against one club in Barclays Premier League history.
That belongs to Manchester United, who racked up 13 straight successes against Wigan Athletic between 2005 and 2011. After Wigan's promotion to the top flight 10 years ago, United won all of the first 13 meetings between the two sides, scoring 42 goals in the process.
Finally, at the 14th time of asking on 11 April, 2012, Shaun Maloney's goal earned Wigan a 1-0 triumph at home, a result that helped them stave off relegation and damaged United's title challenge as City took the crown on goal difference on a dramatic final day.
United also enjoyed dominance against Aston Villa, recording 11 straight wins between March 2003 and March 2008. Chelsea have matched that mark, against both Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, while Arsenal went on a run of 11 consecutive victories over Man City between August 1994 and September 2004.
As to sides against which clubs have enjoyed the most success, Arsenal are one of six clubs among the present 20 in the BPL to have a 100% record against an opponent with a minimum of three matches.
From all six of their meetings with Reading the Gunners have emerged with three points.
Two other current Barclays Premier League sides to enjoy 100 per cent winning ratios against one particular opposition are Liverpool and Southampton, who have won four out of four against Burnley and Bradford City respectively.
Burnley hold a perfect record against Hull City – although they have only gone head to head on three occasions – and more impressive is Manchester United's record against Hull, with seven victories from as many meetings between those two sides.
Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea hold a superb record against Portsmouth. In their 14 encounters the men from Stamford Bridge have won on 13 occasions for a 92.86 per cent success rate against the south-coast club.
The only exception came in a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park in February 2008, when Jermain Defoe cancelled out Nicolas Anelka's opener.
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