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A closer look at Manchester City's 18-match winning run

City had already surpassed the previous record of 14 set by Preston and Arsenal and extended their streak further with a 1-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday.

Manchester City extended their record-breaking run of consecutive victories with an 18th successive win in all competitions on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side had already surpassed the previous record of 14 set by Preston and Arsenal and extended their streak further with a 1-0 win over the Gunners in the Premier League.

Here, the PA news agency looks back over the run, and the ones it has bettered.

City's winning run

City have enjoyed a 100 per cent record since beating Southampton just before Christmas. Here are the games they have won.

Southampton 0 Man City 1, Premier League, December 19, 2020

Raheem Sterling, left, scores the only goal at Southampton
Raheem Sterling, left, scored the only goal at Southampton (Adrian Dennis/PA)

Following draws with Manchester United and West Brom, Raheem Sterling's first-half goal got City back to winning ways.

Arsenal 1 Man City 4, Carabao Cup, December 22

Gabriel Jesus' opener was cancelled out by Alexandre Lacazette but Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte scored in the second half.

Man City 2 Newcastle 0, Premier League, December 26

Goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres secured the points.

Chelsea 1 Man City 3, Premier League, January 3 2021

Gundogan, Foden and Kevin De Bruyne made the game all but safe by the 34th minute, before Callum Hudson-Odoi's late consolation.

Man Utd 0 Man City 2, Carabao Cup, January 6

John Stones netted just after half-time and Fernandinho sealed victory late on.

Man City 3 Birmingham 0, FA Cup, January 10

Bernardo Silva scored twice in the opening 15 minutes, with Foden adding the third before half-time.

Man City 1 Brighton 0, Premier League, January 13

Foden's goal just before the break extended the sequence.

Man City 4 Crystal Palace 0, Premier League, January 17

John Stones' header opens the scoring against Crystal Palace
John Stones' header opened the scoring against Crystal Palace (Dave Thompson/PA)

Stones netted twice, with Gundogan and Sterling also on target.

Man City 2 Aston Villa 0, Premier League, January 20

City had to wait 79 minutes for Silva to open the scoring, with a late Gundogan penalty clinching victory.

Cheltenham 1 Man City 3, FA Cup, January 23

The League Two underdogs threatened an upset through Alfie May's goal before Foden, Jesus and Torres scored in the last 10 minutes.

West Brom 0 Man City 5, Premier League, January 26

Gundogan's run of form continued with two goals, with Joao Cancelo and Mahrez putting City four up at the break and Sterling adding the fifth.

Man City 1 Sheffield United 0, Premier League, January 30

Jesus banged home the only goal in the ninth minute.

Burnley 0 Man City 2, Premier League, February 3

Jesus again struck early on and Sterling's goal before half-time eased any fears of a comeback.

Liverpool 1 Man City 4, Premier League, February 7

Ilkay Gundogan, right, celebrates his second goal at Anfield
Ilkay Gundogan, right, celebrates his second goal at Anfield (Tim Keeton/PA)

Gundogan missed a penalty but atoned with two goals, sandwiching Mohamed Salah's successful spot-kick for the Reds, before Alisson Becker's second costly error allowed Sterling to make it 3-1 and Foden added a fourth.

Swansea 1 Man City 3, FA Cup, February 10

Kyle Walker gave City the lead in the first half and Sterling and Jesus added efforts shortly after the break before Morgan Whittaker replied for the hosts.

Man City 3 Tottenham 0, Premier League, February 13

Rodri's first-half penalty put City ahead, with regular spot-kick taker Gundogan notching twice from open play after the break.

Everton 1 Man City 3, Premier League, February 17

Foden's opener was cancelled out by Richarlison but Mahrez and Silva both scored in the second half.

Arsenal 0 Man City 1, Premier League, February 21

Raheem Sterling's second-minute header was enough for a slightly sub-par City to hold off the Gunners.

The previous record holders

Preston's early dominance of English football saw them follow up their 'Invincible' season of 1888-89 with their 14-game winning run three years later, which was not matched for over 95 years.

Preston, October 1891 to January 1892

Deepdale
Preston set the record in football's early days (David Davies/PA)

North End kicked off their run with a 4-2 win over Lancashire rivals Blackburn on October 24, 1891 and scored four or more goals in six of the games, including a pair of sixes.

Everton, Stoke, Blackburn again, West Brom twice, Bolton, Derby, Notts County, Stoke, Darwen and Accrington YA were their other Division One victims before FA Cup wins over the short-lived Middlesbrough Ironopolis and the more recognisable Middlesbrough team who play in the Championship today. Nottingham Forest ended the run in a 2-0 third-round reverse.

Preston scored 45 goals and conceded only 10 in the 14 games, with seven clean sheets, but went on to finish second in the league, five points behind Sunderland.

Arsenal, September to November 1987

Alan Smith, centre left, scores Arsenal's second goal in the 3-0 win over Bournemouth in October 1987
Alan Smith, centre left, scores Arsenal's second goal in the 3-0 win over Bournemouth in October 1987 (PA)

Seven successive clean sheets kickstarted the Gunners' run, with 32 goals ultimately scored and only five conceded.

Forest, Doncaster twice, Wimbledon, West Ham, Charlton and Oxford were all shut out, before rivals Tottenham became the first team to score against Arsenal in the sequence but were still beaten 2-1.

Bournemouth, Derby, Newcastle, Chelsea, Stoke and Norwich were also dispatched before a 1-0 loss to Southampton ended the run.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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