Manchester United’s defeat to Manchester City has seen an impressive run of resiliency come to an end.
There is no sugar-coating the fact that the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Mancheser United has been full of disappointments.
But there has been one very consistent run across the past decade, that when Manchester United hold a lead at half-time, the team do not lose.
This was not the case on Sunday as the Red Devils relinquished a 1-0 lead against City tolose the game 3-1.
Manchester United lead at half-time and lose
Marcus Rashford‘s goal gave Manchester United a 1-0 lead at The Etihad. Then in the second half a brace from Phil Foden and a late strike from Erling Haaland tipped the game in City’s favour.
This was the first time in 10 years that Manchester United had lost a Premier League game the team had lost at half-time.
The period spans a stretch of 143 matches, in which the team won 123 and drew 20, per Opta.
The last time Manchester United led at half-time and lost in the Premier League
The last time Manchester United led at half-time in the Premier League and lost was against Leicester City back in 2014, away from home.
A Louis van Gaal side featuring Angel di Maria and Radamel Falcao capitulated a 3-1 lead to crash to an unlikely 5-3 defeat.
This defeat to Manchester City was a lot easier to see coming. With United defending an early lead, the team sat back and tried to defend it.
You felt that if City scored one, there was a risk they would run away with it.
Now, with this run sadly broken, we hope it is another 10 years before the team suffer another similar defeat.
With all the inconsistency in management at Old Trafford over the past 10 years, and changes in players, it is remarkable this stretch lasted so long.
