How Manchester United’s losing run compares to worst in their history

Manchester United go into Wednesday’s derby with Manchester City on a run of six defeats in eight games.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed as the club’s permanent manager on March 28, having won 14 of his first 17 games in charge before back-to-back losses against Arsenal and Wolves.

But that downturn has continued and here, Press Association Sport looks at how it stacks up against the worst sequences of form in United’s history.

* The last time the club suffered as many defeats in a shorter run of games was in April and May of 1989. On that occasion they lost to Derby, Charlton and Coventry, beat Wimbledon but were then beaten by Southampton, QPR and Everton to make it six losses out of seven.

* The Red Devils have lost five successive away games, their worst run since losing six in a row on their travels from January to March 1981 against Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Coventry, Leicester, Manchester City and Southampton. Their only remaining away game this season is at Huddersfield on May 5.

* The last time the club lost seven games out of nine was in September and October 1962. They lost away to Bolton and Leyton Orient before beating Wanderers at Old Trafford. Further defeats against City, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn and Tottenham were interrupted only by a draw at Blackpool.

* United have gone 11 games without a clean sheet for the first time since 1998, when Solskjaer was playing for the club.

* United have conceded 48 league goals this season, their worst defensive record in a Premier League season. Their previous worst was 45 goals against in both 1999-2000 and 2001-02.

* Should Solskjaer’s side lose to both City and Chelsea it would be the first time United have lost four games in a row in all competitions since December 2015, against Wolfsburg, Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke.