Manchester City’s 18-match winning run broken down game-by-game

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

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

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

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

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

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.