The last time Man Utd – & each of the ‘big six’ – won five matches in a row | OneFootball

A novel subplot of the 2025-26 season is Manchester United fan Frank Illett and his refusal to cut his hair until his club wins five matches in a row.

But when did they last do it, and how hard is it? We’ve also taken a look at Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham’s last five-match winning streaks.

Here’s the last time each of the ‘big six’ last won five matches in a row.

Manchester United – February 2024

Not only have the rest of the traditional ‘big six’ won five successive matches more recently than the Red Devils, but so too have Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

You have to go back to the season before last to find five consecutive Manchester United wins in all competitions. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t manage it last season as they slumped to by far their lowest placing and points tally of the Premier League era.

After a desperately poor start to the 2023-24 campaign, ending up rock bottom of a Champions League group that featured FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray while regular Premier League defeats left them languishing in midtable, they briefly rallied in Erik ten Hag’s final months.

Having avoided humiliation in the FA Cup against Newport County, winning 4-2 after letting a two-goal lead slip, they enjoyed a decent little run in the league, albeit with a forgiving run of games – they beat Wolves, West Ham, Aston Villa and Luton.

They then came crashing down back to earth with a 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham.

As the rest of this list demonstrates, the lack of other competitions make this feat particularly burdensome. There aren’t any relative gimmes in the League Cup or European competition, while the Premier League is now competitive enough that winning five successive league games is extra tough.

But after playing Tottenham, Ruben Amorim’s men don’t play a fellow ‘big six’ team in any of their next 10 Premier League outings through til mid-January. A favourable draw in the FA Cup third round might just help them get over the line.

Arsenal – November 2025

Not only have Mikel Arteta’s Gunners just achieved the feat, but they’ve done it twice over. That’s right, double it: Arsenal are currently on a ten-match winning streak.

Since drawing 1-1 at home to Manchester City in September, Arsenal have dispatched Port Vale, Newcastle, Olympiacos, West Ham, Fulham, Atletico Madrid, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Burnley and Slavia Prague across the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League.

Amazingly enough, they’ve conceded just one goal in that winning run. Champions elect?

Liverpool – September 2025

What a rollercoaster this season’s been for Arne Slot’s reigning champions.

Seven successive wins followed directly by six defeats in seven.

The Reds rode their luck during their early winning run, with late winners required against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal, Burnley, Atletico Madrid and Southampton – in hindsight, that probably signposted the rocky road ahead.

Chelsea – July 2025

Load up the Sean Dyche JPEG. Club football in July – what nonsense is this?

You can argue the toss on how seriously we ought to take FIFA’s silly expanded Club World Cup, but they count as competitive fixtures.

The Blues were well-beaten by Brazilian side Flamengo in the group stage, but they bounced back to book their place in the last 16 with a routine 3-0 win over Esperance Tunis.

They then came alive in the knockout stages, beating Benfica, Palmeiras and Fluminense before making it five in a row with a superb, statement 3-0 victory over recently-crowned European champions PSG in the final. The biggest result of Enzo Maresca’s reign so far.

Manchester City – June 2025

After losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace, ensuring a rare trophyless campaign for Pep Guardiola, City bounced back to win their final two Premier League outings against Bournemouth and Fulham.

They then went and won their first three matches out in the United States, beating Wydad, Al-Ain and Juventus in the group stage before their shock elimination to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal at the Round of 16.

Tottenham – October 2024

Surprisingly enough, in a season in which Spurs lost no fewer than 22 Premier League games, Big Ange did actually lead them to five consecutive matches.

This was before the injuries really began to bite and Angeball really started to go off the rails. It also underlined the value of being in other competitions; three of their five wins were in relatively forgiving fixtures, against Qarabag and Ferencvaros in the Europa League group stage and away to Coventry City in the League Cup.

They also had a 3-0 win away to Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United in the Premier League. Insert your own punchline here.