Man Utd have been drawn to play 12 consecutive domestic cup ties at home - excluding the two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest earlier this year - to set a new record in British football history; the odds of drawing 12 home ties in a row are 4,096/1
Thursday 28 September 2023 12:08, UK
Manchester United have made history after being drawn to play 12 consecutive domestic cup ties at home after the fourth-round draw of the Carabao Cup pitted them against Newcastle at Old Trafford.
The extraordinary run, dating back to a defeat at Leicester in March 2021, has set a new record for the most number of consecutive home ties.
The odds of drawing 12 home ties in a row are 4,096/1.
United's only domestic cup match to be played away from Old Trafford in the last three years was a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest as well as a semi-final and final in the FA Cup at Wembley.
Shrewsbury were believed to the previous record holders in British football history. Between 2017 and 2019, the League One side went 11 matches being initially drawn at home in domestic cup competitions.
When United last season equalled Aston Villa's top-flight record - set between 2013 and 2015 - of being drawn at home in 10 consecutive domestic cup ties it was calculated that the odds of doing so were 1024/1.
Since then, United have hosted Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in the third round of the Carabao Cup before being paired with Newcastle in the fourth.
Man Utd have not only been blessed with the good fortune of playing almost exclusively at Old Trafford on this record-equalling run, they've also been drawn against favourable opposition.
The highest-ranked team they've faced during this spell was West Ham on September 22 2021, when David Moyes' side were eighth in the Premier League.