Sunday’s 3-1 derby defeat saw Manchester United’s half time lead evaporate – the first time in ten years they’ve lost in the Premier League after leading at the break.
Marcus Rashford’s first-half wonder strike put Eric Ten Hag’s visiting Red Devils ahead, but Manchester City came from behind to take all three points.
Phil Foden scored an excellent brace to overturn United’s lead before Erling Haaland sealed the victory in the final minutes.
The result keeps City on pace in the title race, with them still just a point below Liverpool. United meanwhile are sixth in the Premier League, 11 points below the Champions League places.
It’s the first time Manchester United have lost when leading at halftime in almost 150 Premier League games.
Manchester United have lost their first Premier League game from a winning position at halftime in over nine years.
They hadn't lost a match in 143 games when leading at halftime. pic.twitter.com/LPuMh6yjnf
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 3, 2024
When Did Manchester United Last Lose After Leading At Half Time?
This weekend’s defeat at the Etihad was the first time in almost ten years that United led a Premier League match at half time and went on to lose.
The last time that happened was back in September 2014 against Leicester City. United led the hosts 2-1 at the break thanks to goals from Robin van Persie and Angel Di Maria.
Manchester United’s half time lead wouldn’t last though. Leicester kept in touch through Leonardo Ulloa, yet were 3-1 down when Ander Herrera scored after 57 minutes.
But a flurry of late goals saw United blindsided, with a fantastic four from the Foxes to seal a famous five-goal win.
David Nugent’s penalty gave Leicester hope, before goals from Esteban Cambiasso, Ulloa and Jamie Vardy made it 5-3 in a classic at the King Power Stadium.
Since then, United had a record of 123-20-0 in Premier League matches where they had led at half time.
Manchester United’s Old Trafford Record
While United will be disappointed with yet another derby day defeat, there were positives from their performance, especially in the first half.
And another crumb of consolation for the red side of Manchester is that United’s home record when leading at half time is still going strong.
Manchester United have never lost a Premier League home game after winning at the break. The last league game they lost at home from a winning half time position was 40 years ago.
In May 1984, Ipswich Town overturned a 1-0 first half deficit to defeat United at Old Trafford in the First Division.
Mark Hughes opened the scoring for United to put them one up at the break. But Jean-Michel d’Avray equalised right after the interval, before Alan Sunderland’s 87th-minute winner for the Tractor Boys.
The result was huge for both sides, costing United in the title race and helping keep Ipswich up in a nail-biting relegation scrap. United finished the season fourth, six points below champions Liverpool.
Ipswich meanwhile were safe in 12th, though only five points separated them and relegated Birmingham City in 20th, with the league featuring 22 teams at the time.
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