Newcastle United have won their last six home Premier League games and are unbeaten in eight, but Eddie Howe’s side are some way off matching Chelsea’s record run of 86 games.
The Magpies have made St James’ Park a fortress since Howe’s appointment as he guides the Toon to safety. They had not won any of their four games on Tyneside, including two defeats, under Steve Bruce to start the season. Yet have only lost one of 12 under Howe.
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Leaders Manchester City handed Newcastle their only home defeat under Howe so far in December. They then held Manchester United and Watford to draws, before wins against Everton, Aston Villa, Brighton, Wolves, Leicester City, and Crystal Palace since February 8.
Howe will have his work cut out to keep Newcastle’s unbeaten home run going before the season concludes in May. Title-chasing Liverpool are the next visitors to St James’ on April 30, before Champions League qualification hopefuls Arsenal travel to the north on May 16.
The Toon have not beaten Liverpool in the league since a 2-0 win on Tyneside in December 2015. But they have drawn two of their following four at home. They have also lost each of their last seven league meetings with Arsenal since a 2-1 result at St James’ in April 2018.
Newcastle avoiding defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal in their final two home games of the season would take Howe’s men to 10 unbeaten. But the Magpies would have to keep the run going far longer if they are to break into the Premier League’s all-time top-five records.
Manchester United – 35 games (December 1994 – November 1996)
Manchester United went unbeaten across 35 home Premier League games from December 1994 to November 1996 under Sir Alex Ferguson. The two-year period saw the Red Devils finish second to Blackburn Rovers for the title in 1995, before clinching the following two.
But for their one-point deficit to Blackburn in 1994/95, they would have won the Premier League title in five-straight seasons. Additionally, but for a 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford, they would have gone unbeaten at home throughout the 1994/95 campaign.
Forest’s win was the Red Devils’ first defeat on home soil in a top-flight fixture since losing 1-0 to Chelsea in March 1994. They took at least a point in 15 games in-between defeats.
Manchester United – 36 games (December 1998 – December 2000)
Manchester United went one match better between December 1998 and December 2000 to record a 36 game unbeaten home run. The Red Devils began the 1998/99 season with a run of six wins and three draws at Old Trafford before losing 3-2 to Middlesbrough.
The result failed to prevent Ferguson overseeing their famed treble of titles that term. And Manchester United kept avoiding top-flight defeats on home soil until Liverpool visited and won 1-0 in December 2000. Danny Murphy hit the only goal with a spectacular free-kick.
Manchester City – 37 games (December 2010 – December 2012)
Manchester City won their first Premier League title in 2011/12, featuring an unbeaten run at home all term. The Citizens would not lose at the Etihad Stadium from December 2010 to December 2012, putting a defeat at home to Everton behind them to be unstoppable.
That was until neighbours Manchester United paid a visit in December 2012 and won 3-2, with Robin van Persie scoring in the 93rd-minute. Pablo Zabaleta had only drawn City level on 85-minutes following Yaya Toure replying to a first-half brace struck by Wayne Rooney.
Stoppage-time denied Manchester City extending their run, but also featured in their 2012 title triumph. Sergio Aguero drilled home on 94-minutes against QPR on the final day after Edin Dzeko’s 92nd-minute equaliser, to secure their crown and deny Manchester United.
Liverpool – 68 games (April 2017 – January 2021)
Burnley denied Liverpool a chance at chasing history with a 1-0 win at Anfield in January 2021. The result ended the Reds’ unbeaten home record at 68 games dating back to April 2017, featuring 68 games as Jurgen Klopp made the Merseyside natives title-contenders.
Ashley Barnes scored the Clarets’ effort from the penalty spot on 83-minutes after Alisson tripped the forward. Liverpool had only lost twice all term before facing Sean Dyche’s side, and went on to suffer home defeats to Brighton, Man City, Everton, Chelsea and Fulham.
Liverpool eventually took their next points at home against Aston Villa on April 10 and are yet to lose since. The Reds have reached 21 top-flight games unbeaten at home, including 17 this season. They are the only side yet to lose a home Premier League match this term.
Chelsea – 86 games (February 2004 – October 2008)
Liverpool losing to Burnley ensured Chelsea’s record of unbeaten home Premier League fixtures set in October 2008 remained. The Blues went four-and-a-half years without losing at Stamford Bridge during the mid-2000s, as they became a title-fighting force in England.
The Reds were the side who travelled to west London to cap Chelsea’s run at 86 games in October 2008. They started the day joint-level atop the table, but Xabi Alonso ensured the Merseysiders ended it ahead. Yet the Spaniard almost gifted the advantage to the Blues.
Alonso slipped in the third-minute as Chelsea broke early, but Jamie Carragher came to his rescue. Yet neither side would go on to lift the trophy that term, with Manchester United crowned as the champions on 90 points ahead of rivals Liverpool (86) and Chelsea (83).
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