One of the most bewildering streaks in modern football has taken place not on the pitch but in the bowels of venues across the UK….CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
As part of the draw for the 2023/24 EFL Cup fourth round, Manchester United were handed a difficult home matchup against Newcastle United.
This would not be so remarkable had it not, incredibly, marked the 12th consecutive home draw for Manchester United in a domestic cup knockout fixture.
Across the FA Cup and EFL Cup (known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons), when a draw is required to set the schedule, United have been afforded a match at Old Trafford for every fixture across each of the last three seasons.
It’s a quite incredible run of fortune given draws in these competitions are carried out at random. Here’s a look back at those 12 consecutive home cup ties, and the last time the Red Devils were drawn away from their famous old ground.
Man United domestic cup home draw streak
Manchester United have been handed 12 consecutive home draws in the EFL Cup and FA Cup.
Given that each event features a 50/50 chance of receiving a home or away draw, the chances of receiving 12 straight home draws are approximately 1 in 4,096, just like it would be of flipping a coin and obtaining the same result 12 straight times.
Remember, the semifinals of the EFL Cup require a two-legged matchup to determine a winner, meaning Manchester United did play a road match at Nottingham Forest en route to their 2022/23 title.
Yet that fixture does not count as a draw was not necessary to set the venue of the match since a home-and-home format was already determined.
In addition, the EFL Cup final and both the FA Cup semifinal and final are all played at Wembley Stadium, which do not count as part of this streak.
| Date | Competition | Opponent | Result |
| Sep. 22, 2021 | 2021/22 EFL Cup 3rd Round |
West Ham | L 1-0 |
| Jan. 10, 2022 | 2021/22 FA Cup 3rd Round |
Aston Villa | W 1-0 |
| Feb. 4, 2022 | 2021/22 FA Cup 4th Round |
Middlesbrough | D 1-1 (L 9-8 on pens) |
| Nov. 10, 2022 | 2022/23 EFL Cup 3rd Round |
Aston Villa | W 4-2 |
| Dec. 21, 2022 | 2022/23 EFL Cup 4th Round |
Burnley | W 2-0 |
| Jan. 6, 2023 | 2022/23 FA Cup 3rd Round |
Everton | W 3-1 |
| Jan. 10, 2023 | 2022/23 EFL Cup Quarterfinals |
Charlton | W 3-0 |
| Jan. 28, 2023 | 2022/23 FA Cup 4th Round |
Reading | W 3-1 |
| Mar. 1, 2023 | 2022/23 FA Cup 5th Round |
West Ham | W 3-1 |
| Mar. 19, 2023 | 2022/23 FA Cup Quarterfinals |
Fulham | W 3-1 |
| Sep. 26, 2023 | 2023/24 EFL Cup 3rd Round |
Crystal Palace | W 3-0 |
| Oct. 31, 2023 | 2023/24 EFL Cup 4th Round |
Newcastle | — |
Last time Man United drew an away fixture in domestic cup
The last time Manchester United were drawn to face an opponent on the road in either the EFL Cup or FA Cup was on March 21, 2021 against Leicester City in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup.
United lost that match 3-1, eliminating them from the competition, while Leicester City would go on to lift the trophy later that year.
The lone goal for Manchester United in that match was from Mason Greenwood, assisted by Paul Pogba….CONTINUE READING
