Was Manchester United’s 25 game unbeaten Premier League run the worst in history? The stats behind Jose Mourinho’s streak

MANCHESTER UNITED finally tasted Premier League defeat after 25 games unbeaten in the top flight.

Jose Mourinho‘s men succumbed to a fairly comprehensive 2-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon as the streak came crashing down.

Rex Features

However, is it perhaps for the best? After all, the unbeaten run was hardly awe-inspiring…

Keep up to date with ALL the Manchester United news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary.

Since a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of title-favourites Chelsea on October 23, 2016 – United went 25 games exactly unbeaten before losing to the Gunners.

In that time however, Mourinho and Co mustered just 13 wins – with 12 tame draws seen in that span.

Rex Features

Getty Images

No team in the history of the Premier League has racked up such a low win rate after going 20 or more games unbeaten.

Chelsea came closest in the 1998-99 season when their 21-game winning run saw them clock up just 52.4 per cent.

Arsenal in 2008-09 also went 21 games without a loss - at a win percentage of 57.1.

From there though, no one has ever slipped below 60 per cent, with the Gunners in the 2001-02 season even reaching a staggering 83.3 per cent win rate.

Getty Images

Getty Images

Even the Invincibles' run of 2003-04 couldn't match that at 73.5 per cent.

Chelsea's 12-month unbeaten patch between 2004 and 2005 saw them win 82.5 per cent of their 40 matches.

However, it is United who can in fact boast the HIGHEST - as well as their recent lowest attempt - win percentage.

Back in 2002-03, Sir Alex Ferguson led the Rev Devils to 21 games unbeaten, winning 18 of those for a win-rate of 85.7 per cent.

Getty Images

So while 25 games unbeaten looks all well and good on paper, it's apparent the low win-rate has hurt them in 2016-17.

After all, United are still languishing outside the top four - and could even fall as low as sixth should Arsenal win their game in hand.

While Mourinho's arrival marked yet another new era post-Fergie, it's not exactly been better than David Moyes or Louis van Gaal...