Manchester City break THREE calendar year records after 4-0 thumping of Newcastle

Man City break THREE records with their 4-0 thumping of Newcastle as Pep Guardiola’s men become the team with the most top-flight wins, away victories and goals in a calendar year


Manchester City have broken Liverpool’s long-standing record for the most top-flight victories in a calendar year, with Sunday’s 4-0 win over Newcastle the club’s 34th win in 2021.

City breezed past the Magpies in easy fashion as goals from Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling allowed Pep Guardiola’s side to be top of the league at Christmas – and continue their run of breaking current records.

The record for most top-flight victories in a calendar year was previously held by Bob Paisley’s Liverpool, who won 33 matches in 1982 which saw them win back-to-back Division One titles.

Manchester City have broken the record for most top-flight victories in a calendar year (34)

Pep Guardiola's side won 4-0 away at Newcastle on Sunday to break the 39-year record

Pep Guardiola’s side won 4-0 away at Newcastle on Sunday to break the 39-year record

During the championship run-in of the 1981-82 season, the Reds won 20 games between January and May, dropping points in only five (though Division One consisted of 42 games a season in those days).

And despite a few wobbles, a further 13 wins in the first-half of the 1982-83 season set Paisley’s team on course for an even more dominant title win.

A timeless Liverpool side containing the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Ian Rush, Phil Neal, Alan Kennedy, Mark Lawrenson and Phil Thompson also retained the League Cup.

Now City are hoping to make it a stellar 2022, after finishing as Premier League champions this year and before starting the current campaign by topping the table at Christmas.

Bob Paisley's Liverpool had won 33 top-flight matches in 1982 either side of winning two titles

Bob Paisley’s Liverpool had won 33 top-flight matches in 1982 either side of winning two titles 

Guardiola’s City won their first 13 league matches of 2021, with their first defeat being a 2-0 loss to Manchester United in March. 

And the current top-flight champions have won 14 out of the 18 league matches so far this term, with the crushing victory at Newcastle being City’s eighth top-flight win in a row. 

The other big winners in a calendar year include Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2005 (32 wins), Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in 2019 (31 wins) with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United picking up the same amount of victories ten years earlier. 

Ferguson’s United also picked up 31 wins in a calendar year in 1993, while Tottenham’s 1960 double-winning team achieved the same feat. 

Guardiola’s City won the title last season and will top this season’s table on Christmas Day

Guardiola’s City, meanwhile, have also broken their own record for most goals in a single calendar year. Sterling’s goal at Newcastle – their last of the afternoon – was City’s 106th goal of 2021 – and there are still two more matches left for the club in 2021.

City have also picked up their 18th away league win of the season, breaking Tottenham’s 61-year record for most top-flight victories on the road. 

Last week, Guardiola became the fastest manager to ever reach 150 Premier League wins, by achieving that feat in 204 games, a staggering win ratio of 73.5 per cent.

To put that into context, Jose Mourinho required 230 matches to reach 150 wins, Sir Alex Ferguson needed 247 and Arsene Wenger 258. Guardiola has blown these legendary managers out the water.