Five on the bounce: the last time every Premier League club did it — as Man United fan’s haircut waits
If you want a snapshot of modern football fandom, look no further than Frank Illett — better known as The United Strand — who’s sworn off the scissors until Manchester United rack up five straight wins in all competitions. He got to four at the start of 2026 before a 1-1 stumble against West Ham reset the count; as things stand, United are back on three and chasing momentum again under Michael Carrick.
This might sound daft, but it speaks to something very real: stringing together five victories isn’t easy in an era of fixture pile-ups, European travel and banana-skin cup ties. For context — and a reality check for the Old Trafford barber — here’s when every current Premier League club last pieced together a run of five on the spin. And if you fancy a flutter while you’re reading, our pick of the best betting sites will keep you clued up on the latest prices.
The viral haircut vow — and why five on the spin matters
Five wins is the marker of a side with rhythm: press clicking, set-plays sharp, big players fit and firing. United have flirted with that level a few times across the last two years, but keeping the throttle down has been the problem. The margins are thin; the mood swings are not.
When every Premier League club last won five in a row (all competitions)
Arsenal — 21 Oct to 4 Nov 2025: Arteta’s slick operators rattled off five as part of another title push. Winning has never been their issue; turning dominance into medals is the final step.
Aston Villa — 6 Dec to 27 Dec 2025: From a ropey start to an outrageous upturn, Unai Emery’s men hit an eleven-game surge across league and Europe, with this five-win burst right in the middle.
Burnley — 11 Apr to 3 May 2025: Kompany’s side finished the Championship season like a train, swatting aside Norwich, Watford, Sheffield United, QPR and Millwall to make it five.
Bournemouth — 2 Oct to 30 Oct 2021: Back in their Championship promotion season, the Cherries knocked off five league wins on the trot against the likes of Sheffield United, Huddersfield and Reading.
Brentford — 7 Mar to 15 Jul 2020: A pre- and post-shutdown surge at the sharp end of the Championship, kick-started by a 5-0 walloping of Sheffield Wednesday.
Brighton & Hove Albion — 8 Feb to 8 Mar 2025: Remarkably, this run began a week after a 7-0 thrashing by Forest. Two wins over Chelsea plus victories against Southampton and Bournemouth showed their steel.
Chelsea — 17 Jan to 31 Jan 2026: A flying start under Liam Rosenior delivered five on the bounce — Brentford, Pafos, Crystal Palace, Napoli and West Ham — hot on the heels of a five-win sweep at the 2025 Club World Cup that ended with Paris Saint-Germain beaten in the final.
Crystal Palace — 22 Feb to 29 Mar 2025: Part of a sensational era under Oliver Glasner, capped by that famous FA Cup triumph over Manchester City. Five straight wins, and a 19-game unbeaten stretch to boot.
Everton — 13 Sep to 3 Oct 2020: Seven wins to start the season under Ancelotti, from a 1-0 at Spurs to a 4-2 over Brighton, before Liverpool stopped the run with a derby draw.
Fulham — 26 Dec 2022 to 12 Jan 2023: Marco Silva’s side swept through the festive period — 3-0 at Palace and a 2-1 over Chelsea — before Newcastle slammed the brakes on.
Leeds United — 8 Apr to 18 Aug 2025: A seven-game streak spanning divisions; six in the Championship, then a Premier League opener nicked 1-0 off Everton to make it seven, with the five-win mark crossed en route.
Liverpool — 15 Aug to 23 Sep 2025: The champions came out flying under Arne Slot with a 4-2 over Bournemouth and statement wins against Newcastle, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid. Sustaining it proved trickier.
Manchester City — 22 Mar to 25 Apr 2026: Business-end City doing City things: six straight, including doubles over Arsenal and victories against Liverpool, Chelsea, Burnley and Southampton.
Manchester United — 28 Jan to 18 Feb 2024: You have to go back to Ten Hag’s tenure for United’s last five-on-the-bounce, a spell powered by a razor-sharp Marcus Rashford and spanning FA Cup and Premier League assignments, including a win at Aston Villa.
Newcastle United — 10 Mar to 16 Apr 2025: A purple patch last spring — Brentford, Leicester and company turned over — before a more rugged 2025/26 after life without Alexander Isak bit hard.
Nottingham Forest — 16 Apr to 4 May 2026: Vítor Pereira’s side stitched together wins over Aston Villa and Porto in Europe plus league successes against Burnley, Sunderland and Chelsea.
Sunderland — 2 Mar to 17 Mar 2021: Their last quintet came in League One. They’ve climbed two tiers since — five straight at Premier League level is a different beast entirely.
Tottenham Hotspur — 18 Sep to 3 Oct 2024: Whatever the later debates about Ange Postecoglou, he delivered a trophy and this five-game charge before Thomas Frank took the reins the following summer.
West Ham United — 1 Jan to 26 Jan 2021: Six on the spin across league and FA Cup, Doncaster dispatched and Everton edged, during a confident winter burst.
Wolverhampton Wanderers — 15 Mar to 26 Apr 2025: Before the 2025/26 wobble without Matheus Cunha, Wolves were the form team for a spell under Vítor Pereira, rattling off five to underline their ceiling.
So, will The United Strand get his trim?
He’s not far off. The squad looks fitter, the press is tidier and there’s a bit of a snarl back in midfield. But until United put together that ruthless, error-free fortnight, the barbershop door stays shut and Frank’s locks keep flowing. For a club of this size, five-in-a-row shouldn’t feel mythical — but right now, it’s the perfect litmus test.
