Are Manchester United Really The Premier League's Unluckiest Team?

Jose Mourinho described Manchester United as "the unluckiest team in the Premier League" after their 1-1 draw with Arsenal, but do the stats back him up?

Juan Mata's second-half goal appeared to be sending United to a well-deserved victory at Old Trafford on Saturday, only for Olivier Giroud to pull Arsenal level with their only shot on target.

It was a bitter blow for United, who dominated the game for long periods, and it prompted Mourinho to rue his side's misfortune. "I am really happy with the team, but at the moment I consider us the unluckiest team in the Premier League because it is the reality," he told Sky Sports.

"If you analyse the last three matches. Against Stoke we have to win 5-0 or 6-0 and we draw. Against Burnley we have to win 5-0 or 6-0 and we draw and today we have to win 2-0 or 3-0 and we draw."
So does Mourinho have a point? Or is he making excuses? From key decisions to hitting the woodwork, we examine the evidence…

Refereeing decisions
Mourinho rarely bites his tongue when it comes to decisions going against his side and this season there have been a number of flashpoints. The United boss was angered by two decisions during the Manchester derby defeat to City back in September.

First, there was Claudio Bravo's lunge on Wayne Rooney, then an Antonio Valencia cross struck Nicolas Otamendi on the elbow. Mourinho criticised Mark Clattenburg for failing to award penalties in both cases. Former referee Dermot Gallagher agreed with Mourinho about the Bravo incident in his weekly column for Sky Sports, but he felt Clattenburg was right to overlook the Otamendi incident.

In United's following game against Watford, they conceded the opening goal after Anthony Martial was robustly dispossessed by Miguel Britos. Mourinho described the decision to let play continue as "ridiculous", while Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said the Watford defender had "kicked through his left leg to get the ball".

Clattenburg enraged Mourinho again when he didn't award United a penalty after Matteo Darmian went down following a clash with Jon Flanagan in their 0-0 draw with Burnley last month. Mourinho was handed a one-game ban for his furious reaction, but replays showed the contact was minimal.

There was another penalty incident against Arsenal, with Valencia going to ground after Nacho Monreal raised an arm across his body. Mourinho chose not to criticise Andre Marriner over the incident, but it was a decision which could have gone either way.

While Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been awarded at least four penalties this season, United have only had one. But while there have been a number of decisions to irk Mourinho, they have not all been quite as clear-cut as he might tell you. And on the other hand, they have only had one penalty awarded against them.

Injury count?
One area in which United have undoubtedly been unfortunate is injuries. Defensive issues forced Mourinho to field a makeshift back four against Arsenal on Saturday, and it was not the first time this season that his options have been depleted.

In fact, according to PhysioRoom.com, United have racked up the second-highest total of injuries this season with 27. Only relegation battlers Sunderland have suffered more (30).

Goalkeeping heroics?
Manchester United's shot conversion rate of 11.6 per cent is the fifth-lowest in the Premier League. It's partly down to wasteful finishing, but they have also had the misfortune of facing goalkeepers in the form of their lives.

Stoke shot-stopper Lee Grant rescued the Potters with eight saves in their 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, while Tom Heaton's performance in the 0-0 draw with Burnley was even better. The 30-year-old made 11 saves in total, including one described as "one of the best in Premier League history" by Peter Schmeichel.

In total, opposition goalkeepers have made 49 saves against Manchester United this season, a far higher total than the Premier League average of 34. It's not just a question of bad luck, but it's certainly been a factor.

Hitting the woodwork
Football is a game of fine margins and there are few things more frustrating than seeing your side's shots come back off the woodwork. United have rattled the frame of the goal five times in total - including twice each in their draws with Stoke and Burnley.

You could call it bad luck, but it's nothing compared to Bournemouth, who have been denied by the woodwork 13 times in total. In fact, six Premier League sides have hit the woodwork more times than United.

Late goals?
Giroud's equaliser on Saturday was the fourth time United have conceded in the 80th minute or later this season, putting them comfortably above the Premier League average of 2.5 late goals per side.
It happened twice in United's 3-1 defeat to Watford back in September and it also happened with Joe Allen's late leveller for Stoke last month. Add Giroud's equaliser and United would be five points better off had they managed to hold on in those games. But while Mourinho might call it bad luck, it also raises questions over complacency.

So while the evidence suggests United have indeed had their share of bad luck, particularly with injuries and goalkeeping heroics, there are clearly numerous other factors at play.

Mourinho will be hoping things fall into place in the weeks ahead, but United are not the only side to have been hit by misfortune, and their prospects of turning things around are dependent on more than just a change of luck.

Credit: Skysports.com