“Arsenal in the spotlight: The six best teams in the Premier League without trophies”

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is on a high, dominating the Premier League with a nine-point lead and still in the running for the Champions League and the FA Cup. However, the recent defeat in the Carabao Cup final to the unbeaten Manchester City makes us wonder: what if they don’t win anything this year? This possibility brings to mind some of the greatest teams in the Premier League that, despite their on-field glories, ended their campaigns without a single trophy.

First, let’s recall David O’Leary’s journey with Leeds United between 1999 and 2001. What began as a meteoric rise culminated in a devastating collapse. Leeds, which reached the semifinals of the UEFA in 2000 and bravely competed against giants like Barcelona and AC Milan the following year, saw its fortunes change when financial management became unsustainable. The team finished the 2001/02 Premier League outside the Champions League zone, and O’Leary was ultimately sacked as the club quickly descended to League One within a few years.

Next, we have the iconic Newcastle under Kevin Keegan, who brought excitement and hope to fans from 1992 to 1997. The team seemed destined to win the title, leading the Premier League by an impressive 17 points in January 1996. However, an epic slip allowed Manchester United to recover the advantage, and the title dream crumbled. Keegan left after failing to recover from the fall, leaving behind a legacy of near-glory.

Claudio Ranieri also made his mark at Chelsea from 2000 to 2004. Under his leadership, the Blues qualified for the Champions League, but the arrival of Roman Abramovich led to his dismissal, despite having built a promising team. The transition from an ascending club to a winning machine was swift, but Ranieri never saw the reward for his efforts.

Harry Redknapp, at the helm of Tottenham from 2009 to 2012, also experienced the frustration of not winning trophies. After rescuing the club from a disastrous position, he took the Spurs to a League Cup final, but was defeated. The pinnacle of his tenure came with an exciting Champions League campaign, but the lack of titles still looms over his legacy.

Brendan Rodgers faced one of the greatest disappointments in Liverpool’s history between 2012 and 2014. The team seemed destined to win their first title in the Premier League, but a series of slips culminated in a devastating loss to Chelsea and a humiliating draw against Crystal Palace. The season became a bitter reminder of missed opportunities, especially with the departure of Luis Suárez to Barcelona.

Finally, Mauricio Pochettino guided Tottenham from 2014 to 2019, leading them to the Champions League final. Despite vibrant and promising football, the club failed to translate that into trophies, ending up in several frustrating situations, such as the defeat in the Carabao Cup and titles that slipped through their fingers.

These stories of the great teams in the Premier League that have never managed to lift a trophy highlight the fragility of success in football. Arteta’s Arsenal is undoubtedly in a glorious position, but the pressure to win titles has never been more real. Will the Gunners be able to avoid the list of great teams without trophies? The future will tell.