Arsenal is dangerously heading towards a historic collapse in the Premier League, with the ghosts of lost titles haunting Mikel Arteta’s team. After an alarming series of negative results in all competitions — defeat in the League Cup final, elimination by second division team Southampton in the FA Cup, and a heavy defeat against Bournemouth in the league — the Gunners see their nine-point lead slipping through their fingers, especially with the imminent trip to Manchester City, the second-placed team.
Despite the points advantage, the pressure is at boiling point. Pep Guardiola’s side, with two games in hand, have the experience and quality needed to capitalise on any Arsenal slip-up and reclaim the lead. This situation recalls some of the greatest disappointments in Premier League history, where teams that seemed secure at the top of the table ended up losing the title dramatically.
Arsenal is no stranger to these situations. In 2007-08, under Arsène Wenger’s management, the team seemed unstoppable, having lost only one game in the first 26 rounds. The five-point lead seemed solid until the fateful encounter at St. Andrew’s against Birmingham City. Even with an extra player from the early minutes, the Gunners drew 2-2, conceding the equaliser in injury time. From there, the team collapsed, dropping points in six of the next seven games and handing the title to another rival.
In the present, the Arsenal of 2022-23 has also shown signs of weakness. After leading the table practically since August, the team dropped crucial points in clashes against Liverpool, West Ham, and Southampton, all in April. The thrashing at the Etihad, 4-1, followed by defeats against Brighton and Nottingham Forest, raised accusations of a “bottle job” — an expression implying a lack of courage and failure in decisive moments. In January, the Gunners had a five-point lead and a game in hand over City, which at that time was a relentless machine, winning the treble.
But the Premier League has always been an unpredictable competition. In its first season, champions Leeds United did not win any away games and survived by a thread, while teams like Aston Villa and Norwich City had leading phases that did not progress. Interestingly, the signing of Eric Cantona by Manchester United changed the course of the 1992-93 season, with Sir Alex Ferguson leading the Red Devils to the title after an impressive comeback.
Speaking of Manchester United, the team of 2011-12 also came close to a debacle. After a humiliating 6-1 defeat to City, the Red Devils responded with an impressive series of victories that gave them an eight-point lead. However, an unexpected defeat against Wigan and a series of draws opened the door for City, who went on to win the title in that epic season.
Another recent example is Liverpool in 2018-19. Despite an almost perfect performance — with 97 points at the end of the season — the Reds ended up losing the title to City, who amassed 98 points, a record. The defeat in January against the champions was the decisive moment, and even with an impressive recovery, draws in crucial games proved costly.
Looking back, Manchester United in 1997-98 and Newcastle United in 1995-96 are classic examples of teams that lost large leads. United had an 11-point lead but saw Arsenal, with three games in hand, recover and win the title. Meanwhile, Newcastle, with a 12-point lead, crumbled after a series of defeats in March and lost the title race.
The lesson is clear: in English football, a comfortable lead can evaporate in an instant. Arteta’s Arsenal is now being tested to the limit. The visit to Manchester City could be the decisive moment of the season. Can the Gunners withstand the pressure, or are they doomed to join the sad list of the Premier League’s greatest leadership collapses? The answer, as always, will be on the pitch, where glory and disappointment are decided in 90 minutes.
