Arsenal are top of the Premier League in April for the first time since they moved away from Highbury. Looking to hold onto the top spot at the business end of the season is uncharted territory for the Gunners in the Emirates era – but did they hold their nerve the last few times?
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners kept their eight-point lead over Manchester City after an impressive 4-1 victory over Leeds United. City had ramped up the pressure by beating Liverpool 4-1 earlier in the afternoon, but Arsenal kept their focus to register a seventh successive league win.
The last time they were top after 29 matches was in the 2007-08 campaign, although that was earlier in the calendar. Their title charge was already starting to falter after an infamously painful 2-2 draw away to Birmingham City in late February. Arsene Wenger’s side eventually trudged to an underwhelming third-place finish that year.
But what about the period that Sir Alex Ferguson unforgettably described as ‘squeaky bum time’; when the pressure really ramps up in the run-in? We’ve taken a look at the five times in the Premier League era that Arsenal were top of the table in April – and how the table ended up come May.
2003-04
Every Arsenal fan will be well aware of how this unforgettable season ended up.
Wenger’s men had been top in mid-February and had seemingly broken the back of their title push with a run of nine successive wins through February and March.
A 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United broke that run but kept them unbeaten and retained a comfortable lead heading into April.
That month, the Gunners suffered disappointment by being eliminated in the FA Cup and Champions League by Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, but they stuck to their task in the Premier League.
They drew half of their final eight league outings but comfortably finished top – 11 points clear of Claudio Ranieri’s Chelsea – and, even more impressively, were invincible. A legendary achievement.
READ: Witness to History: Graham Stack on being the Arsenal Invincibles’ No.2
2002-03
Arsenal spent more weeks top of the table than any other side during the 2002-03 season, including a continuous spell from November until early April, but they ended up as runners-up.
Cracks had begun long before April, however. A 1-1 draw at Aston Villa was the fourth time in their last five away matches that they’d dropped points.
The following week a 2-2 draw at home to eventual champions Manchester United…
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