Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has suggested his Gunners will need to challenge or even equal the all-time Premier League points record to claim their first title in 20 years this season.
Arsenal mounted their first title challenge since 2007/08 last year and led the standings for most of the campaign until a late collapse, winning only two of their final seven games, was the opportunity that Manchester City needed to stream through into first place.
The Gunners have bounced back this season and are again first after 14 games played, although they are four points worse off than after the same number of games a year ago. Manchester City are two points worse off, while Liverpool have returned to the mix.
“Do I have a target? Yes. 96-100 [points], I think you win the league. That is the cushion,” Arteta said.
To achieve 96 points by the end of the season, Arsenal would need to average 2.63 points per game over their remaining 24 fixtures, compared to 2.36 over their first 14. Having lost only once already, they could afford to lose three more games in the pursuit of 96 as long as they win the other 21. Alternatively, 20 wins and four draws would equate to 97 points in total.
If the Gunners wanted to reach 100 points, the current Premier League record set by Manchester City’s aptly nicknamed ‘Centurions’ in 2017/18, they would need 22 wins, a draw and could afford one defeat. Winning all remaining games, unlikely as it is, would yield a final points tally of 105.
Arsenal finished last season with 84 points and Manchester City won the title with 89, only the second time since Leicester’s shock triumph in 2016 that the team lifting the trophy didn’t reach 90. Since hitting the 100-point milestone in 2017/18, Pep Guardiola’s City have also recorded tallies of 98 and 93 in the last six seasons, while Liverpool won in 2019/20 with 99.
|
Season |
Team |
Points |
Final position |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2017/18 |
Manchester City |
100 |
1st |
|
2019/20 |
Liverpool |
99 |
1st |
|
2018/19 |
Manchester City |
98 |
1st |
|
2018/19 |
Liverpool |
97 |
2nd |
|
2004/05 |
Chelsea |
95 |
1st |
|
2016/17 |
Chelsea |
93 |
1st |
|
2021/22 |
Manchester City |
93 |
1st |
|
1993/94 |
Manchester United |
92* |
1st |
|
2021/22 |
Liverpool |
92 |
2nd |
|
1999/00 |
Manchester United |
91 |
1st |
|
2005/06 |
Chelsea |
91 |
1st |
|
2003/04 |
Arsenal |
90 |
1st |
|
2008/09 |
Manchester United |
90 |
1st |
*42-game season
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