Arsenal are doing it again. They're leading the Premier League and looking brilliant one week, then barely surviving the next. It's enough to give their fans a heart attack.
Right now, the Gunners sit five points clear at the top after a nervy 2-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday. Manchester City are lurking behind with a game in hand. We're in the final stretch of the season, and Arsenal have been carrying the weight of expectation for months.
"The feeling has been there for a long time," manager Mikel Arteta said. "We have to continue to win and win and win."
But here's the problem. Arsenal have been in this exact position before and choked spectacularly.
The Collapse Nobody Can Forget
Remember the 2022-23 season? Arsenal held an eight-point lead over City at this stage. Then they completely fell apart, failing to win six of their final nine games. City swooped in and took the title.
Arsenal then finished second in the next two seasons as well. Three years of coming so close but falling short. The pattern is hard to ignore, especially for bettors weighing up their title odds.
The club's fans don't help matters either. They might be the most nervous supporters in Europe. The moment things go wrong, panic spreads like wildfire. Arsenal haven't even won three league games in a row since Christmas.
The lowest point came in February when they faced Wolves, the worst team in the league. Arsenal went up 2-0, cruised along, then conceded a 94th-minute own goal to draw 2-2. Brutal.
The Foundation Is Solid Despite the Drama
Despite all the stress, Arsenal haven't reached the top by luck. They have the best defense in the league, allowing just 22 goals in 29 games. Their attack has outscored 18 other teams too.
The issue is how they're scoring. Arsenal have become masters of set pieces. Critics say they've gone from beautiful, flowing football to boring, clinical efficiency. Arteta doesn't care about the complaints.
Their other problem? Striker Viktor Gyokeres hasn't delivered. Arsenal paid around $73 million for him last summer, but he's struggled to adapt. He has just 10 league goals while City's Erling Haaland has 22. For a while, Arsenal's top scorer was literally own goals by opponents.
Still, somehow it's been enough. Arsenal are competing for four trophies this season. They face City in the League Cup final on March 22. They've got an easy FA Cup tie against third-tier Mansfield Town coming up. And they landed a decent Champions League draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16.
For anyone thinking about backing Arsenal for multiple trophies, the pieces are there. But their biggest enemy isn't City or any other team. It's themselves and their ability to handle pressure when it matters most.
"Has it been done?" Arteta said about winning four trophies, knowing no English team ever has. "That's how difficult it is."
Arsenal are five points clear with everything to play for. The question is whether they can finally get over the line or if we're about to witness another legendary collapse.
