Arsenal's Title Hopes in Jeopardy as They Become the Worst Premier League Leaders in a Decade Following Wolves Stumble

THERE has been a lot of talk about Arsenal’s perceived style of play.

That debate has often boiled down to the ends – the Gunners being top of the Premier League – justifying the means – many argue to be ugly and anathema to “the way” cultivated under .

Stats show this Arsenal team are the worst team to lead the Premier League in a decadeCredit: Getty The Gunners 58 points from 27 games is the lowest tally from the league leaders in the last 15 seasonsCredit: Getty

Arsenal were looking to put the fate of the title back in their own hands when they visited Wolves, but a and condemned them to an unwanted place in modern PL history.

For the first hour, everything was going well for ‘s side as they went 2-0 ahead against the league’s bottom side, courtesy of goals either side of half-time from and Piero Hincapie.

However, a Hugo Bueno wondergoal just after the hour set up an intense finale, which Arsenal crumbled under the pressure of as they let the three points slip from their grasp in the 94th minute.

In a rare defensive mix-up, failed to claim a cross as tried to head the ball clear, and the resulting loose ball fell to super-sub Tom Edozie.

His shot was blocked on the line by before it deflected off the post and then in off the Italian defender, who had been on for only a minute, to see two precious points

With now a game in hand and yet to host the north Londoners at the Etihad, the five-point gap now means if ‘s side win all their remaining games, they will be champions of .

That would be a case of history repeating itself.

Arsenal and Arteta have been here before with City and Guardiola, as after 27 games in the 2022/23 season they led the league by five points before they were passed by City.

However, casting a wider net on league history compared to this Arsenal side – who still remain in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple – does not make for particularly good reading either.

In fact, going off points won after 27 games, this Arsenal team are the WORST leaders the Prem has seen in a decade.

Leicester’s stunning march to the title in 2015/16 is the only other league-leading side in the last 15 years to collect fewer than 60 points (56) after 27 games in a season.

By contrast, the most points picked up in that period were by ‘s 2019/20 winners, with 79 points after 27 games before going on to win a first-ever English league title in almost three decades.

That even eclipses City’s centurion side, who amassed 72 points at the same stage before they went on to break the 100-point mark.

But perhaps the main question Gooners will want to know the answer to is how many sides that topped the table after 27 games have gone on to win it?

Fortunately for the Emirates outfit, only four of the clubs leading at this stage have failed to go on to lift the trophy at the end of the campaign since 2011/12.

The four who failed to do so are in 2013/14, Liverpool in 2018/19, Arsenal in 2022/23 and Liverpool in 2023/24.

What will happen to Arsenal and their hopes of ending their two-decade wait for an English league title is something only time will answer, but they cannot afford many more missteps if they are to avoid once again letting the title slip through their fingers.

Leicester were the last league leaders to have less than 60 points after 27 gamesCredit: PA:Press Association Liverpool’s haul of 79 points after 27 games in 2019/20 is the Prem record by some marginCredit: PA