Arsenal under pressure as title race tightens: The Premier League’s most dramatic collapses
Arsenal’s stumble at Molineux may prove to be just another bump in a long season. Or it may be something more telling.
The 2-2 draw with Wolves in which Mikel Arteta’s side let a two-goal lead slip has revived an uncomfortable question that tends to surface whenever the Premier League title comes into view in north London: how does this team respond when the pressure sharpens?
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith did not shy away from the narrative forming around the result. “That word ‘bottle’ will be used quite a bit in the next few days,” he said after the match.
A shift in momentum
Arsenal appeared in control of the title race as recently as early January, opening a six-point gap at the top after beating Bournemouth. Since then, however, their form has dipped. Two league wins in seven matches have allowed rivals to close ground and altered the tone of the run-in.
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Arteta acknowledged the drop in standards in an interview with Sky Sports.
“You have to take the hit because we deserve it,” he said. “We need to be critical of ourselves because it is not good enough. In the league, it is the reality that we have not been consistent over the last few months.”
The mathematics remain simple: win every remaining match and Arsenal are champions. Yet the psychological equation is more complex. Manchester City, should they win their game in hand, would move to within striking distance and Pep Guardiola’s side have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to accelerate over the final weeks of a season.
History suggests that margins in April and May are rarely comfortable.
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When leads evaporate: lessons from past title races
Late-season collapses are not rare in the Premier League era. They often follow similar patterns: a commanding lead, a shift in belief, and a rival sensing vulnerability.
Newcastle United, 1995-96
Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle once held a 12-point advantage and seemed poised to win their first league title since 1927. But as Manchester United closed in, tension replaced swagger.
After Ferguson suggested opponents might not be as motivated against Newcastle, Keegan responded with a now-famous outburst on Sky Sports:
“I've kept really quiet, but I'll tell you something, he went down in my estimation when he said that. We have not resorted to that, but I'll tell you, you can tell him now if you're watching it, we're still fighting for this title, and he's got to go to Middlesbrough and get something, and... and... I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them, LOVE IT!”
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United won at Middlesbrough and overtook Newcastle. The momentum swing was decisive.
Manchester United, 1997-98
Even Ferguson was not immune to surrendering a lead. United were 11 points clear in February 1998 before Arsenal mounted a surge.
After Marc Overmars scored in a pivotal match at Old Trafford, Ferguson said:
“If they win their games in hand they will go ahead of us, but they will find out they start dropping points towards the end of the season, there's no question about that. They played well today but I don't think they are as good a football team as us.”
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Arsene Wenger’s team won 10 consecutive league games and claimed the title with two matches to spare.
Arsenal, 2002-03
Arsenal have their own experience of faltering late. In 2002-03 they surrendered control after leading the table deep into the spring.
Wenger defended his side amid criticism:
“Of course, we want to win the title but I think the most difficult thing for the club is to be consistent and we have been remarkably consistent.”
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But as results slipped, he later conceded: “For the first time, it is out of our hands, which is hard to take.”
Manchester United capitalized.
Arsenal, 2007-08
In February 2008, Arsenal traveled to Birmingham leading the table and playing some of the most fluid football in England. What followed altered the trajectory of their season.
Eduardo suffered a horrific leg injury early in the match, visibly shocking his teammates. Arsenal later conceded a stoppage-time penalty to draw 2-2 against 10 men. At full time, captain William Gallas sat on the pitch in frustration while teammates looked on.
The emotional fallout proved costly. Arsenal won just one of their next seven league matches and ultimately finished third. What had appeared a promising title push unraveled in a matter of weeks.
Manchester United, 2011-12
Title tension can unsettle even the most experienced sides. In 2011-12, Ferguson’s United were eight points clear with six matches remaining.
A 4-4 draw with Everton at Old Trafford damaged that cushion, followed by a narrow defeat to Manchester City that handed their rivals the advantage on goal difference.
City clinched the title on the final day when Sergio Aguero scored deep into stoppage time against Queens Park Rangers, sealing one of the most dramatic finishes in Premier League history.
Liverpool, 2013-14
Liverpool’s surge under Brendan Rodgers carried them within reach of a first league title since 1990. After defeating Manchester City in April, captain Steven Gerrard gathered his teammates and urged them forward.
“This does not f*cking slip now!” he said in a huddle on the Anfield pitch.
Two weeks later, Gerrard slipped while attempting to control the ball against Chelsea, allowing Demba Ba to score. The defeat reopened the race. Days afterward, Liverpool squandered a 3-0 lead at Crystal Palace, effectively ending their challenge.
Manchester City capitalized, and Liverpool were left to reflect on how swiftly momentum can reverse.
Arsenal, 2022-23
More recently, Arsenal’s 2022-23 challenge unraveled after a sequence of draws and a heavy defeat at Manchester City.
Following that loss, Arteta said on BT Sport:
“We were beaten by a better team. They were exceptional and when that's the case it's extremely difficult to reach that level and we were nowhere near. We were punished and we could have been even more punished. We're not going to give up, though. There are five games to go in this league, anything can happen.”
City went on to secure the title.
The test ahead
Title races are rarely decided by a single match, but they are often shaped by belief or doubt. Slipping points can alter not only the standings but also the narrative surrounding a team.
For Arsenal, the remaining fixtures will measure more than tactical discipline or squad depth. They will test emotional control under mounting scrutiny.
The difference between resilience and regret is often small at this stage of the season. Whether the draw at Wolves proves a warning or merely a pause will define how this campaign is remembered.
Sources: Sky Sports interviews; BT Sport broadcast; Premier League historical records; BBC Sport archives.
