Despite Arsenal's presence atop the Premier League table, where they hold a nine-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, there is a feeling of foreboding amongst the Arsenal supporters as the 2025-26 season nears a conclusion.
The recent history of Arsenal's hunt for a first domestic league championship in over two decades has been full of near-misses, as Mikel Arteta hopes to become the man to lead the Gunners back to the summit of English football.
As trophies repeatedly continue to slip away, supporters of the London giants are becoming jaded, unable to feel comfortable with leading the chase, having seen the lead slip away so many times before.
With yet another collapse now threatening to bite, The Sporting News explains why Arsenal are being hit with the "bottler" label and what supporters have been through the past few seasons.
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Why are Arsenal being called 'bottle jobs'?
Arsenal have a history of botching Premier League title challenges over the past decade, as they contend with fellow Premier League powerhouses Manchester City and Liverpool for the top spot in the table.
Multiple times over the past few seasons, Arsenal under Mikel Arteta have spent weeks upon weeks in the pole position for the title race, only to falter in the final third of the campaign to fall short of the goal.
It remains that Arsenal have not won the Premier League title since the 'Invincibles' season of 2002-03, a run of 23 years without a domestic league championship. In addition, they have never won a European title, adding to the mystique of their silverware struggles.
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How Arsenal's last three Premier League title challenges have crumbled
2024-25 Premier League season
Arsenal finished second for a third straight season in 2024-25, but in truth it was never really in sight as Liverpool romped to the title from start to finish.
A poor four-game stretch through October and November put them behind early in the campaign, and they were playing catch-up the whole way. They claimed their second-place spot on Dec. 27 with a win over Ipswich Town, and from there, they would cruise to a finish in that place, ending up 10 points behind the Reds, and even that doesn't quite do it justice as Liverpool sputtered down the stretch after having confirmed the trophy.
The problem is Arsenal were a mess through the latter portion of the season too, and maybe could have caught up or made it a race had they not won just five of their final 13 matches in the campaign, including a pair of defeats at home against West Ham and Bournemouth.
2023-24 Premier League season
The 2023-24 Premier League title chase was a three-horse race between Man City, Arsenal, and Liverpool all jockeying for position at the top of the table.
Arsenal held a lead atop the standings as late as Matchweek 32, when they were tied with Liverpool on points but ahead on goal differential, while Man City sat a point behind all on 28 games played. The Gunners had just drawn 0-0 with Man City to leave them on top, keeping Pep Guardiola's side at arm's length.
Then, it all came crashing down with a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on April 14, as Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins both scored in the final 10 minutes of action. Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka both had big first-half chances but were stymied by Emi Martinez in goal, and the Gunners slipped behind Man City who won out after the draw with Arsenal to claim the title.
2022-23 Premier League season
Arsenal's first collapse at the end of the Premier League season under Mikel Arteta came in the 2022-23 campaign when they were caught by Pep Guardiola and Manchester City who put the pressure on and never let up.
After City drew with Nottingham Forest on Feb. 18, they went on a torrid run of 13 games that featured 12 wins and a draw, leaving Arsenal with no room for error. The Gunners had a five-point lead over City at that point, but after they won six straight through February and March, that quickly evaporated.
The Gunners drew three straight matches against Liverpool, West Ham, and Southampton, allowing City to catch up, and they would be passed in a 4-1 defeat to Guardiola's side that all but determined the outcome of the title race.
There was a feeling of inevitability all throughout the run-in of the season, and even as City were behind many speculated that it was only a matter of time before they caught up. Indeed, that was the case, and they would finish five points in front to secure the title.
Arsenal fixture schedule, remaining games in 2025-26
Arsenal went into their final nine games of the Premier League season with a five-point lead over Manchester City in second place.
Yet City held a game in hand, and thus they remained in the picture and ready to pounce should the Gunners slip.
Date Opponent Home/Away Result
Mar. 4 Brighton A W 1-0
Mar. 14 Everton H W 2-0
Apr. 11 Bournemouth H L 1-2
Apr. 18 Man City A _
Apr. 25 Newcastle H _
May 2 Fulham H _
May 9 West Ham A _
May 17 Burnley H _
May 24 Crystal Palace A _