#3. Arsenal (2002-03)
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Arsenal were the defending champions coming into the 2002-03 Premier League season and it looked like Arsene Wenger would lead the Gunners to back to back league titles. They were in excellent form for most part of the season and after 29 game weeks, they were top of the table with 19 wins, 6 draws and only 4 defeats.
Manchester United were Arsenal’s only major rival for the league title, but Sir Alex Ferguson’s side had lost five games before New Year and were only in contention for the league title after showing some renewed form in the second half of the season. The league table on March 2nd following Arsenal’s win against Charlton Athletic looked like this.
Position | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
1 | Arsenal | 29 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 64 | 30 | 34 | 63 |
2 | Manchester United | 28 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 45 | 26 | 19 | 55 |
Although Manchester United had a game in hand at this point, Arsenal had opened up an eight-point lead over Man Utd after Ferguson’s side drew back to back games against Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers.
Manchester United won their game in hand to cut down Arsenal’s lead to five points and then went on to win four more games on the trot to take the lead thanks to Arsenal’s defeat to Blackburn and draw against Aston Villa. On April 16, the two teams played each other at Highbury and Arsenal had the chance to reclaim the top spot with a win. The table going into the game was this way.
Position | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
1 | Manchester United | 33 | 21 | 7 | 5 | 61 | 29 | 32 | 70 |
2 | Arsenal | 32 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 67 | 34 | 33 | 67 |
United took the lead in the game, but Arsenal fought back to equalise and then controversially took the lead through Henry. Replay clearly showed that Henry was offside when he received the pass that put him through on goal. United being United, reacted immediately and found their equaliser a minute after Henry’s goal.
Arsenal could only manage a draw against United in the crucial game and in their subsequent games, they drew to Bolton Wanderers and then lost to Leeds United at home with only two games remaining. Arsenal’s defeat to Leeds sent the league title to Manchester United and also saved Leeds from relegation.
While Arsenal let their huge lead at one point slip, Manchester United were unbeaten in the league since losing to Middlesbrough on December 26, 2002. In the 18 league games that followed, United picked up 48 out of the maximum possible 54 points.
