Last five times club have been top on 1 January they have not won title
Declan Rice may miss Bournemouth trip with knee injury
Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal are ready to banish the unwanted statistic of not winning the Premier League title on the five previous occasions they have begun the new year top of the table.
Manchester City’s draw with Sunderland on Thursday means Arsenal have a four-point lead over their closest chasers with half the season completed. Arteta’s side have an opportunity to build on their lead when they travel to Bournemouth on Saturday evening, with City facing Chelsea 24 hours later, but look likely to be without Declan Rice again owing to a knee injury.
Arsenal were last champions in 2004, when their Invincibles started the year trailing Manchester United. They have since started 2008, 2014, 2016, 2022 and 2023 top without still being there come late May. Arteta was not aware of that but insisted he senses after the stirring win 4-1 over Aston Villa to end 2025 that his players are ready to make history.
