Arsenal's Title Contenders Stack Up Against Legendary Invincibles - The Shocking Truth

Arsenal appears unlikely to find a superior opportunity to secure their inaugural Premier League championship since Arsène Wenger guided them to an unmatched triumph over two decades ago.

The North London club has approached victory remarkably close on two occasions under Mikel Arteta's leadership, with Manchester City's treble champions pursuing them relentlessly in 2022–23 before, perhaps even more remarkably, edging past Arsenal the subsequent campaign.

Surprisingly, Arteta's vision has only yielded an FA Cup victory and several Community Shield triumphs. Though disliked (or simply envied) by many, their effectiveness under the Spanish manager's guidance remains undeniable. Certainly this must be their moment.

Manchester City will surge powerfully in the final stretch, and their January transfers indicate they consider the championship still within reach. Arsenal, however, possess a sufficient lead, and their excellence this campaign has drawn parallels to the legendary 'Invincibles' of 2003–04.

Arteta, while not dismissing the possibility of a quadruple triumph, has downplayed any similarities to Wenger's exceptional squad, indicating that his team can only earn such recognition once they begin capturing major trophies.

From a statistical perspective, however, there's definitely a fascinating parallel to draw between Arsenal's 2025–26 championship contenders and their former title winners.

Comparing Arsenal's Premier League Title Hopefuls to 'Invincibles'

Comparing Arsenal's Premier League Title Hopefuls to 'Invincibles'

The current version of Arteta's Arsenal represents the peak of a multi-season blueprint that has experienced numerous tactical transformations.

While the present Premier League frontrunners face criticism for their set-piece dependency (they share the league lead with 12 set-piece strikes), Arteta's squad can establish such supremacy from dead ball scenarios due to their ability to impose complete match control.

Arteta might not be a Pep Guardiola devotee, but he shares a comparable fixation with dominance, and this Arsenal team has long been praised for their unity when defending. High pressing wasn't fashionable during Wenger's 'Invincibles' era, with that squad celebrated for their harmony as a possession-based unit, plus their exceptional attacking talent.

The present team features the outstanding Bukayo Saka, but their roster doesn't match their previous championship-winning lineup. A lethal left-flank partnership featuring Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Ashley Cole could overpower any opposition, and Henry also thrived working alongside Dutch virtuoso Dennis Bergkamp. He concluded the Premier League campaign with 30 strikes, while Pires netted 14 times.

That squad depended on specific individuals in the attacking third, but Arteta's championship candidates possess multiple scoring threats. The current side is projected to lack a single player reaching double-digit goals in the league, yet collectively, they're scoring merely 0.02 goals less per game than the 'Invincibles'.

Defensively, there had been discussion of this Arsenal team being remembered as the Premier League's finest, with their solid 2025–26 beginning generating numerous comparisons to Chelsea's impenetrable 2004–05 defense, which allowed only 15 goals. Nevertheless, there were vulnerabilities (and significant injuries) during winter, and they're now projected to concede 25. The 'Invincibles' allowed 26.

While no Premier League team before or after has matched their achievement, critics quickly highlight the number of stalemates during Arsenal's 2003–04 season (12). Their victory percentage of 68.4% falls below the current team's mark (71.4%), but Wenger's squad did accumulate 90 points, and Arteta's men are on pace for slightly fewer (88).

It's not just the tendency to draw that diminishes the 'Invincibles' legacy-wise, but also their inability to follow their remarkable success with silverware in other tournaments. They suffered semi-final defeats to Manchester United and Middlesbrough in the FA Cup and League Cup respectively, while Chelsea shocked the Gunners in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Therefore, while Arteta's team has already suffered two Premier League defeats this season, there's potential for them to be regarded even more highly by fans should they excel in other competitions. They've reached the League Cup semi-finals and FA Cup fourth round, while an impressive continental campaign start suggests their first Champions League victory isn't unrealistic.

2025–26 Arsenal Premier League Record Compared to 'Invincibles'

2025–26 Arsenal Premier League Record Compared to 'Invincibles'