Top 10 Premier League Title Bottlejobs Ranked

TL;DR

Premier League Bottlers Ranked: Article lists top 10 teams that choked away big title leads in Premier League history, with Arsenal dominating nearly half the spots.
Arsenal's Record Lead: Arsenal 2022/23 spent 248 days top without winning, the longest ever in English top-flight history.
Current Relevance: Questions where 2024/25 Arsenal would rank amid their history of late-season collapses.

The story at a glance

Football365 ranks the top 10 biggest Premier League "bottlejobs" – teams that squandered commanding title positions through collapses. Arsenal appears four times (2015/16 at #10, 2022/23 at #7, 2002/03 at #6, 2007/08 at #3), with others including Norwich, Liverpool twice, and Manchester United twice. It's published now as the 2024/25 Arsenal side eyes a title push, prompting debate on their place in bottling history.

Key points

Arsenal 2015/16 (#10): Led table but lost to Man Utd and Swansea, drew five of last 10; overlooked amid Spurs' Chelsea implosion.
Norwich 1992/93 (#9): Top for 129 days but inconsistency dropped them to third behind Man Utd.
Liverpool 2008/09 (#8): Four draws in five after leading; Benitez press conference invited pressure per Gerrard.
Arsenal 2022/23 (#7): Led 248 days, five points clear April 8, but four bad results then losses to Brighton/Forest ended it.
Arsenal 2002/03 (#6): Eight-point lead in March, blew 2-0 vs Bolton, lost to Leeds; Man Utd won.
Man Utd 1997/98 (#5): 12-point lead March, wobbled but Arsenal's losses let them retain despite resting players.
Man Utd 2011/12 (#4): Eight points clear with six left, collapsed vs Wigan/Everton; City won.
Arsenal 2007/08 (#3): Five-point lead with 12 left, four draws including Birmingham penalty, lost late to Utd/Chelsea.
Article cuts off at #2 Liverpool 2013/14 without full details.

Details and context

The list focuses on dramatic late collapses in tight races, like Chelsea 2013/14 (seven clear mid-March, lost three in six) or Spurs 2015/16 (draws with Arsenal/Liverpool, 5-1 to Newcastle), but picks subtler chokers.

Arsenal's repeated entries highlight patterns: over-celebrating (2015/16 Welbeck goal), winless runs (January 2015/16), or specific meltdowns (2-0 leads blown 2022/23 vs Liverpool/West Ham/Southampton).

Man Utd examples show even serial winners falter under pressure, as in 2011/12's 4-4 Everton draw from 2-0 up at 82nd minute.

Key quotes

Ferguson on Liverpool 2008/09: “There’s no doubt that in the second half of the season they will get nervous. With the experience we’ve got at our club... They are going into the unknown, and if you make mistakes, then you get punished.”
Wenger post-2002/03 Bolton: Vociferously argued it was not a “failure”.

Why it matters

Premier League title races turn on handling pressure, with these collapses defining legacies for managers like Wenger, Arteta, Ferguson, and Benitez. Fans and bettors track such patterns to gauge contenders' nerve, as seen in Arsenal's four entries versus City's dominance. Watch if 2024/25 Arsenal avoids late draws/losses to rivals like Brighton or Forest, though history suggests risk.

FAQ

Q: Why does Arsenal feature so often in the top 10?

A: Arsenal appears at #10 (2015/16), #7 (2022/23), #6 (2002/03), and #3 (2007/08) due to repeated late collapses like winless runs, blown leads, and draws against mid-table sides when leading the table.

Q: What was Arsenal 2022/23's collapse like?

A: They led for 248 days, five points clear on April 8, but drew from 2-0 up vs Liverpool/West Ham/Southampton (3-3), lost 4-1 to City, then blanked vs Brighton/Forest, handing title to City.

Q: How did Man Utd bottle 2011/12?

A: Eight points clear with six games left, they lost to Wigan, drew 4-4 with Everton after leading 2-0 late, allowing City to win the title on final day.

Q: What defined Liverpool 2008/09 as #8?

A: Top early in new year, but four draws in five (Stoke, Everton, Wigan) after Benitez's rant vs Ferguson; Gerrard later said it changed the dynamic and invited pressure.