The Christmas Day leader's curse: Revisiting Arsenal's four most painful seasons in the Premier League era.
On 25 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Everton last weekend saw them reclaim the top spot once again. This marks the fifth time in Premier League history that the "Gunners" have led the table on Christmas Day. However, for Arsenal, this statistic seems more like a curse than a blessing. Looking back at the last four occasions they held the Christmas top spot, they ultimately fell short of their target in disappointing fashion.
Season 2002/03 – Finished 2nd
Arsenal led the league on Christmas Day but ended the season in second place, finishing five points behind champions Manchester United.
Season 2007/08 – Finished 3rd
Arsène Wenger's young and vibrant team played attractive football. Despite losing superstar Thierry Henry to Barcelona, they held the top spot firmly. The turning point came when Eduardo da Silva suffered a broken leg in a match against Birmingham, shattering the team's morale, followed by four consecutive draws. They finished third, four points behind the champions.
Season 2022/23 – Finished 2nd
Under Mikel Arteta, the team led the league for 248 days—the longest in Premier League history for a team that did not win the title. The key setback was the absence of William Saliba and Manchester City's "Blue Machine" accelerating past them in the final 10 games, resulting in a second-place finish, five points behind the champions.
Season 2023/24 – Finished 2nd
Arsenal led the league on Christmas Day with the strongest defense in the league but suffered a turning point by losing at home to West Ham and then away to Fulham during the New Year period. Although they went on a winning streak late in the season, they could not catch Manchester City, finishing second, two points behind the champions.
Season 2025/26 – ???
Arsenal are top of the league again on Christmas Day. The clear difference this time is their experience in title challenges and a larger squad. If they maintain their lead this year, the key will not just be scoring goals but managing players' fitness during the "Boxing Day" period. Should they overcome the pressure from Manchester City, this could be the year ending a 22-year wait.
