With Manchester City chasing history, we look at how they are performing compared to those teams who set the records.
by Andy Schooler
Unbeaten Premier League season
Sky Bet odds: 4/1
Arsenal famously went unbeaten throughout at the 2003/04 season but at halfway in that campaign few would have had them down to complete the feat.
Having taken 45 points in the first half of the season, they actually trailed Manchester United by a point. However, they would win the league by 11 points from Chelsea as United faltered badly, Sir Alex Ferguson's men collecting only 29 points from their final 19 games.
Arsenal’s 2003/04 season split:
- 1st half: 13-6-0 45pts
- 2nd half: 13-6-0 45pts
- Overall: 26-12-0 90pts
- Man City so far: 19-1-0 58pts
If City are to be beaten, what are the biggest pitfalls?
Well, trips to Liverpool (Jan 14), Arsenal (Feb 25) and Spurs (Apr 14) all lie in store in the second half of the campaign, while Chelsea (Mar 3) and Manchester United (Apr 7) are both due at the Etihad.
And how about the March 31 journey to Everton? The Toffees are the only team to have prevented City from winning so far this season and have also defeated them in five of nine Premier League games at Goodison Park since the Abu Dhabi money arrived in 2008.
Premier League goals record
Sky Bet odds: 1/3
Chelsea’s record of 103 in 38 games was set under Carlo Ancelotti in 2009/10 but despite their goal power they only won the title by one point from Manchester United.
At halfway they were far from on track to set a new record but some amazing scorelines in the second half of the season saw them smash into triple figures. Sunderland, Stoke and Aston Villa all conceded seven at Stamford Bridge, while on the final day Wigan were thrashed 8-0 as the Blues wrapped up the title.
Those big wins also saw Chelsea set the current record of 68 home goals in a single season – Manchester City have 36 from 10 games thus far. It is all a far cry from City’s 2006/07 campaign which saw them score just 10 league goals at home – a Premier League low.
The most away goals in one season is Liverpool’s 48 in 2013/14 – City currently have 25 from 10 matches so are on course to break that mark too.
One other record City could break is Chelsea’s record goal difference of +71 set in that 2009/10 campaign. They are currently on +49.
Chelsea’s 2009/10 season split:
- 1st half: 43 goals
- 2nd half: 60 goals
- Man City so far: 61 goals
Premier League points record
Sky Bet odds: 1/3
In Jose Mourinho’s first season at Stamford Bridge – 2004/05 – Chelsea claimed a record 95 points, a mark which has stood ever since.
A look at the splits show Chelsea started well but got even better in the second half of the campaign. Such has been City’s start, it is hard to see how they can improve in their final 18 games.
Chelsea led the league by five points from Arsenal at halfway (surprise package Everton were only a point further back) but their relentless post-Christmas march took them 12 points clear by the finale in May. Arsenal, unbeaten champions the year before, finished second.
Chelsea’s only loss that season came at the hands of a certain Manchester City.
Chelsea’s 2004/05 season split:
- 1st half: 14-4-1 46pts
- 2nd half: 15-4-0 49pts
- Overall: 29-8-1 95pts
- Man City so far: 19-1-0 58pts
Treble and Quadruple
Sky Bet odds: 11/2 (FA Cup & League Cup) and 25/1 (Champions League, FA Cup & League Cup) respectively
Manchester United famously won the Treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in 1998/99 – and whatever City achieve this season, their fans are sure to remind them of that.
Unless, of course, City go one better and land the Quadruple, throwing in the League Cup for good measure.
A look back at that amazing United season shows that, unlike City, they actually struggled in the first half of the campaign. In the Premier League they had won fewer than 50 per cent of their games come halfway and sat third, two points behind joint leaders Chelsea and Aston Villa.
At this stage 19 years ago, United had already exited the League Cup having lost to Spurs in the last eight but they didn’t lose any game from this point onwards – a 3-2 home defeat to Middlesbrough on December 19 was their final defeat of the season. That loss was actually a sixth straight game without a win, a fact which seems remarkable given the trophy haul which was to follow.
They won the Premier League title on the final day, edging out Arsenal, who took an impressive 46 points in the second half of their season, by a single point.
Man Utd’s 1998/99 season split:
- 1st half: 9-7-3 34pts
- 2nd half: 13-6-0 45pts
- Overall: 22-13-3 79pts
- Man City so far: 19-1-0 58pts
The odds may have tumbled on City achieving such incredible feats but they remain long.
Bookmakers face huge payouts if they do go on to complete such trophy multiples but plenty remains in the layers’ favour, in particular the packed fixture list which will undoubtedly lie ahead if City keep progressing in the various cup competitions.
A look through the fixture list shows this five-week period will arguably be their toughest test if they are going to win the Treble, although maybe by then the Premier League title will be all but in the bag:
- Mar 31 – Everton A
- Apr 3-4 – CL QF 1L
- Apr 7 – Man Utd H
- Apr 10-11 – CL QF 2L
- Apr 14 – Spurs A
- Apr 17-18 – Possible PL game
- Apr 21-22 – FAC SF
- Apr 24-25 – CL SF 1L
- Apr 28 – West Ham A
- May 1-2 – CL SF 2L
United had a similar run of tough games back in 1998/99 but came through it with flying colours, most famously saving their Treble hopes when down to 10 men against Arsenal in an FA Cup replay at Villa Park.
Peter Schmeichel saved a last-minute penalty from Dennis Bergkamp, forcing the game to extra time in which Ryan Giggs scored one of the great goals to send United to Wembley.
- Apr 3 – Wimbledon A (PL) – 1-1
- Apr 7 – Juventus H (CL SF 1L) – 1-1
- Apr 11 – Arsenal N (FAC SF) – 0-0
- Apr 14 – Arsenal N (FAC SF R) – 2-1
- Apr 17 – Sheff Wed H (PL) – 3-0
- Apr 21 – Juventus A (CL SF 2L) – 3-2
- Apr 25 – Leeds A (PL) – 1-1