Manchester City’s flying start to the season is already inviting comparisons with Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-04, who claimed the Premier League title undefeated.
Here, Press Association Sport compares Pep Guardiola’s side with Arsene Wenger’s class of 15 years ago.
Start and projected finish
Goals
Defence
Teams
Guardiola rotates his side and varies their shape more often the philosophy remains the same, with high pressing and fluid attacks built from the back, often beginning with goalkeeper Ederson. There is consistency at the back with Aymeric Laporte and John Stones being this season’s preferred central pairing and Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy – before he was injured – offering pace out wide. Fernandinho anchors the midfield while any combination of David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus add the attacking impetus. Kevin De Bruyne, last season’s star man, has barely featured yet due to injury.
Opposition
Arsenal’s main challenges in 2003-04 came from United – the previous year’s champions – and Chelsea, who were newly acquired by Roman Abramovich and spending lavishly. At the halfway stage United led the way by a point with Chelsea three points further back. United wobbled in the new year and Arsenal took a decisive grip with a nine-game winning run. They eventually finished 11 points clear of a Chelsea squad that boasted Frank Lampard, John Terry, Marcel Desailly, Emmanuel Petit, Joe Cole and Damien Duff. Sir Alex Ferguson’s United had lost David Beckham but still had Paul Scholes, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane and a young Cristiano Ronaldo.
