Arsenal hit the 50-point mark bang on the halfway mark of the season, and we have priced the Gunners up at 10/1 to hit the 100-point mark.

The title is in Arsenal’s hands with a five-point lead over Manchester City having played a game fewer; the Gunners could lose home and away to City, but win their remaining fixtures and they’ll be champions for the first time since 2004.

bet365’s Steve Freeth said: “You can say how slow we were in making Arsenal favourites and questioned whether the young squad had the experience to stay in the title battle with such a hardened and seasoned winner in Pep and Manchester City.

“However, not only are they overcoming every hurdle that’s being put in their way, they’re now just 10/1 to break the 100-point barrier.”

Of course, it’s all still a long way away and Mikel Arteta will be taking things one game at a time, but he’s surely looked at the seven points they’ve taken from their last three games – hosting Newcastle and Manchester United and travelling to Tottenham – and feel the title is very much within their grasp.

They’ve also made it through the first half of the season without a real blip.

They first dropped points against Manchester United, who were flying after their nightmare start to the season, and while United were the better side over the 90 minutes, Arsenal could’ve come away with something on another day.

Then there was the hugely frustrating trip to St Mary’s where Arsenal failed to put Southampton away, ultimately being held to a 1-1 draw.

Finally, Arsenal were unable to breach the tightest defence in the league when hosting Newcastle – they first time they’d dropped points at home.

And that’s it. Arsenal have won every other game this season. They’ve played Manchester United home and away, Tottenham home and away, Liverpool at home, Chelsea away and Newcastle at home and have still racked up 50 points. 

There are big tests ahead of course, particularly when the Europa League gets up and running again, but the likes of Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe, Kieran Tierney, Mohamed Elneny and Eddie Nketiah have seen little game time this season and should all be fresh throughout the second half of the campaign when Arteta looks to rotate.

Arsenal are still 8/11 for the title – not home and hosed by any means – but it won’t have gone unnoticed that not only are they on track for the title, they’re actually ahead of the pace set by the Invincibles of 2003/04.

Arsene Wenger’s history-makers, while unbeaten through the first 19 games, only picked up 45 points compared to Arteta’s side’s 50.

They also compare well to some of the recent title winners.

Last season, City had 47 points from their first 19; the season before, they had just 41 points at the halfway stage. Liverpool absolutely blew away the competition before the Covid interruption of 2019/20 with 55 points from their first 19, drawing just once in that time. 

City had 47 points in 2018/19, and their title-winning centurions of 2017/18 had 55 after halfway. 

While Arteta would of course like to match the record set by his mentor Guardiola in reaching 100 points, you sense he wouldn’t be too bothered how many points his side finish on – as long as it’s more than City. 

Liam Williams

• Arsenal F.C.
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