There’s been some talk that the upcoming 2024–25 season might be Pep Guardiola’s final one with Manchester City. Among us Gooners, we’ve been discussing how Arteta and his team can prevent him from winning his fifth consecutive Premier League title, but there’s also an intriguing claim about what the Spaniard truly desires.
According to former Blue John Obi Mikel, it seems that the Manchester City boss has his eyes set on equalling the record of the Arsenal invincibles. In the 2003–04 season, Arsene Wenger put together his strongest team and executed his tactics perfectly to achieve one of the most dominant campaigns in English football history. With 26 wins and 12 draws in that league campaign, Arsenal didn’t experience a single defeat as they went on to claim the league title.
“Robert Pires was part of the Invincibles team. And I don’t know if that record will ever be broken in the Premier League. I think that is one record that Pep Guardiola will really, really love to break,” Obi Mikel asserted on his podcast, responding to Arsenal legend Pire’s reflections on the challenge of surpassing the Invincibles’ record.
No other team in the Premier League has achieved invincibility. Many, like Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, and now Guardiola’s Manchester City, have tried (and are trying), but none have been able to replicate it.
Guardiola, having achieved the same level of success as the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson by winning the treble with his Manchester City team in the 2022–23 season, is now aiming to surpass Wenger’s record and earn recognition as the Premier League’s greatest manager.
However, I really don’t think that would be on Arsenal’s radar. Mikel Arteta could pose a significant challenge to Guardiola’s quest for invincibility. After their 0-0 draw with Manchester City last season in the PL run-in, Arsenal faced criticism for not making a stronger effort to beat the Citizens, despite having the ability to do so. So, if our Gunners want to win the league, they’ve got to make it their mission to grab all six points from them.
That should definitely put an end to Guardiola’s dream of going invincible (if he leaves the Premier League as expected next summer).
Darren N
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Yes, of course he would, and he’d like to get the fifth consecutive PL title as well (a record which would probably never be broken).
Obviously, we all hope he doesn’t do any of that, but it must be in the back of his mind somewhere. As he may well leave City at the end of the season his players will also do their best to match/set those records.
Great comedy. I needed that today. 🤣
So Arsenal would have to conspires with him for that to happen, but good one 😉
They wouldn’t “conspire” with him, but if Arsenal were by any chance to fail to beat City in either of the PL games (not an impossibility) then it would be out of our hands.
I doubt City will go the season unbeaten but until they lose a game, we can’t be 100% sure can we. The same applies to Arsenal and any other team in search of an unbeaten season as well of course.