Jens Lehmann has offered his honest verdict on if Arsenal can repeat the Invincibles, plus if Liverpool or Manchester City will ever go a Premier League season unbeaten.
It is now 20 years since Arsene Wenger led Arsenal to win the only golden trophy in Premier League history. He oversaw 26 wins, 12 draws and zero defeats through 38 games to lift the title by 11 points. The Gunners saw out 2003/04 on 90 points with 73 goals to 26 conceded.
The Invincibles also sealed the third Premier League title in Arsenal’s trophy cabinet and the Gunners’ 13th top-flight title overall. But it is still their most recent title following a 20-year drought. Yet no team has repeated Arsenal’s feat as the sole unbeaten Premier League side.
Jens Lehmann believes Arsenal have a ‘good set-up’ to repeat the Invincibles
Only Preston North End in 1888/89 and Arsenal in 2003/04 have even ever gone a full top-flight season unbeaten in England. But Invincibles hero Lehmann does not rule out Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester City going a Premier League season unbeaten in the coming years.
However, while Lehmann believes it is possible for a team to go 38 games without a defeat, he doubts it will be Liverpool or Manchester City anytime soon. Instead, the iconic Gunners goalkeeper feels Arsenal have the best chance of going close to or repeating the Invincibles.
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Lehmann expects Liverpool will have difficulties moving on from Jurgen Klopp this summer. He also sees problems are on the horizon for Manchester City. But Arsenal have shown a lot of promise under Mikel Arteta, who has now built strong foundations at Emirates Stadium.
“There are good teams, so why can’t [there be another Invincibles]?” Lehmann explained to the Daily Mail. “Over recent seasons, Man City and Liverpool came close. Arsenal, I think in the next few years, we’ll come close again.
“Because if you consider the situation of Liverpool and at Man City, I think they will face some difficulties and the set-up at Arsenal is good. So, you never know. They can achieve it again. Well, they can stay unbeaten – if they win something, that’s a different subject.”
Chelsea and Liverpool have come within a game of repeating the Invincibles
Ahead of the final weekend of the 2023/24 term, Manchester City have endured the fewest defeats with three. The Citizens and Newcastle United also endured the fewest last term on five. While Liverpool endured the fewest defeats in 21/22 with two, with both on the road.
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Chelsea and Liverpool have also come closest to repeating Arsenal’s Invincibles over the last 20 years as the Blues and Reds endured just one defeat respectively in 04/05 and 18/19. The Blues suffered their defeat in their ninth match of the season and the Reds lost in their 21st.
Yet the Anfield natives still did not win the Premier League title in 18/19 as Manchester City, who lost four games, sealed the trophy by a single point. Chelsea secured their first Premier League title after losing once in 04/05, as Jose Mourinho’s squad conceded a mere 15 goals.