WHEN the odds were stacked against them, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United usually found a way.
Only two teams in Prem history have come back from eight points off the top after 11 games and won the title: Blackburn in 1994/95 and United in 2002/03 AND 2008/09.
This season, Arsenal find themselves NINE points adrift at the same stage, needing to do what no Prem side has ever done to lift their first league trophy since the 2004 Invincibles.
Wes Brown was a part of both those United squads that produced miraculous comebacks – a rare period in Sir Alex’s tenure where he was the chaser instead of the pack leader.
In 2003, United finished five points clear of Arsenal. In 2009, they finished four points clear of Liverpool. Ultimately, their mad dash to the finish line was enough to win by a nose.
So, what does it take to pull it off? Brown told SunSport: “First of all, the manager is very important. He’s the one that keeps everybody steady and calm.
“He gives you the belief. Sir Alex wouldn’t necessarily shout. He would look at your aura and try to get the best out of you that way.
“And then, it is up to the players to just keep going.
“We had some good characters and we all trusted the players around us who would lead by example. We had been there, done it.
“People see you win the league and think you were brilliant – not all the time, but somehow we won. It might be the collective, getting stuck in, an individual piece of brilliance.
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“You might be having a tough game, but someone will get you a goal.
“We’d always have someone that was on fire, normally a striker. He would get a chance and he’d score and lift everybody and slowly the belief comes back.”
In 2002/03 for United, it was Ruud van Nistelrooy. He scored 25 Prem goals that term, finding the net in each of their last eight to eventually leapfrog Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.
And in 2008/09, it was Cristiano Ronaldo, with 10 league goals in the New Year to make it 18 in total to narrowly see off rivals Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal lack that sort of season-defining goal-getter, seemingly resting their hopes on Kai Havertz – with four Prem goals so far – to have a similar sort of impact.
Brown added: “Naturally, you always say to yourself: ‘If we can get a good run we can catch them’, especially before Christmas. After that, it is a bit different.
“You get into January, eight or nine points away, you’d be thinking the team you’re after are not going to lose.
“I still think it is possible [for Arsenal]. It is early. You’ve just got to believe in yourself. You cannot give up. You find something in you that doesn’t allow that to happen.
“But it does take a lot and it’s mostly a team sort of thing to deal with, even if you need talented individuals.”
In the aftermath of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away at Chelsea last time out – making it four Prem games without a win – Gunners legend Paul Merson suggested if they can be within six points of Liverpool by Christmas, the title race is on.
Brown said: “100 per cent. If all of a sudden it is six, Liverpool draw, you’re right back in it.
“When we were battling with Arsenal and they were in the lead, if they messed up once, all of a sudden the gap is smaller. You’re putting pressure on them to see how they react.
“If anything, as the chaser, you have the adrenaline.”
Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures may well encourage a burst of form, starting on Saturday at home to Nottingham Forest before clashes against West Ham, Fulham, Everton, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Brentford and an unknown entity in Man United under Ruben Amorim.
But as Brown knows all too well, it is the big games that define a title run-in. It is put to him that Arteta’s Arsenal still have to go to Anfield in May.
Speaking on behalf of Betzillo, Brown laughed: “When you said ‘Anfield’, your voice changed. Why? A group of winners would say: ‘Let’s do it, let’s get them there’. That’s the difference.
“That’s what you need, that sort of feeling”.
By Jack Rosser
EDU GASPAR has been on a mission to ‘Make Arsenal Great Again’ ever since returning to the club he played for 2019.
After a few wobbles early on – signing Nicolas Pepe will never reflect well – the Brazilian has, alongside Mikel Arteta, been crucial in the club’s transformation.
Arteta was brought in as the new manager within months of Edu’s return to North London and the former midfielder stuck by the boss when the pressure was on two years into the job.
Instead of making the knee-jerk decision to change manager again, the former Brazil international, joined forces with Arteta to institute a huge change of culture at The Emirates.
Overpaid toxic influences such as Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were purged from the dressing room and Arsenal set about adding strong characters.
Edu finally got the club competing in the transfer market again, with Martin Odegaard an outstanding capture for the club. In landing Declan Rice ahead of Manchester City last year Arsenal showed they couple compete for and sign some of Europe’s biggest talents once more.
Arsenal have become one of the most attractive clubs in the Premier League and one of the most efficient in the market.
While there have been big deals for the likes of Rice and Calafiori, there have been smart ones too – picking out value where others have lost hope.
Kai Havertz appeared as a surprising signing after a dreadful season at Chelsea. But after Edu gave the German space and support to rebuild his confidence he has developed into a fine asset for Arteta.
Edu does not only have a tight relationship with Arteta – who many fans will be glad signed a new deal before the sporting director’s departure – but the players too, always ready and waiting to check in, keep them going.
London Colney and The Emirates will feel a very different place for all of them without Edu.
