Arsenal have enjoyed a flying start to their season, with nine wins from 10 games putting them in the top seven best openings to a Premier League campaign.

Here are the seven sides quickest out of the blocks (Manchester United are nowhere to be seen) and how it ended for the others…

7) Arsenal 2026/27 – 27 points
W9 D0 L1 F15 A5 GD+10
Average goals scored: 1.5
Average goals conceded: 0.5
Final position: ?

That ‘goals scored’ number tells a story; this is an Arsenal that absolutely learned from what came before. No need to waste goals when you can just win every game (well, four so far) 1-0

6) Arsenal 2022/23 – 27 points
W9 D0 L1 F24 A10 GD+14
Average goals scored: 2.4
Average goals conceded: 1.0
Final position: Runners-up

Arsenal started the season in fine fettle with only one defeat in their first 19 Premier League games but this was The Great Bottle Job season of 22/23 and April brought a disastrous run of four Premier League games without a win, culminating in a 4-1 defeat to Man City that basically handed them the title.

5) Newcastle United 1995/96 – 27 points
W9 D0 L1 F26 A7 GD+19
Average goals scored: 2.6
Average goals conceded: 0.7
Final position: Runners-up

Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers captivated us all with a dramatic plot twist in the spring. After opening up a 12-point lead, they caved in to Manchester United’s sheer force of presence, as Eric Cantona hauled the Red Devils level with the Magpies before dashing for the line.

4) Liverpool 2019/20 – 28 points
W9 D1 L0 F23 A8 GD+15
Average goals scored: 2.3
Average goals conceded: 0.8
Final position: Champions

Liverpool won all but one of their first 27 matches, their only dropped points being left at Old Trafford after a 1-1 draw in October. The Reds’ first defeat came on March 29 at Watford. Then Covid acted the d*ck and threatened to null and void all Liverpool’s fine work. Klopp’s men eventually restarted the season and wrapped up their first Premier League title with seven behind-closed-doors games remaining. But if no one was there to see it…

3) Chelsea 2005/06 – 28 points
W9 D1 L0 F24 A4 GD+20
Average goals scored: 2.4
Average goals conceded: 0.4
Final position: Champions

As champions, Mourinho’s Blues reclaimed top spot by matchday three and never relinquished it. Their first dropped points came in a draw at Everton in late October before a first defeat at Old Trafford in November. Chelsea, though, motored through the winter and wrapped up successive titles with four games remaining, two of which they lost, reducing their margin of victory to eight points.

2) Manchester City 2011/12 – 28 points
W9 D1 L0 F36 A8 GD+28
Average goals scored: 3.6
Average goals conceded: 0.8
Final position: Champions

City didn’t taste defeat until mid-December at Chelsea and Roberto Mancini’s men retained top spot through the winter as they sought their first Premier League title. Then they sh*t themselves to allow United to go top, only for the Red Devils to make an even bigger mess of their own bed, resulting in Aguerooooooo Sunday.

1) Manchester City 2017/18 – 28 points
W9 D1 L0 F35 A6 GD+29
Average goals scored: 3.5
Average goals conceded: 0.6
Final position: Champions

City never let up on their way to Pep Guardiola’s first Premier League title. They lost only twice all season, 4-3 at Liverpool and then 3-2 at home to Manchester United when 2-0 up on a day they could have clinched the title with five games still to go. They still finished a whopping 19 points clear of Jose’s United in second. The best ever? Maybe, but they might not get to keep it.