In our new feature, we look at the Arsenal Premier League history through the decades, this time specifically focusing on key events involving the Gunners in the month of March, and in the years ending in ‘4'. Naturally, we have also analysed the odds of a repeat of each event happening this month, using current betting markets as a guide for our picks.
Arsenal Premier League history through the decades: The ‘4s
1994: Ian Wright’s two hat-tricks (vs Ipswich and Southampton)
The beginning of March 1994 saw Arsenal win consecutive Premier League away games against Ipswich Town and Southampton by a four-goal margin, beating each team 5-1 and 4-0 respectively. Ian Wright scored a hat-trick in both matches, as the Gunners chased their first Premier League title.
Unfortunately for them, a 2-2 home draw against Manchester United would follow, and a point was not enough to maintain any late title charge, as the Red Devils would go on to lift the trophy, with Arsenal lingering in fourth.
The Gunners are still free-scoring in the present day though, and a hat-trick for a modern player this month could be on the cards. Bukayo Saka is perhaps the most likely as top scorer this season, and is currently 40/1 with betting markets to net a treble against Brentford on Saturday evening.
2004: Pires and Bergkamp put Bolton to the sword early on
The 2003/04 season was special not just for Arsenal, but for the Premier League, as they went through the entire league season unbeaten. For another year at least, they will remain the only team to have done this in the Premier League era. A 2-1 home win against Bolton Wanderers was the benchmark for a difficult set of fixtures to follow, which the Gunners managed to come through.
Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp raced Arsenal into a 2-0 lead inside the first half-an-hour, before Bolton pulled one back. This win kept their confidence high ahead of the visit of nearest title rivals Manchester United. The Gunners would keep up their unbeaten league streak with a 1-1 draw, before Liverpool came to Highbury. The visitors took the lead twice, but a Thierry Henry hat-trick inspired Arsenal to a 4-2 victory.
Similar to what happened against Bolton, betting markets are offering 4/6 odds of Arsenal to be leading at HT against Brentford, and 2/7 to score first. Pires scored in the 16th minute to open the scoring against the Wanderers, and you can also get 10/3 odds of the first goal being scored between 11-20 minutes.
2014: Eight yellow cards in total as Arsenal beat Spurs 1-0
Arsenal were on a rare title charge in the Emirates Stadium era in the 2013/14 season, and a 1-0 win at North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in mid-March ensured they kept the pressure on at the top of the table. Tomas Rosicky scored the winner in just the second minute, in a feisty derby that saw eight yellow cards given.
It was also Arsene Wenger's 999th game in charge of Arsenal, though he went on to infamously lose his 1,000th against Chelsea by a 6-0 landslide, in what was a huge blow to their title hopes. The Gunners would eventually finish fourth that season, but did go on to win the FA Cup and claim their first major trophy in nine years.
In a repeat of the North London derby a decade ago, betting markets are currently offering 5/2 odds of over 5.5 cards to be shown between Arsenal and Brentford in another London derby on Saturday. With so much at stake for the Gunners in terms of the title race, things could get desperate against the Bees, and so plenty of cards could get dished out.
