Sol Campbell spots Premier League title omen before Arsenal's trip to Liverpool
The fact that Arsenal make the trip to Liverpool exactly 19 years after they beat the Reds at Highbury en route to becoming champions in 2004 has not evaded Sol Campbell.
On Easter Sunday just shy of two decades ago, the Gunners welcomed Liverpool to their old stomping ground and some Thierry Henry heroics inspired a remarkable turnaround that Campbell claims helped get Arsenal over the line and land the league title the very next month.
Things aren't exactly the same this time around, as it is Arsenal making the trip to Anfield, though the landscape of the title race is somewhat similar. The Gunners currently sit top, with a five-point advantage over nearest challengers and reigning champions Manchester City.
Campbell has explained how that game on the same date 19 years ago impacted proceedings back then and what a win could do for the current crop of Arsenal stars.
"When we were 2-1 down at half-time you could sense a nervous tension among fans — particularly on the back of two draws and two defeats beforehand,’ Campbell told The Sun. ‘But by the end Highbury was really rocking. Going into this match we were four points ahead of second-placed Chelsea and felt confident we were in the driving seat with eight games left.
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"However, after this 4-2 win I genuinely think we all finally felt for the first time the title was in our grasp. Fast forward 19 years and I think Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are in the same mindset going into tomorrow’s game against, of all teams, Liverpool, on the same date.
HAVE YOUR SAY!Is Cambpell's assessment of Arsenal's situation accurate? Comment below
Sol Campbell and Thierry Henry celebrate the win over Liverpool on Easter Sunday 2004"The progress they have made in 12 months — after missing out on a top four place a year ago — has been the story of the season."
Campbell's assessment is accurate, the Gunners have undergone a stunning transformation under Arteta this season.
Few would have predicted before a ball had been kicked this term that Arsenal would be anywhere near the title, particularly at this late stage of the campaign.
And yet, if Arsenal do register a 12th away win of the season at Anfield on Sunday, the general consensus is now that it would be the Gunners' title to lose.
A trip to Liverpool is by no means Arsenal's last tough test, with away games against the likes of City and Newcastle still to come, but a first win at Anfield in 11 years would certainly send quite the statement.
In contrast, defeat would not exactly end Arsenal's title ambitions, but it would provide significant optimism to Pep Guardiola that the Gunners are there for the taking in the race to the top.
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