<\/p>\n
Reaching a total of 90 points was once a rarity in the Premier League, even for the division\u2019s very best teams.<\/strong><\/p>\n But Manchester City and Liverpool have set new standards in recent years, leaving almost no margin for error at the top. And now Mikel Arteta\u2019s Arsenal look set to become the latest side to reach the milestone of greatness.<\/p>\n There\u2019s still plenty of the race left to run and every possibility of a late-season collapse. But league leaders Arsenal have looked exceptional throughout almost the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign so far. They\u2019re on track for a final tally of 93 points if they can maintain the standards set so far \u2013 and a final tally of 99 points is achievable if they don\u2019t drop any points in the run-in.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve taken a look at the exceptional sides who\u2019ve managed at least 90 points since the Premier League\u2019s inception.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t take long for Sir Alex Ferguson\u2019s United to put down a marker in the newly formed Premier League, which still had 42 games a season until 1995-96.<\/p>\n Having won the inaugural title the year before, the Red Devils left the competition trailing in their wake, finishing eight points clear of second-placed Blackburn.<\/p>\n They also won the FA Cup, capping off one of many successful seasons for Fergie at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n Predictably, it was United again who next reached the 90-point milestone.<\/p>\n Their period of dominance throughout the decade was finished off in style as the goals of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, and the assists of David Beckham, fired Fergie\u2019s side to another title.<\/p>\n United hit 97 goals across the league season, hammering almost everyone at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n West Ham were beaten 7-1, Everton 5-1, and Newcastle were given a 5-1 drubbing at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n This was, arguably, the most stylish of Fergie\u2019s title wins.<\/p>\n This team needs no introduction.<\/p>\n Arsene Wenger\u2019s Invincibles immediately went down in Premier League folklore having gone an entire season without losing a game.<\/p>\n A stingy defensive record of just 26 goals conceded proved the foundation of the success, while Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp terrorised defenders at the other end of the pitch.<\/p>\n Wenger, of course, had already made prescient comments about the possibility of avoiding defeat through a whole Premier League campaign. And no one really believed it but him.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not impossible to go through the season unbeaten and I can\u2019t see why it\u2019s shocking to say that,\u201d he said in September 2002.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery manager thinks that but they don\u2019t say it because they\u2019re scared it would be ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n No one has achieved it since, so perhaps that Arsenal team were slightly ridiculous.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n READ: <\/strong>Where are they now? The 14 fringe players from Arsenal\u2019s Invincibles<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Chelsea, in response to Arsenal\u2019s Invincibles, looked to raise the bar again.<\/p>\n Now backed by the wealth of Roman Abramovich, they brought in Porto\u2019s Champions League-winning manager Jose Mourinho, whose approach proved innovative.<\/p>\n The self-proclaimed \u2018Special One\u2019 immediately instilled an almost impenetrable defensive system at Chelsea, which resulted in a total of just 15 goals conceded in 38 league games.<\/p>\n His side made the Arsenal team of the year before look porous in comparison.<\/p>\n With Frank Lampard scoring consistently in attack, there was no stopping Chelsea. The Blues very nearly matched Arsenal in going the whole season unbeaten, too, but a solitary defeat at Manchester City prevented that.<\/p>\n A year on and Mourinho\u2019s Chelsea had not lost their efficacy.<\/p>\n They let in a few more goals and dropped a few more points, but a second successive title was never in doubt.<\/p>\n Lampard starred again, netting 16 times, while Didier Drogba scored 12 and led the line impressively.<\/p>\n And in defence, no one could find a way through John Terry, Ashley Cole and co.<\/p>\n Chelsea 2005\/06<\/p>\n Beautiful Football \ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f #CFC<\/a><\/p>\n (1\/2) pic.twitter.com\/xZbYu41shu<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 nick10469 (@nick10469) March 26, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n United quickly re-established themselves as the top dogs in the Premier League after Arsenal and Chelsea\u2019s respective dalliances with the crown.<\/p>\n They made it three titles in a row with another 90-point haul, despite a relatively unimpressive return of 68 goals scored.<\/p>\n Cristiano Ronaldo did score 19 times, though, and a strong defensive record helped Fergie\u2019s side pip a resurgent Liverpool to top spot.<\/p>\n A gap of eight years until the next team managed to reach 90 points was a testament to the\u00a0competitiveness of the Premier League.<\/p>\n It was Chelsea under Antonio Conte who began what would become a new era of unprecedented high standards.<\/p>\n The Italian coach responded to a slow start to the season and a heavy defeat at Arsenal by switching to a back three, a tactical change that resulted in a superb run of 13 consecutive wins.<\/p>\n With Diego Costa leading the line, Chelsea were too aggressive and too effective for most opponents, ending the campaign seven points clear of runners-up Tottenham.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is for my players,\u201d said Conte.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a great achievement because this is the hardest championship to win in the world, and I have to say thanks to the players for their commitment, their attitude and their passion, and their will to do something great this season. They fought for this.\u201d<\/p>\n Cesc Fabregas\ud83c\udf99 <\/p>\n “When Conte arrived at Chelsea, I started to see what modern football was all about: lots of runs, fractional sessions, lots of robotic training, i.e. ‘you pass to me, I to you, if you are there I need to be here\u201d pic.twitter.com\/zgWpjs59vX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 AllThingsSele\u00e7\u00e3o \u2122 (@SelecaoTalk) May 16, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The best team in Premier League history \u2013 at least if measuring it by points.<\/p>\n Pep Guardiola has taken things to a new level since joining Manchester City and this was the zenith, an incredible team that finished 19 points clear at the top.<\/p>\n No team had reached 100 points, no team had scored more than the 106 goals City racked up, and no team had won more than their 32 victories.<\/p>\n This was a record-breaking side and one that threatened to establish a hegemonic grip on the Premier League.<\/p>\n There was no let-up from City a year on, but this time they were pushed all the way by Jurgen Klopp\u2019s equally relentless Liverpool.<\/p>\n City won the league by a single point, while Liverpool were left to wonder what might have been.<\/p>\n Their total of 97 points would have been enough to win the Premier League title in all but one other season.<\/p>\n Arsenal are only the ninth \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f top-flight team to win 16+ of their opening 19 games. Does this = a league title?<\/p>\n Preston 1888-89: \u2705 \u2014 Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) January 22, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n When City finally experienced a dip, Liverpool were there to capitalise.<\/p>\n Despite the interruption to the season by the outbreak of Covid-19, Klopp\u2019s side were unstoppable and romped to a first title in 30 years.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no words,\u201d Klopp said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the best thing I can imagine and more than I could have ever dreamed of. It\u2019s unbelievable. Much more than I ever thought would be possible.\u201d<\/p>\n After most teams\u2019 standards dropped in a season heavily impacted by the pandemic, the top of the table took on a familiar look again last season.<\/p>\n City, midway through, looked high and dry, but their lead was clawed back by Liverpool, in pursuit of a quadruple.<\/p>\n But City, after a dramatic final-day win over Aston Villa, had enough to get over the line again, finishing a point ahead of Liverpool in a cruel repeat of 2018-19.<\/p>\n When we come to look back upon that era, we\u2019ll surely remember it as an all-time great Premier League rivalry.<\/p>\n READ NEXT:\u00a0Comparing Arsenal\u2019s 2022-23 record to the Invincibles at the same stage<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n TRY A QUIZ: Can you name the Premier League-winning captain for every season?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\nManchester United \u2013 1993-94 (92 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Manchester United \u2013 1999-00 (91 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Arsenal \u2013 2003-04 (90 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Chelsea \u2013 2004-05 (95 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Chelsea \u2013 2005-06 (91 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Manchester United \u2013 2008-09 (90 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Chelsea \u2013 2016-17 (93 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Manchester City \u2013 2017-18 (100 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Manchester City (98 points) & Liverpool (97 points) \u2013 2018-19<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Man Utd 1907-08: \u2705
Spurs 1960-61: \u2705
Chelsea 2005-06: \u2705
Chelsea 2016-17: \u2705
Man City 2017-18: \u2705
Liverpool 2018-19: \u274c
Liverpool 2019-20: \u2705<\/p>\nLiverpool \u2013 2019-20 (99 points)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Manchester City (93 points) & Liverpool (92 points) \u2013\u00a02021-22<\/strong><\/h3>\n