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Sunday, 6 October, 2002, 19:21 GMT 20:21 UK

Record-breaking Arsenal

By Paul Fletcher
BBC Sport Online

So this season's Arsenal side have swept another two records from their path.

Not swept, but steamrollered with a cantering 3-1 win over Sunderland.

Record One: It was their 12th home win in a row - a new club best and just two away from matching Newcastle's record since the Premiership began.

Arsenal's own all-time club record is also 14 set back in 1934 though the all-time top flight record is some way off - 21 straight home wins by Liverpool in 1972.

Record Two: Sunday's victory also means they have now gone 30 Premiership matches unbeaten - surpassing Manchester United's 29-game streak in 1998-1999.

You have to go back to Highbury on a cold December day last year to find their last Premiership defeat - by Newcastle United.


Longest unbeaten runs in English top flight
Nottingham Forest. 1977/78. Won: 21. Drawn: 21
Leeds United. 1968/69. Won: 19. Drawn: 15
Liverpool. 1987/88. Won 23. Drawn 8.
Arsenal. 2001/? Won 25. Drawn: 5.

Now they can go after the all-time unbeaten record in England which stands at 42 matches.

In any other season it might be Liverpool grabbing the plaudits; who are also unbeaten in the league and only two points behind the Gunners.

But it is the manner of Arsenal's victories which have the pundits gasping, sweeping away all before them with a blend of graceful yet powerful attacking play.

Sunday's clash with Peter Reid's struggling Sunderland side was effectively over inside ten minutes.

And it was a similar story a week ago when Arsenal blew away Leeds 4-1 at Elland Road.

That saw them pass another milestone, extending their run of consecutive games in which they have scored to 47 - breaking Chesterfield's 71-year-old record.

They have also set a new record for top-flight away matches without defeat, surpassing Nottingham Forest's total of 22.

The next step is to challenge Forest's record of 42 unbeaten games in the top flight - set in 1977-78.

And with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger openly suggesting the club could go through the entire season unbeaten, don't bet against it just yet.


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