Between May 2003 and October 2004, Arsenal established a new league record for unbeaten play. That record will continue on in perpetuity and be documented in the annals of history.

The Gunners’ unprecedented run began in the ruins of an unsuccessful Premier League bid. On May 7, 2003, Arsenal overcame the heartbreak of a home loss to Leeds that ceded the championship to Manchester United by defeating Southampton 6-1 at Highbury. Nobody had even a dim suspicion of what would ensue.

Arsenal began the 2003-04 season with four consecutive victories, but in their eighth consecutive loss at Old Trafford, they came perilously close to failing. Ruud van Nistelrooy missed the crossbar with a late penalty kick, securing a 0-0 stalemate for Arsenal. It was the nearest shave of the 49-game sequence in its entirety.