Arsenal know all about familiar faces standing in the way of their title bids, and the Gunners' struggles this season show that little has changed.
Theo Walcott played a part in Mikel Arteta's side dropping points at home to Southampton, while Arteta's former mentor Pep Guardiola is standing in the way of a first title in 19 years. Back in 2003, though, it was a former international team-mate of the Gunners' stars who helped bring them down to earth.
Youri Djorkaeff was a key member of France's 1998 World Cup winning team, starting the final with Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry on the bench. Five years later, he was part of a Bolton side whose comeback against Arsenal prompted a feisty response from manager Arsene Wenger and dealt their title dreams a devastating blow.
After cruising to the 2001-02 Premier League title, Arsenal faced a much closer battle as they looked to fend off a Manchester United side boosted by the addition of England star Rio Ferdinand. Ahead of a trip to Bolton on April 26, they knew victory would move them top on goal difference with just three games left.
Their opponents were down the wrong end of the table, but were fighting for their lives. Sam Allardyce side had taken 13 points from their previous six games, with Chelsea's Carlton Cole the only opposition player to score against them during the run.
A goalless opening 45 minutes may have worried Arsenal, but efforts from Sylvain Wiltord and Robert Pires put them in the driving seat. It was still 2-0 with 15 minutes remaining, at which point Djorkaeff had his say.
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The former Inter Milan forward scored Bolton's first, reacting quickest after Per Frandsen struck the post and clipping the ball over the advancing David Seaman. He also had a role in the equaliser, sending in a free-kick from deep on the left which glanced off the head of Martin Keown and landed in the Arsenal net.
The sight of Arsenal surrendering two-goal leads during a title run-in is also a sore point for fans this season. As if to rub salt into the wound, though, Bolton's former Tottenham defender Gudni Bergsson aimed a further dig at the London side.
"The sun was shining, they were winning 2-0 and I guess they thought the job was done," Bergsson said. "Maybe the pressure is getting to them.
"I wouldn't say they looked nervous but once we had made it 2-1 a bit of apprehension crept in. I don't think United would have lost a two-goal lead to anybody."
Wenger himself wasn't on board with suggestions the pressure was getting to his team. Rivals Man Utd had won six of their previous seven games, but Wenger's Arsenal were the only team to stop them.
"I would stand by my players in any situation," the Frenchman said. "Anyone who believes my team are bothered by the pressure must be a childish person.
"We are disappointed, and rightly so. We've made things so much more difficult for ourselves.
"We've given away two bad goals and, with our experience that is disappointing. For the first time it is out of our hands, which is hard to take."
The draw with Bolton left Arsenal needing a perfect finish while relying on Man Utd slipping up. Unfortunately for them, they couldn't even manage the first part of the equation.
It was another meeting with a relegation-threatened side which proved their ultimate undoing. Leeds had taken just 11 points from their previous 14 games when they travelled to Highbury on May 4, but Mark Viduka's late goal gave them a 3-2 victory which sealed their survival and forced Arsenal to wave goodbye to their title hopes.
There may be one bright spark for Arsenal this season, though, even if the trip to the Etihad Stadium doesn't go to plan. One year after that late-season collapse, Wenger's side were celebrating an unbeaten campaign and lifting the Premier League trophy.
