A title race can be full of unpredictable twists and turns but last season was rare, in that the Premier League’s defining moment could be pinpointed exactly, down to the swing of Leon Bailey’s left boot in Aston Villa’s 2-0 win at Arsenal on 14 April.
Earlier that day Liverpool had lost to Crystal Palace at Anfield, and a sense of heady optimism gripped the Emirates before kick-off. Arsenal had not yet lost a Premier League game in 2024 and, with seven games to go, the title was in their hands.