Some clubs are used to leading the pack. Manchester City have done it for the majority of the last five seasons, while Liverpool are also no strangers to being in pole position.
Others aren't quite as comfortable when they are the ones being chased - take Arsenal, for example. Back in the glory days of Arsene Wenger's reign maybe, but it's been a long time since they've been at the very top and last season's evidence would suggest they can't even handle the pressure that comes with being fourth.
With three games to go, Mikel Arteta's side sat five points clear and looked odds on to finally return to the Champions League - before the wheels came off in spectacular fashion. The Gunners were beaten by fierce rivals and nearest challengers Spurs, before another defeat at Newcastle soon followed.
There were plenty of reasons and excuses made on Arsenal's behalf by pundits and supporters alike in an attempt to explain the capitulation, whether it be down to their young manager or their even younger squad. Ultimately, the fact remained - it was a fifth-place finish and Europa League football on the way for the red half of north London.
Fast forward three months and morale around the place has shifted drastically, with optimism sky high following the signings of former City pairing Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. The return of perennial loanee William Saliba has also helped boost the mood.
Nothing helps lift spirits better than results though and two wins from their opening two games puts Arsenal second in the table, two points behind the likes of Spurs, Chelsea and four points ahead of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.
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Reaching those dizzy heights at any stage of the season does tend to mean that pressure will quickly follow, though it has perhaps been accelerated by a Gunners legend in the form of Patrick Vieira. Now the manager of Crystal Palace, the Frenchman is the first notable figure to go on record and declare his old side title challengers.
It was the Eagles that Arsenal beat on the opening night under the lights at Selhurst Park. Vieira then had to take his side up to Anfield, where Palace managed to come away with a point. Reflecting on the first two games of his side's season, Vieira made the claim about the Gunners.
"When you look at the number of points, of course playing against two teams who are fighting to win the Premier League, is always going to be challenging," Vieira explained.
It's certainly been a long while since anyone has truly thought Arsenal could legitimately challenge for the Premier League title and even longer since they've actually won it. So long in fact, that some of the younger members of the Gunners faithful may have forgotten who the last man to lift it was - Vieira himself.
Vieira's comments also serve as a reminder of comments that undeniably place further pressure on Arteta made by Gunners technical director Edu - a former Arsenal teammate of current the Palace manager.
Speaking to The Athletic before the start of the season, the Arsenal chief discussed his relationship with Arteta before raising the stakes for the rest of this season.
"He [Arteta] showed me he has a very clear idea of how he wants to play football, which again helps us to make decisions. Now he’s going to make the club’s life easier.
"Then I give to the club a five-year plan. I said to Mikel and to the board: 'Guys, 2022-23 will be the season we're going to be much better. We have to be patient… It would be impossible to take everyone out and put everyone in, we need a process to do that.'"
With the added pressure of Edu's past comments, Vieira's title shout only heightens expectations of Arsenal this season - something that they tend to struggle with in recent years.
