Arsenal on track to celebrate earliest ever St Totteringham's Day

The scenario is simple for those in the red half of the capital. If relegation-threatened Tottenham fail to win at Fulham on Sunday, the party can officially begin. But regardless of what happens at Craven Cottage, Arsenal will be guaranteed to finish above Spurs in the Premier League for a fourth successive campaign if they overcome Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium later that evening. It marks a staggering turnaround from the six-year period between 2017 and 2022 when the white half of north London held the regional bragging rights.

Should results go their way this Sunday, it will shatter the previous record for the earliest St Totteringham's Day. The current benchmark was set back on March 9, 2008, during the Arsene Wenger era. Emerging as a playful term on the website 'Arseweb' in the early 2000s, St Totteringham's Day has become a staple of English football culture. The fact that it could arrive on March 1 highlights the astronomical gulf that has opened up between the two clubs over the last 18 months of Premier League action.

Last weekend’s emphatic 4-1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which saw Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres grab the headlines by netting a brace each, served as a grim reminder of the current trajectory for both sides. While Arsenal restored their five-point lead over Manchester City with that win, Spurs are left staring into the abyss. Currently 32 points behind their rivals, the Lilywhites are desperately fighting for survival. New interim boss Igor Tudor, who recently replaced Thomas Frank, has a monumental task on his hands to keep the club in the top flight.

The statistics make for painful reading for the Tottenham faithful. The projected final table, based on current points-per-game, suggests Arsenal will finish on 83 points while Spurs are slated for just 41. If this comes to pass, the 42-point margin would be the second-largest in Premier League history between the two rivals, trailing only the 45-point gap seen during the iconic 2003-04 'Invincibles' campaign. Tudor has been blunt about the reality of the situation, recently stating that his team is in a "life and death" relegation battle as they remain dangerously close to the drop zone.

The contrast in stability is equally stark. While Tottenham have cycled through three permanent managers since they last finished above Arsenal in 2022, Mikel Arteta has been given the time to mould a squad of genuine title contenders. Under the Spaniard’s six-year tenure, the Gunners have evolved into a ruthless machine, while Spurs have seen a total collapse in form that has left them four points above the bottom three. The north London dominance has truly returned to the Emirates, and the record books are likely to reflect that by Sunday night.

Arsenal have finished above Tottenham in 25 of the past 33 Premier League seasons, and a 26th is now a mere formality. Even if the celebrations are delayed this weekend, the next opportunity arrives against Brighton on March 4. However, the chance to rub salt in the wounds by confirming it on March 1 is an opportunity the Emirates faithful will be desperate to seize. Arteta’s side are showing no signs of slowing down despite a minor wobble earlier in the month, with consecutive draws against Brentford and Wolves in the league. By contrast, Tudor’s men have failed to record a single league victory so far in 2026. As the fans prepare their banners and songs for Sunday, the reality of the north London hierarchy has never been clearer. St Totteringham’s Day is coming, and this time, it’s making an early entrance to the party.