Mikel Arteta clear on Arsenal's standing as three-horse title race turns onto final straight

It is 10 years since the Premier League last had a three-horse title race.

Back then, Jose Mourinho described Chelsea as the “little horse”, doing his best to play down expectation levels. The Special One’s attempt to ease the pressure on his players ultimately did not pay off, as Chelsea failed to match the pace of eventual champions Manchester City and second-placed Liverpool in the final furlong.

Fast forward to this season and Arsenal are seen as the outsiders in many quarters, behind leaders Liverpool and reigning champions Manchester City. But Mikel Arteta's men have the chance to go top by beating Brentford on Saturday, with Liverpool and City facing each other at Anfield on Sunday.

And if Arsenal do the business with an eighth consecutive win, and Liverpool and City play out a draw, it will mean only one point will separate the top three with ten games left.

That could make it the most exciting and open three-way title race in Premier League history. Since the competition began in 1992, there have only been ten three-horse title races, with the definition being a maximum of three points separating the top three at least 28 games into the season.

Arsenal have been involved in six of those ten three-way battles - but only won the title once in 2002. Chelsea have mixed it in five, only emerging on top in 2010. Manchester United, meanwhile, are the kings, having won seven titles from nine involvements in a three-horse race.

The Gunners were actually top of the table for 128 days in the 2013/14 season but did not even make the final three, as they were thrashed 5-1 at Liverpool in February and fell apart before hanging on for the fourth Champions League place.

Arteta’s side led the table for 248 days last season - including