As 1997 drew to a close, Manchester City stood proudly at the top of the Premier League table, holding a six-point lead over their nearest—and most unexpected—challengers: Arsenal.
Not long ago, that second-place spot had belonged to Leicester City, who had clung stubbornly to Manchester City's heels for much of the autumn. But a dismal run in their last six matches—just one win, three defeats, and two draws—had sent them tumbling.
Arsenal, underestimated and dismissed by pundits only weeks earlier, seized their moment.
Six matches, six victories—a perfect 100% record—catapulted them past Leicester and straight into second place, breathing life into a title race that had seemed all but decided.
Behind them, the fight for third and fourth place was heating up.
