Everyone dreams of hoisting the Premier League trophy, even if English soccer teams have the opportunity to win numerous other awards each season. For instance, the FA Cup is a prestigious award but doesn’t quite provide the same sense of fulfillment as winning the league. Ask Arsenal about it. Despite recent cup victories, it has been a while since the Gunners won the major award at the end of the season. You would anticipate that Arsenal would have amassed a sizable collection of silverware throughout the years as one of England’s most prominent teams and a contemporary member of the Big Six. A significant portion of the Gunners’ successes has come in the league, as evidenced around their Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal played most of their games in the Football League First Division before establishing the Premier League. The team successfully ran between the two world wars, winning the championship in the 1930s. Success continued after that dynamite decade, but league championships appeared less frequently. In 1947 and 1952, the Gunners reclaimed first-division supremacy. After a long absence, they won the First Division trophy in 1970. A new era for Arsenal with Arsene Wenger in charge started following another challenging period. Early in the 2000s, the Gunners were Premier League champions. That final trophy had added significance because Arsenal played the entire season without being defeated and cemented their place in soccer history.

Getty Images/ Arsenal FC/ Stuart MacFarlane

The Premier League is complicated to win, which may not be a consolation to fans desperate for a title. An excellent squad may fall short because there is only room for one club to hold the top rank. The North Londoners appear to be in a terrific position even though Arsenal cannot guarantee a league championship. Although it might have required some persuasion initially to have confidence in manager Mikel Arteta, that confidence is now paying dividends. An inspirational figure leads Arsenal with a strong vision for how his team should play football. A great, young core of players and a few crucial veterans who have risen through the ranks have backed up that ambition.